Artist who designed Lute Olson statue created works honoring Magic, Jordan, Shaq

The artist commissioned to create a statue of Arizona Wildcats coaching legend Lute Olson is the same man who has immortalized Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal, Magic Johnson and Gordie Howe. 

Omri Amrany is the co-founder of the Fine Art Studio of Rotblatt-Amrany. Along with his wife Julie Rotblatt-Amrany, Omri Armany has help create many of sports' top recent statues. He has captured legendary coaches Al McGuire (Marquette) and Curly Lambeau (Packers), and designed and sculpted the statue of broadcasting legend Chick Hearn. 

The Israeli-born Amrany may be best known for the Michael Jordan statue that sits in front of Chicago's United Center. The 2,000-pound bronze statue stands 12 feet tall and rests on a 5-foot base that reads "the best there ever was. The best there ever will be." The statue, created by Omri Amrany and Julie Rotblatt-Amrany, was dedicated in 1994 to honor the Chicago Bulls star.

Amrany was selected by Line and Space, the Tucson-based architecture firm hired by the UA to design the statue and an accolades exhibit. Line and Space chose the pose used by Amrany — one where Olson is holding the 1997 NCAA Championship trophy.   

Amrany and fellow artist Gary Tillery designed the Pat Tillman statue that sits outside University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale. 

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Amrany has a collection of statues stationed outside Staples Center in Los Angeles, where works honoring Elgin Baylor, Shaquille O'Neal, Jerry West, Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, Hearn, Kings star Luc Robitaille and broadcaster Bob Miller all reside.

Omri Amrany also sculpted statues of Washington baseball greats Walter Johnson, Frank Howard and Josh Gibson, and of numerous Detroit Red Wings stars.

The UA will unveil Olson's statue at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, and is still accepting donations to offset the $300,000 cost of the project. The event is closed to the public but will be livestreamed here. Follow @TheWildcaster on Twitter for more coverage.