lisa leslie biography wikipedia

Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie was an All-Star basketball player, Olympic gold medalist and WNBA league MVP.

1972–Present

Who Is Lisa Leslie?

Early career, wbna career, life after pro basketball, quick facts.

FULL NAME: Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood BORN: July 7, 1972 BIRTHPLACE: Gardena, California ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Cancer

In 2001, Lisa Leslie was the first WNBA player to win the regular season MVP, the All-Star Game MVP and the playoff MVP in the same season. In 2002, she was the WNBA all-time leading scorer and was named MVP of the WNBA Championship. Leslie was a member of the gold-winning U.S. Olympic teams in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. She retired from the WNBA in 2009.

Former professional basketball player Lisa Leslie was born July 7, 1972 in Gardena, California. Standing six feet tall in seventh grade, Leslie hated it when people would ask her if she played basketball. But after reluctantly picking up the sport in middle school, she was hooked. While at Morningside High School in Los Angeles, she led the team to two state championships. In college at the University of Southern California, she set several Pac-10 conference records for points and rebounds.

In her final year at University of Southern California, Leslie was named the 1994 National Player of the Year. She made her first trip to the Olympics in 1996 held in Atlanta, Georgia. There she helped the U.S. team take home the gold medal in women's basketball. That same year, Leslie also launched a modeling career.

Leslie landed a contract with the WNBA in 1997, becoming one of the new league's first players. She joined the Los Angeles Sparks and had an impressive career with the team. In 2001, she was the first WNBA player to win the regular season MVP, the All-Star Game MVP and the playoff MVP in the same season. Leslie also led the Los Angeles Sparks to two back-to-back WNBA Championships — in 2001 and 2002. In addition to her outstanding performance with the Sparks, Leslie returned to Olympic competition three more times. She helped the U.S. team win gold in 2000 and in 2004.

Leslie picked up two more WBNA MVP honors — in 2004 and 2006. She sat out of the 2007 WNBA season because she was pregnant with her first child, but she wasn't away from the courts for long. Leslie returned to the Sparks in 2008. She also earned her fourth and final gold medal in women's basketball that summer at the Olympics in Beijing, China. In 2009, she announced that she was retiring from professional basketball. Leslie scored more than 6,200 points during her twelve years with the WNBA. She also holds the distinction of being the first woman in the league to make a slam-dunk during an official game.

In 2009, Leslie added becoming an author to her already long list of accomplishments. She released her autobiography, Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You , before playing her final season with the Sparks. Since her retirement, Leslie has worked as a sports commentator and analyst for such channels as ABC, NBC and Fox Sports Net among others.

Leslie returned to her beloved Sparks team in 2011, but this time as an investor, not a player. She is now one of the team's owners, and has also decided to share her knowledge and skills with others through the Lisa Leslie Basketball & Leadership Academy.

Personal LifeLeslie is married to Michael Lockwood. The couple has two children, son Michael Joseph and daughter Lauren Jolie.

• Boys have a tendency to jump around a lot more than girls. Boys have that desire to want to dunk way more than girls do. It just never seemed like something we could truly fathom and do.
• I'm strong, I'm tough, I still wear my eyeliner.

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Lisa Leslie

An early star of the WNBA and a four-time Olympic gold medalist, Lisa Leslie is one of the greatest basketball players of all time. The first player to dunk in the WNBA, Leslie continues to make an impact in the sports world as a coach, team owner, commentator, and role model.

Lisa Leslie was born on July 7, 1972 in Gardena, California and grew up in Compton. Her mother, Christine Leslie-Espinoza, worked as a mail carrier and truck driver. While her mother was on the road, Leslie lived with other family members and, from a young age, cared for her baby sister, Tiffany.

At 12 years old, Leslie already stood over six feet tall. Because of her height, people always assumed she'd play basketball, but she had no exposure to the sport before junior high school. When a classmate asked her to join the team, the shy Leslie decided to give it a try in hopes of making friends. On the first day of practice, the coach divided the players into right-handed and left-handed groups. The only left-handed player, Leslie did not like being on her own, so she vowed to learn to use her right hand for all basketball skills. That decision led her to become ambidextrous, a significant asset for a basketball player. Leslie’s cousin and uncle helped her train, teaching her the fundamentals and encouraging her to play a tough, physical style of basketball.

In eighth grade, Leslie joined a boys’ club team. Initially the boys refused to give her the ball, but after she intercepted a pass between two of her teammates and scored, they started shouting “give the ball to the girl!” She soon began playing in the Olympic Girls’ Development League, often competing against girls several years older. The OGDL exposed Leslie to college basketball coaches and she received more than 100 college recruiting letters before even starting high school.

Leslie went to Morningside High School and was named California’s “Freshman of the Year” after her first high school basketball season. In her sophomore year (1987-88), the team made it to the state championship game. Leslie played a great game, but she missed the final shot as time expired and Morningside lost by one point to Fremont High School. The crushing defeat made Leslie determined to lead her team to the championship the following year. She did just that when they defeated Fremont in a state championship rematch in 1989. USA Today and Parade magazine named Leslie to their first-team high school All-America squads that year.

At 16, Leslie made the U.S. Junior National Team and traveled abroad for the first time to play in the World Championship Tournament in Spain. The only high school player on the team, Leslie led the team in scoring and rebounding during the tournament. In her senior year, Leslie set a national record by scoring 101 points in the first half of a game, led her team to a second consecutive state championship, and won the Naismith Award, given to the nation’s top high school basketball player.

Leslie attended the University of Southern California (USC). During her collegiate career, she led the team to an 89-31 overall record and four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances. She was named the 1991 National Freshman of the Year and the 1994 Naismith College Player of the Year. Leslie also received All-American honors for 1992, 1993, and 1994. Leslie set Pac-10 conference records for scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots, and became the first player to make the first all-conference team in each of her four years. Leslie graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in communications.

At the time, there were no opportunities for women to play professional basketball in the U.S. So, like many other college stars, Leslie signed with a team in the European women’s professional league. She joined Sicilgesso, based in Alcamo, Italy, for the 1994-95 season. Leslie then made the 1996 Olympic team and helped lead the team to a gold medal. In the process, she set a record when she scored 35 points in one game.

After the Olympics, rather than return overseas, Leslie began modeling professionally. She worked with major fashion designers like Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, and Anne Klein.  When the WNBA was established in the summer of 1997, Leslie, along with Sheryl Swoopes and Rebecca Lobo, became the faces of the new league. Leslie anchored her hometown team, the Los Angeles Sparks.

Leslie played in the WNBA for twelve seasons, during which she led the Sparks to league championships in 2001 and 2002. She was a seven-time All-Star (and three-time All-Star Game MVP), three-time WNBA MVP, eight-time first team All-WNBA honoree, and two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Leslie made history when she became the first player in the WNBA to dunk on July 30, 2002.

Off the court, Leslie was recognized by the Big Sisters Guild of Los Angeles for her work with foster children, and earned her master’s degree in business administration from the University of Phoenix. In 2005, Leslie married Michael Lockwood, a commercial pilot. They have two children, Lauren and Michael II.

Leslie continued bring home victories with Team USA during these years. In addition to World Championship titles in 1998 and 2002, the U.S. women’s basketball team won gold in the Olympics in 2000, 2004, and 2008, making Leslie a four-time Olympic gold medalist. In 2019, Leslie was selected for the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame.

Leslie retired from the WNBA in 2009, but remains the Sparks’ leading scorer and rebounder. Since retiring, Leslie has published her autobiography ( Don’t Let the Lipstick Fool You ), served as a broadcast commentator, and become a part-owner of the Sparks. In 2013, she established the Lisa Leslie Basketball & Leadership Academy, an organization that provides basketball training and academic tutoring to Los Angeles youth. Leslie was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. Today, Leslie coaches the Triplets team in the men’s BIG3 league, where she and Nancy Lieberman are the only female head coaches of professional men’s basketball teams.

Burnett, Larry, Leslie, Lisa. Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You . United Kingdom: Kensington Books, 2009.

Caple, Jim. “Lisa Leslie: Achieving her basketball dream.” United States Olympic and Paralympic Museum. Accessed Jan. 26, 2021. https://usopm.org/lisa-leslie-achieving-her-basketball-dream/

“Lisa Leslie.” Team USA. Accessed Jan. 26, 2021. https://www.teamusa.org/usa-basketball/athletes/lisa-leslie

“Lisa Leslie: Class of 2015.” Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Accessed Jan. 26, 2021. https://www.wbhof.com/famers/lisa-leslie/

“Lisa Leslie: Coach.” BIG3. Accessed Jan. 26, 2021. https://big3.com/players/lisa-leslie/

Samuel, Naya. “Lisa Leslie Is Never Scared.” Sports Illustrated . Oct. 28, 2021. Accessed Jan. 26, 2021. https://www.si.com/wnba/2021/10/28/lisa-leslie-los-angeles-sparks-100-influential-black-women-in-sports

MLA – Brandman, Mariana. “Lisa Leslie.” National Women’s History Museum, 2022. Date accessed.

Chicago – Brandman, Mariana. “Lisa Leslie.” National Women’s History Museum. 2022. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/lisa-leslie

Image Credit:  "Lisa Leslie-Lockwood" by Sharon Graphics is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Wilma Rudolph

Ibtihaj muhammad, related biographies, stacey abrams, abigail smith adams, jane addams, toshiko akiyoshi, related background, mary church terrell , belva lockwood and the precedents she set for women’s rights, women’s rights lab: black women’s clubs, educational equality & title ix:.

Breaking Barriers and Making History: Lisa Leslie’s Trailblazing Journey

• August 15, 2023
• Teamwork & Collaboration

In the realm of women’s basketball, Lisa Leslie has emerged as a pioneering figure, revolutionizing the sport through her remarkable accomplishments and pioneering career. Notably, Leslie attained an unprecedented feat in the WNBA, securing the regular season MVP, playoff MVP, and All-Star Game MVP titles in a single season. Furthermore, she became the first female player to execute a dunk during a WNBA game and exhibited unwavering determination throughout her 13-season tenure with the Los Angeles Sparks. Beyond her athletic triumphs, Leslie surmounted obstacles and adversities, including her experience as the sole female member of an all-male basketball team in eighth grade. These adversities served as a catalyst for her quest to gain recognition as a female athlete and instilled in her an unwavering resolve against self-doubt. In her post-basketball pursuits, Leslie assumed the role of a co-owner for the Los Angeles Sparks, established her own basketball and leadership academy, authored a book, and undertook sports analysis. Notably, her illustrious career has garnered her induction into both the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, solidifying her enduring legacy as an ardent and inspiring figure in the annals of sports history.

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

• Lisa Leslie was the first player in the WNBA to win regular season MVP, playoff MVP, and All-Star Game MVP titles in the same season, solidifying her place in sports history.
• Leslie overcame challenges and adversities throughout her career, including being the only girl on an all-boys basketball team and facing self-doubt. However, she never allowed negative feelings to define her and developed the strength, motivation, and confidence to achieve anything.
• In her post-basketball endeavors, Leslie became a co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks, launched her own basketball and leadership academy, authored a book, and became a co-host on CBS Sports’ ‘We Need to Talk’. She also partnered with Boston Market in promoting healthy eating choices.
• Leslie successfully balanced her personal and professional life, juggling multiple roles as a supportive wife, loving mother, entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, and sports analyst. She maintained a strong work ethic and dedication, managing her commitments effectively.

Lisa Leslie’s Unprecedented Achievements

Lisa Leslie’s unprecedented achievements in the WNBA showcase her impact on women’s sports and solidify her role as a mentor and role model. She became the first player to win regular season MVP, playoff MVP, and All-Star Game MVP titles in the same season, a feat previously accomplished by NBA legends Michael Jordan, Willis Reed, and Shaquille O’Neal. Leslie’s 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks highlight her dedication and longevity in the league. Additionally, she made history as the first female player to dunk during a WNBA game, further breaking barriers for women in basketball. Leslie’s success extended beyond the WNBA, as she won four Olympic gold medals, further cementing her status as an influential figure in women’s sports. Her achievements inspire aspiring female athletes and demonstrate the heights that can be reached through hard work and determination.

Overcoming Challenges and Adversities

One of the challenges faced by Lisa Leslie was being the only girl on an all-boys basketball team in eighth grade. This experience provided her with an opportunity to build resilience and empower female athletes. Despite facing obstacles such as self-doubt and a lack of confidence, Leslie used this challenge to challenge herself and gain respect as a female athlete. She never allowed negative feelings to define her and instead developed strength, motivation, and confidence to achieve anything. By overcoming this adversity, Leslie not only paved the way for her own success but also became an inspiration for other female athletes. Her journey serves as a testament to the power of determination and perseverance in breaking barriers and making history.

Lisa Leslie’s Post-Basketball Endeavors

Becoming a co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks in 2011, Lisa Leslie has actively engaged in post-basketball endeavors. These include launching the Lisa Leslie Basketball and Leadership Academy, authoring ‘Don’t Let the Lipstick Fool You’, co-hosting CBS Sports’ ‘We Need to Talk’, and partnering with Boston Market in promoting healthy eating choices. As a co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks, Leslie has contributed to the growth and success of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Additionally, her Lisa Leslie Basketball and Leadership Academy has provided young athletes with the opportunity to develop their skills both on and off the court. Through her book, ‘Don’t Let the Lipstick Fool You’, Leslie has shared her experiences and insights to inspire others. By co-hosting ‘We Need to Talk’ and partnering with Boston Market, she has used her platform to promote healthy eating choices and enhance public awareness on the importance of maintaining a balanced diet.

Balancing Personal and Professional Life

Balancing personal and professional commitments requires a continuous effort to prioritize and set goals in order to achieve a sense of equilibrium. Maintaining work-life balance is crucial for individuals like Lisa Leslie, who juggle multiple roles as a supportive wife, loving mother, entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, and sports analyst. Leslie’s successful management of personal and professional commitments can be attributed to her strategies such as prioritizing tasks, delegating responsibilities, and setting boundaries. By effectively managing her time and resources, Leslie has been able to maintain a strong work ethic and dedication in all areas of her life. This has allowed her to excel in her various endeavors while also being present for her family and personal well-being. Overall, Leslie’s ability to balance personal and professional commitments serves as a model for others seeking a harmonious and fulfilling life.

Legacy and Personal Brand

Solidifying her place in sports history, Lisa Leslie’s legacy and personal brand are characterized by her work ethic, willpower to succeed, tenacity, and dedication. Leslie’s defining success lies not only in her numerous achievements on the basketball court but also in her ability to build a personal brand that inspires others. As a trailblazer in women’s basketball, Leslie’s legacy is marked by her unwavering commitment to breaking barriers and making history. Her work ethic and dedication have not only propelled her to become one of the greatest basketball players of all time but have also positioned her as a role model and inspiration for aspiring athletes. Leslie’s personal brand is built on the foundation of her achievements, values, and the impact she has made on the sport and the lives of others. Through her various endeavors post-basketball, including her ownership of the Los Angeles Sparks, her basketball academy, and her book, Leslie has further solidified her personal brand as one that embodies excellence, leadership, and empowerment.

Inspiring Others to Break Barriers and Make History

Lisa Leslie’s trailblazing journey has not only left a lasting legacy, but it has also inspired others to break barriers and make history. Through her achievements and personal brand, Leslie has become a role model for women, empowering them to challenge stereotypes and overcome obstacles. As the first female player in history to dunk during a WNBA game, she shattered the notion that women are incapable of such feats. By excelling in a male-dominated sport and achieving numerous accolades, Leslie has proven that gender should not limit one’s potential. Her work ethic, determination, and tenacity have not only solidified her place in sports history but have also inspired others to erase self-limiting beliefs and strive for greatness. Leslie’s journey serves as a powerful example of how individuals can defy societal expectations and pave their own paths towards success.

Frequently Asked Questions

How did lisa leslie’s experience as the only girl on an all-boys basketball team in eighth grade shape her future as a female athlete.

Lisa Leslie’s experience as the only girl on an all-boys basketball team in eighth grade shaped her future as a female athlete by challenging societal norms, demonstrating the impact of gender equality, and highlighting the importance of representation in sports.

What Steps Did Lisa Leslie Take to Overcome Self-Doubt and Lack of Confidence During Her Basketball Career?

Lisa Leslie’s mindset transformation involved overcoming self-doubt and building confidence during her basketball career. She faced challenges but never allowed negative feelings to define her, developing strength, motivation, and confidence to achieve her goals.

How Has Lisa Leslie Managed to Successfully Balance Her Personal and Professional Life, Juggling Multiple Roles as a Wife, Mother, Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker, and Sports Analyst?

Successfully balancing personal and professional life is a challenge for Lisa Leslie, as she juggles multiple roles. She prioritizes and sets goals, maintains a strong work ethic, and dedicates herself to each role to achieve work-life balance.

Can You Provide More Details on Lisa Leslie’s Role as a Co-Owner of the Los Angeles Sparks and Her Contributions to the Team?

Lisa Leslie’s role as a co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks involves contributing to the team’s success through her ownership responsibilities and decision-making. Her contributions as a co-owner are significant in shaping the direction and operations of the Los Angeles Sparks.

How Does Lisa Leslie Inspire Others to Break Barriers and Make History, and What Specific Actions Has She Taken to Support and Empower Aspiring Athletes?

Lisa Leslie inspires young athletes to break barriers and make history through her advocacy for gender equality in sports. She supports and empowers aspiring athletes through her role as a co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks and her contributions to the team.

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Lisa LESLIE

In 2008, Lisa Leslie became only the second basketball player ever to win four Olympic gold medals, after Teresa Edwards. A 1.96 m-tall (6’5”) center, was the first player to dunk in the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association), the United States’ women’s pro basketball league founded in 1997. Playing for the LA Sparks her entire professional career, Leslie won the WNBA title in 2001 and 2002. She earned three MVP awards (2001, 2004 and 2006) and was selected into eight all-star teams. When she retired from the league in 2009, she was the all-time leader in points and rebounds.

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Four-time Olympian (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008); four-time Olympic medalist (4 golds) Atlanta 1996, gold Sydney 2000, gold Athens 2004, gold Beijing 2008, gold

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Lisa Leslie

Biographical information

In 2008, Lisa Leslie became only the second basketball player ever to win four Olympic gold medals, after Teresa Edwards . A 1.96 m-tall (6’5”) center, was the first player to dunk in the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association), the United States’ women’s pro basketball league founded in 1997. Playing for the LA Sparks her entire professional career, Leslie won the WNBA title in 2001 and 2002. She earned three MVP awards (2001, 2004 and 2006) and was selected into eight all-star teams. When she retired from the league in 2009, she was the all-time leader in points and rebounds.

Special Notes

• Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Summer Universiade (1–0–0 1991 Sheffield BAS gold)
• Listed in Olympians Who Won a Medal at the Basketball World Cup (2–0–1 1994 AUS bronze; 1998 GER gold; 2002 CHN gold)
• Listed in Olympians Who Acted in Movies (What Men Want; Uncle Drew; Think Like A Man)

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Where is Legendary Basketball Player Lisa Leslie Now?

When you think of Los Angeles basketball, plenty of iconic athletes come to mind. From historical greats like Jerry West and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to newer names like Kobe Bryant, plenty of stars have called Hollywood home. Lisa Leslie, who spent her entire WNBA career with the LA Sparks, deserves to be right there alongside them.

During her time on the hardwood, Leslie shone brightly; she made headlines by throwing down a dunk during an NBA game, but she was a legitimate talent beyond that ability. She has four gold medals to her name and, in 2015, earned a place in both the Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

And, even in retirement, she hasn’t left basketball behind. With that in mind, let’s look at where Leslie is today.

Lisa Leslie is still involved with basketball, alongside some other ventures

Coach @LisaLeslie give us behind-the-scenes access of Triplets’ practice ahead of their week 2 matchup v Aliens. Full video 🎥: https://t.co/TtDLFdNNDy pic.twitter.com/OFHzMiROa2 — BIG3 (@thebig3) June 25, 2022

In a 2021 Sports Illustrated story, Lisa Leslie provided readers with a glimpse into her mind. “I’ve always approached life like I approached the game,” she explained. “Somebody’s got to be the best, so why not me?”

Through that lens, it’s not surprising that the WNBA legend has stayed close to basketball while being more than willing to branch out.

Leslie, who hung up her sneakers in 2009, has checked off plenty of boxes over the years. Beyond her on-court accomplishments, which include two WNBA titles, three MVP awards, four gold medals, and places in two separate halls of fame, the center wrote an autobiography, worked as an executive coach providing leadership advice, became a part-owner of the Sparks, and appeared on TV as an analyst. She also created The Lisa Leslie Basketball & Leadership Academy, aiming to pass on both basketball and life skills.

More recently, the living legend has served as the coach of the Triplets in the Big3 basketball league . Her sporting success continued there, as she captured Coach of the Year honors during her first season on the bench by leading the expansion squad to a championship. On the professional side of things, Leslie’s Twitter and LinkedIn list her as the founder of Aston Rose Sports & Entertainment , which is an athlete-focused real estate firm.

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Lisa Leslie

• View history

Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood (born July 7, 1972, in Gardena, California) is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA . She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner. The number seven pick in the 1997 inaugural WNBA draft, she followed a superb career at the University of Southern California with seven WNBA All-Star appearances and two WNBA championships over the course of eleven seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks , before retiring in 2009. [1] Leslie, a 6'5" center, is the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. She was considered a pioneer and cornerstone of the league during her WNBA career.

• 1 Early years
• 2.1 High school
• 2.2 College
• 3.2 International and Olympic
• 4 Personal life
• 7 References
• 8 External links

Early years [ ]

Leslie is the daughter of Christine Lauren Leslie, who started her own truck driving business to support her three children, and Walter Leslie, a semiprofessional basketball player. [2] Walter left the family when her mother was four months pregnant with her. [2] Lisa's mother stood 6 ft 3 in. Leslie has two sisters: Dionne, who is five years older, and Tiffany, who is eight years younger. Lisa played basketball on an all boy basketball team in middle school. She also played on an all girls team with the record 33-1.

High school [ ]

By the time Leslie was in middle school in California, she had grown to over 6'1" but never participated in athletic activities besides tether ball and double dutch. Her dream then was to be a television weather reporter. [3]

During the first few weeks of junior high, a classmate begged Leslie to help out the basketball team. [4] On her first day of basketball tryouts, team members were told to split into two groups for layup drills: lefties and righties. Leslie was the only lefty in the "lefty" group, so from then on, she decided to become right-hand dominant so she would not have to stand in a line by herself. That decision worked to her advantage, as she became ambidextrous . [5]

In eighth grade, she transferred to a junior high school without a girls' basketball team, and joined a boys' basketball team. Her success there contributed to her confidence in her playing abilities. [5]

At 14, before Leslie had even started high school, she received more than a hundred college recruiting letters, including some from top Division I programs at the University of Tennessee and Stanford University . [5]

Leslie continued her education in 1986 by enrolling at Morningside High School in Inglewood, California. [2] She made an immediate impact on the basketball program, starting every game for the girl's varsity team. She also found time to join the volleyball team and compete in track and field. She ended up being a state qualifier in the 400-meter run and the high jump. [3] In the final game of the 1989–1990 season, she scored 101 points in the first half of the game against South Torrance, to give her team a 102–24 halftime lead. The opposing team voted at halftime to forfeit the game, rather than continue. [2]

By the time she was a sophomore in high school, she was able to dunk the ball in the open court, even though she was not able to palm the ball. She was her team's leading scorer and rebounder and led them to the 1989 California state championship. Leslie was so talented that she was invited to participate in the USA's Junior World Championship team. [3] Entering her senior year, she developed into the top player in the country. She led her team to a state championship averaging 27 points and 15 rebounds per game. [2]

College [ ]

Leslie decided to stay close to home and attend women's basketball powerhouse the University of Southern California from 1990–1994. [6] She graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in communications and later completed her master's degree in business administration [7] from the University of Phoenix . [8] [9]

Her college basketball career was spectacular. Leslie played in a total of 120 college games, averaging 20.1 points, hitting 53.4% of her shots, and knocking down 69.8% of her free throws. She set the PAC-10 conference records for scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots accumulating 2,414 points, 1,214 boards, and 321 blocked shots. She also holds the USC single season record for blocked shots in a single season (95). [6]

During her college career, USC compiled an impressive 89–31 record. They won one PAC-10 conference championship and earned four NCAA tournament appearances. Leslie was honored with All PAC-10 recognition all four years, as well as becoming the first player in PAC-10 history to obtain first team all four years and earn the prestigious Rookie of the Year award in 1991. [10] Leslie was also honored on the national platform by earning the National Freshman of the year award in 1991, and recognition as the nation's best female basketball player earning the National Player of the year in 1994. In 1992, 93, and 94, she earned All-American Honors as well. [10]

USA Basketball [ ]

Leslie was a member of the USA team competing at the 1991 World University Games held in Sheffield, England . Leslie was the second leading scorer on the USA squad, averaging 13.0 points per game, and helped the Tara VanDerveer coached team to an 8–0 record and the gold medal. [11]

She competed with USA Basketball as a member of the 1992 Jones Cup Team that won the Gold in Taipei for the first time since 1987. [12]

The WNBA was incorporated in 1996 and commenced play in 1997. Leslie was drafted on January 22 by the Los Angeles Sparks as part of the Initial Allocation phase of the draft . She helped the Sparks make the playoffs five consecutive times, but the team did not win a WNBA title until 2001. [13] That year, Leslie was named the 2001 Sportswoman of the Year (in the team category) by the Women's Sports Foundation. [14]

On July 12, 2002, Leslie became the first woman to dunk the ball in a WNBA game. [2] That same year she became the first WNBA player to score over 3,000 total career points and contributed to the Sparks winning their second straight world championship that season. Two seasons later, she became the first player to reach the 4,000-career point milestone. [13] Leslie remains the Sparks' career scoring and rebounding leader, as well as the all time league leader in rebounds. [6] On August 11, 2009, Leslie became the first player to score 6,000 points in a career. [15] Earlier that month she was the first player to reach 10,000 career PRA (points + rebounds + assists), a statistic fundamental to the WNBA "Pick One Challenge" fantasy game.

Lisa Leslie announced her retirement effective at the end of the 2009 season on February 4, 2009. [16] The Sparks held a farewell ceremony for Leslie during their final home game of the season in September. [17] She finished holding the league records for points (6,263), rebounds (3,307) and PRA (10,444). [18]

International and Olympic [ ]

Leslie has made four consecutive Olympic appearances, and has earned four gold medals. She was the second female basketball player ever to earn that many gold medals, after Teresa Edwards . Leslie has also made appearances with the United States national women's basketball team where she won gold medals in 1996 and 2000, and has also earned a world championship. [1] Leslie scored 35 points against Japan in the semifinals of the 1996 Olympics to set an American Olympic women's scoring record. [2]

Leslie is one of seven USA Basketball's three-time Olympians, and one of two players with four gold medals. She led the U.S. team in scoring during the 2004 Olympic Games. During her third Olympic completion, she became the USA's all-time leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker in Olympic competition. Every time she has competed in a major international event, she has compiled double-digit scoring averages. Leslie, at age 20, was also the youngest player to participate at the USA Olympic Trials in 1992. [10]

During the 2008 Beijing Olympics medal awards, despite being requested by officials not to, Leslie wore her gold medals from 3 past Olympics while being awarded her team's current win. Leslie's actions were viewed by members of the Australian national team, her opponents in the gold medal game, as grandiose and poor sportsmanship. [19]

Leslie has had a fierce rivalry with Lauren Jackson ever since the 2000 Olympics, when the Australian star ripped out Leslie's hair extensions during a game. [20] [21]

Personal life [ ]

Lisa Leslie was married in 2006 to Michael Lockwood. In 2007, she took a year's leave from professional basketball for a pregnancy. Leslie and Lockwood have a daughter, Lauren Jolie Lockwood, who was born June 15, 2007. [22] After having the baby, Lisa got back in shape and returned to the WNBA for the 2008 season. [5] Leslie had her second child, Michael Joseph Lockwood II, on April 6, 2010. [23]

Leslie is also a fashion model and an aspiring actress. She has been featured in Vogue and Newsweek , as well as many sports publications. [2] She has been on ESPN numerous times and has been a guest star on several top hit shows such as Sister Sister , The Game , and One on One . She is a guest commentator for "Sports Zone" on ABC7 Eyewitness News Los Angeles and wears the Circle 7 logo from the channel when on the show. She has also acted in a variety of commercials. Early in her career she signed a modeling contract with the Wilhelmina modeling agency . [13] Lisa also was on the show, " Superstars ", and she and her partner, David Charvet, took 3rd place after David injured his wrist. Lisa also played herself in an episode of the TV-show The Jersey , where she switched bodies with a boy.

See also [ ]

• List of basketball players who have scored 100 points in a single game
• ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Lisa Leslie Bio." . NBC Universal . http://www.nbcolympics.com/athletes/athlete=547/bio . Retrieved 21 December 2008 .  
• ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Porter p. 279–280
• ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "Lisa Leslie Biography" . Black Book Partners. 2008 . http://jockbio.com/Bios/Leslie/Leslie_bio.html . Retrieved 21 December 2008 .  
• ↑ Grundy p. 222
• ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Leslie, Lisa, and Larry Barnett. Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You. New York: Kensington Publishing Corp., 2008
• ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Meyer, Jan (1997). "Women in Sports" . http://www.makeithappen.com/wis/bios/lesliel.html . Retrieved 21 December 2008 .  
• ↑ Peter, Josh (21 July 2008). "Day in the life of Lisa Leslie" . Yahoo . http://sports.yahoo.com/wnba/news?slug=jo-leslie072108&prov=yhoo&type=lgns . Retrieved 21 December 2008 .  
• ↑ SPORTS OF THE TIMES; University Sells Itself During Playoffs NYTimes Website, Accessed March 20, 2009
• ↑ Los Angeles Sparks Lisa Leslie Receives her Masters at University of Phoenix WireImage Website, Accessed March 20, 2009
• ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "USA Basketball" . United States Olympic Committee. 2008 . http://basketball.teamusa.org/athlete/athlete/363 . Retrieved 21 December 2008 .  
• ↑ "FIFTEENTH WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES -- 1991" . USA Basketball . http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=wwug_1991 . Retrieved 12 June 2010 .  
• ↑ "1992 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP" . http://www.usabasketball.com/news.php?news_page=wjcup_1992 . Retrieved 2009-07-02 .  
• ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Gretchen (March 22, 2006). "Girls Can't What" . http://www.girlscantwhat.com/2006/03/22/leslie-lisa-basketball-player . Retrieved 21 December 2008 .  
• ↑ "Sportswoman of the Year Award" . Women's Sports Foundation . http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/News-And-Events/Awards/Sportswoman-of-the-Year-Award.aspx . Retrieved 2009-08-03 .  
• ↑ "Sparks' Leslie becomes 1st player to 6,000 points" . AP . http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iN3F6s3zPysWVniKKWTYkIxUjpKwD9A0EL4G0 . Retrieved 2009-08-12 .  
• ↑ Lisa Leslie Announces Retirement WNBA.com, February 4, 2009
• ↑ Lisa Leslie acknowledges the fans during 'Lisa Leslie's Farewell Game'
• ↑ Lisa Leslie Playerfile
• ↑ "Dan Carter signs four-deal to stay in NZ" . http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/beijing_olympics/story/0,27313,24235038-5017043,00.html .  
• ↑ "Video" . CNN . 2004-08-30 . http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1105899/index.htm . Retrieved 2010-05-07 .  
• ↑ . http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24044768-10914,00.html .   Template:Dead link
• ↑ http://www.wnba.com/sparks/news/leslie_baby_070615.html
• ↑ http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/04/09/lisa-leslie-welcomes-son-michael-joseph-ii/#comment-312504

References [ ]

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External links [ ]

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• Basketball-Reference.com player profile
• WNBA chat transcript
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• 101-point half
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• 2 Stephen Curry

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Lisa Leslie

Lisa Deshawn Leslie ▪ Twitter : LisaLeslie ▪ Instagram: lisaleslie

Position: Center ▪ Shoots: Right

6-5 ,  170lb  (196cm, 77kg)

Born: July 7, 1972 in Gardena, California us

College: USC

High School: Morningside in Inglewood, California

Draft: Los Angeles Sparks , 1997 Allocation Draft

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Lisa Leslie

Filmography.

Lisa Leslie found success as an actress early on, when she was just 17 years old. Leslie's career began with roles in "Martin" (1991-97), "Sister, Sister" (WB, 1993-99) and "Hang Time" (NBC, 1995-2001). She also appeared in "Moesha" (UPN, 1995-2001). She had a part on the television special "Nike Presents A Passion to Play: USA Women's Basketball, Bringing It Home" (ABC, 1995-96). Leslie also provided her talents as a voice actor for "The Simpsons" (Fox, 1989-). In the nineties, she worked on the television shows "Arli$" (HBO, 1996-2003) and "The Jersey" (Disney, 1999-2001). She also contributed to a variety of television specials, including "Breaking Through: Our Turn to Play" (1996-97), "Ladies' Home Journal's Most Fascinating Women of '96" (CBS, 1996-97) and "Reach For Gold: The USA Basketball Women's National Team" (Lifetime, 1996-97). She also played parts in television during these years, including roles in "Arli$" (HBO, 1996-2003) and "The Jersey" (Disney, 1999-2001). Additionally, she appeared on the television special "World's Greatest Sports Bloopers" (ABC, 2006-07). She also appeared in the comedic adaptation "Think Like A Man" (2012) with Michael Ealy. Leslie most recently acted on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" (CW, 2012-).

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Lisa Leslie: Profile, Biography, Career and Achievements

Here is Lisa Leslie’s biography, profile, career summary, and list of some of her most noteworthy accomplishments.

Southern California is where Lisa Leslie was born and reared. She played basketball at Morningside High School in Inglewood, where she was an outstanding student. She was a basketball player at the University of Southern California (USC) after graduating from high school. Leslie became one of the top college players in the nation and had an amazing collegiate career, winning multiple awards.

Name: Lisa Leslie

Date of Birth: July 7, 1972

Place of Birth: Gardena, California, USA

Nationality: American

Height: 6 feet 5 inches (196 cm)

Basketball talent was evident in Lisa Leslie from an early age, despite her birthplace being Gardena, California. Her performance on the basketball floor at Morningside High School was exceptional. She continued her basketball career after high school by joining the Trojans, the women’s team at the University of Southern California (USC). Leslie led the Trojans to the NCAA tournament while her college career saw her earn All-American status.

High school: Lisa Leslie played basketball standouts at Morningside High School in Inglewood, California, helping her team win the state title. As an athlete in high school, she won numerous awards and acclaim.

College: University of Southern California (USC), where Leslie played basketball from 1990 to 1994, is where Leslie first began his collegiate career. With All-American status and a 1983 NCAA title with USC, she was a formidable force in women’s collegiate basketball. The prominence of women’s basketball was elevated by her influence on the collegiate tournament.

WNBA: The Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) was founded in 1997, and Lisa Leslie had a significant role in its early years. In the first-ever WNBA draft, she was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks with the seventh overall choice. She developed into one of the most recognizable players in the league throughout her 12-year tenure with the Sparks. Leslie was an MVP and All-Star several times over, and she assisted in leading the Sparks to two WNBA titles in 2001 and 2002.

International Career: Leslie competed internationally as a representative of the United States, winning multiple gold medals with the USA Women’s National Basketball Team, including at the FIBA World Championship and the Olympics. Her achievements to the national team cemented her reputation as a basketball great even further.

Retiring from the NBA in 2009, Lisa Leslie is remembered as one of the most dominant and important players in the history of women’s basketball.

Post Retirement Career

Lisa Leslie made a smooth transition from playing to becoming a popular sports pundit and commentator after she retired. Along with being a well-known motivational speaker, she also became an advocate for a number of topics, such as gender equality in athletics and breast cancer awareness.

Achievements

Lisa Leslie’s achievements and contributions to the game of basketball are numerous, and some of the most notable ones include:

• 4 Olympic gold medals (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008)
• 2 WNBA championships with the Los Angeles Sparks (2001, 2002)
• 3-time WNBA MVP (2001, 2004, 2006)
• 8-time WNBA All-Star
• 8-time All-WNBA First Team selection
• WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2004)
• WNBA All-Decade Team (2006)
• Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015

The influence Lisa Leslie has on women’s basketball goes beyond her performance on the court. She has greatly aided in the development and rise in popularity of women’s basketball in the US and serves as an inspiration for young female athletes. Leslie has been engaged in a number of broadcasting and charitable endeavours after retiring.

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Lisa Leslie

• Born July 7 , 1972 · Gardena, California, USA
• Height 6′ 5″ (1.96 m)
• Lisa Leslie is an American former professional basketball player. She is the head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league, as well as a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts on Fox Sports Florida. Leslie played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner. The number-seven pick in the 1997 inaugural WNBA draft, she followed her career at the University of Southern California with eight WNBA All-Star selections and two WNBA championships over the course of eleven seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks, before retiring in 2009. Leslie was the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. In 2015, she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Leslie was also inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Tango Papa
• Spouse Michael Lockwood (November 5, 2005 - present) (2 children)
• Children Michael Joseph Lockwood Lauren Jolie
• Towering height
• Became the first WNBA player to dunk in a game on July 30, 2002.
• Member of the Olympic gold-medal-winning USA women's basketball teams in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008.
• Leslie and Lockwood, a pilot and former Air Force basketball player, wed in Maui in November 2005.
• Named MVP of the 2002 All Star Game.
• At age 34, gave birth to her first child, a daughter, Lauren Jolie was born June 15, 2007. Lauren made her debut over a week early arriving at 4:05 or 4:11 am, weighing in at 8 lbs. 11 oz and 20 inches long.

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Lisa Leslie

Facts of Lisa Leslie

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Relationship.

Lisa Deshaun Leslie, who is famous as Lisa Leslie, is the head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league. Besides, she is also a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts on Fox Sports Florida. Lisa is a former professional basketball player playing in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). 

The basketball head coach, Lisa, started her career in middle school, where she decided to play as right-hand dominant. During her high school career, she received hundreds of college recruiting letters. Likewise, Lisa attended the women's basketball powerhouse at the University of Southern California, where she spent four long years, i.e., from 1990 to 1994. The former basketball player started her professional career in 1996. However, she started playing in 1997 when the Los Angeles Sparks drafted Lisa as part of the Initial Allocation phase of the draft. While talking about her national career, she was the youngest player in the squad as Lisa was only 17 when she was listed in the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team. 

What Is Lisa's Current Profession? 

Apart from Lisa's basketball career, she also has a great fashion modelling journey, and Lisa is also an aspiring actress. Likewise, Lisa has been featured in many sports publications like Vogue  and  Newsweek.  So, since she retired from basketball, Lisa Leslie has also served as a sports commentator. 

Likewise, Leslie was an analyst for several sports networks, such as NBC, ABC, and Fox Sports Net. Furthermore, the former Center for L. A Sparks, Julia started working for Fox Sports Florida as a studio analyst on Orlando Magic broadcasts. Later Lisa was also appointed as Triplets' head coach in the BIG3. 

Lisa Leslie's Salary And Net Worth Explored 

Lisa Leslie is one of the most successful and talented basketball players who has been in the vocation since her early career. According to the latest update, her career earnings as of 2022 are $5 Million . Therefore, the current net worth of the former basketball player is $2.5 Million . 

Even after retirement, Lisa is still connected to basketball and is among the active personalities  with that fans want to stay connected. So, while playing for WNBA, her salary was    $91,000 . Lisa hasn't shared much about her present salary and earnings; however, she receives considerable money working as a studio analyst. 

Similarly, The former basketball player,  Nick Young , has a net worth estimated to be $ 25 million. Four-time Olympic gold medal winner Lisa lives a luxurious lifestyle, and she shares her daily routine on her social media handle with her fans. Apart from that, we can also see different styles and fashion tastes in Lisa's Instagram posts. 

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Lisa Is Married To Michael Lockwood

Three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player is married to Michael Lockwood . The couple married in 2005 in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. Lisa adores her partner, who has been together for over fifteen years. Similarly, the wedding ceremony was lavish and was performed in the presence of their close friends and relatives. 

Therefore, Lisa's fans are more fans of her married life than her professional career. The power couples were in a romantic relationship before tying the wedding knot, and they first met at the airport. 

The duo lived together with their family of four as they welcomed their first child Lauren Jolie Lockwood June 15, 2007 , in the United States. Again the married duo gave birth to their second child, a son, Michael Joseph Lockwood II, in 2010. 

Additionally, Lisa often shares quality time with her husband and kids. And she loves travelling and exploring new places with her loved ones and enjoying the vacation. 

Who Is Michael Lockwood? His Job And Professional Career 

Michael Lockwood is notably known as the husband of a basketball head coach and former basketball player, Lisa Leslie. Besides, Michael is also a retired American basketball player and pilot. Similarly, he is a successful businessman, and together with Lisa, he runs a real estate company, KW Realty Services . 

Unlike Lisa, Michael is private-natured and doesn't like to explore his personal life openly on web sources. Nevertheless, Leslie often shares pictures with Michael, and he is pretty active on Lisa's Instagram handle. 

How Old Is Lisa Leslie? Family Background 

Lisa was born on July 7, 1972 , in her birthplace, Compton, California, US. Leslie was born and raised by her parents, Christine Lauren Leslie and Walter Leslie . More, her birthname  is Lisa Deshaun Leslie. And  She has a brother named Elgin Leslie , and her two sisters are Tiffany Leslie and Dionne Leslie . 

Following her birth details, Leslie's zodiac sign is Cancer, and she holds American nationality. Furthermore, Leslie and her family follow Christianity to the core, and often, in interviews, she has expressed her faith in god. 

Leslie's mother, Christine, started her own business to take care of her kids, and she was four months pregnant then. Lisa was career-focused from an early age, and she started playing basketball at a young age. 

Short Details On Lisa's Physical Appearance

The fan's favourite, Lisa, is among the tall basketball players like Kia Vaughn . Further, Lisa is 6 feet 5 inches tall, also counted as 1.96 meters. Likewise, she weighs 77 kg or 170 lbs. The former basketball player promotes her healthy lifestyle on her social media handle, yet she follows a strict diet and healthy lifestyle. 

To keep more updated about the player, we can follow Lisa on Instagram under the username @lisaleslie. The LootMogul Ambassador has amassed more than 295k followers on the platform, and her account is verified. 

Interesting Facts About Leslie

• The Former basketball player is a four-time Olympic gold medal winner
• Lisa has also won three-time WNBA Most Valuable Player
• Lisa recorded history by becoming the first woman to dunk the ball in a WNBA game
• Lisa also played volleyball in high school. 
•  6 feet 5 inches tall, Lisa was the first WNBA player to score over 3,000 total career points. 
• During her playing career, Lisa was the youngest player on the USA team. 

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Neoklis avdalas, mohamed bamba, courtney williams, satou sabally, awudu abass, egehan arna.

Lisa Leslie

Lisa Deshaun Leslie (born July 7, 1972) is an American former professional basketball player. She is currently the head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league, as well as a studio analyst for Orlando Magic broadcasts on Bally Sports Florida . In 2002, Leslie made history as the first player to dunk during a Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) game. [2] Leslie was ranked 5th on ESPN.com's 2021 list of the WNBA's greatest players of all time. [3]

Middle school

High school, college career, usc statistics, wnba career, national team career, wnba career statistics, regular season, other professional endeavors, personal life, further reading, external links.

Leslie played in the WNBA for the Los Angeles Sparks from 1997 to 2009. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner. The number-seven pick in the 1997 inaugural WNBA draft, she followed her career at the University of Southern California with eight WNBA All-Star selections and two WNBA championships over the course of 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks, before retiring in 2009. [4] In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in WNBA history. All throughout her WNBA career, Leslie also played for USA Basketball in international competition, winning four Olympic gold medals (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008) and two FIBA World Championships (1998, 2002).

In 2015, Leslie was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame .

Upon becoming coach of the Triplets in 2019, she led the team to the BIG3 Championship that year.

Leslie was born in Compton, California, the daughter of Christine Lauren Leslie, who stood 6   feet 3   inches (1.91   m) , and Walter Leslie, a former professional basketball player. Christine started her own truck driving business to support her three children. Walter left the family when her mother was four months pregnant with her. [5] Leslie has two sisters: Dionne, who is five years older, and Tiffany, who is eight years younger. She also has a brother, Elgin (named after Elgin Baylor of the LA Lakers). She played on an all-girls team with the record 33–1. [6]

During the first few weeks of middle school, a classmate asked Leslie to help out the basketball team. [7] On her first day of basketball tryouts, team members were told to split into two groups for layup drills: lefties and righties . Leslie was the only lefty in the group, so from then on, she decided to become right-hand dominant so she would not have to stand in a line by herself. That decision worked to her advantage, as she became ambidextrous. [8] [ page   needed ]

In eighth grade, she transferred to a junior high school without a girls' basketball team, and joined a boys' basketball team. Her success there contributed to her confidence in her playing abilities. [8]

At the age of 14, before Leslie had started high school at Morningside, she received more than a hundred college recruiting letters, including some from top Division I programs at the University of Tennessee and Stanford University . [8]

Leslie continued her education in 1986 by enrolling at Morningside High School in Inglewood, California . [5] She made an immediate impact on the basketball program, starting every game for the girl's varsity team. She also joined the volleyball team and competed in track and field. She ended up being a state qualifier in the 400-meter run and the high jump. [6]

By the time she was a sophomore in high school, she was able to dunk the ball in the open court, even though she was not able to palm the ball. She was her team's leading scorer and rebounder and led them to the 1989 California state championship. Leslie was invited to participate in the USA's Junior World Championship team. [6] Entering her senior year, she developed into the top player in the country. She led her team to a state championship averaging 27 points and 15 rebounds per game. [5] She tied the national record for points scored by a high school basketball player with Cheryl Miller in 1990 with 101 points scored, all in the first half. She had scored 105 points but four of the points were due to a technical foul charged on the opposing team for a delay of game after halftime, which were later voided as the game was deemed to end after the first half. [9]

Leslie attended the University of Southern California from 1990 to 1994. [10] She graduated from USC with a bachelor's degree in communications and later completed her master's degree in business administration [11] from the University of Phoenix . [12] [13]

Leslie played in a total of 120 college games, averaging 20.1 points, hitting 53.4% of her shots, and knocking down 69.8% of her free throws. She set the Pac-10 Conference records for scoring, rebounding, and blocked shots accumulating 2,414 points, 1,214 rebounds, and 321 blocked shots. She also holds the USC single season record for blocked shots (95). [10]

During her college career, USC compiled a 89–31 record. They won one Pac-10 conference championship and earned four NCAA tournament appearances. Leslie was honored with All-Pac-10 recognition all four years, as well as becoming the first player in Pac-10 history to obtain first team all four years and earn the Pac-10 Rookie of the Year award in 1991. [14] Leslie was also honored on the national platform by earning the national freshman of the year award in 1991. [15] In 1994, she won multiple national player of the year awards—the Naismith College Player of the Year award, [15] the USBWA Women's National Player of the Year award, [16] the Honda Sports Award for basketball, [17] [18] and the WBCA Player of the Year award. [18] In 1992, 1993, and 1994, she earned All-American Honors as well. [14]

The WNBA was incorporated in 1996 and began playing in 1997. Leslie was drafted on January 22 by the Los Angeles Sparks as part of the Initial Allocation phase of the draft . Her debut game was played on June 21, 1997 in a 67 - 57 loss to the New York Liberty . In her first game, Leslie recorded 16 points, 14 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. [20] Due to her performance, Leslie has the distinction of recording the first double-double in WNBA history. Ruthie Bolton of the Sacramento Monarchs also recorded a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds on June 21, 1997 against the Utah Starzz . But chronologically, the Sparks vs. Liberty game was played before the Monarchs vs. Starzz game.

Leslie helped the Sparks make the playoffs five consecutive times, but the team did not win a WNBA title until 2001. [21] That year, Leslie was named the 2001 Sportswoman of the Year (in the team category) by the Women's Sports Foundation. [22]

On July 30, 2002, Leslie became the first woman to dunk the ball in a WNBA game. [23] That same year she became the first WNBA player to score over 3,000 total career points and contributed to the Sparks winning their second straight WNBA championship that season. Two seasons later, she became the first player to reach the 4,000-career point milestone. [21] Leslie remains the Sparks' career scoring and rebounding leader. She is the 4th highest all-time rebound leader, after Rebekkah Brunson, Sylvia Fowles, and Tamika Catchings. [10] Within that same season, she also became the third player in WNBA history to record a triple double, when she had 29 points, 15 rebounds and 10 blocks. [24] In the 2005 WNBA All-Star Game , Leslie had also become the first WNBA player to dunk in an all-star game. [25] On August 11, 2009, Leslie became the first player to score 6,000 points in a career. [26] Earlier that month she was the first player to reach 10,000 career PRA (points + rebounds + assists), a statistic fundamental to the WNBA "Pick One Challenge" fantasy game.

Leslie announced her retirement effective at the end of the 2009 season on February 4, 2009. [27] The Sparks held a farewell ceremony for Leslie during their final home game of the season in September. [28] She finished holding the league records for points (6,263), rebounds (3,307) and PRA (10,444). [29]

Leslie's final WNBA game ever was Game 3 of the 2009 Western Conference Finals between the Sparks and the Phoenix Mercury . Although Leslie recorded 22 points and 9 rebounds, the Sparks lost the game 74 - 85 and were eliminated from the playoffs. [30]

In 2011, she was voted in by fans as one of the Top 15 players in the fifteen-year history of the WNBA. [31] In 2016, she was voted into the WNBA Top 20@20 , in celebration of the league's 20th anniversary.

Leslie was named to the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team (now called the U19 team ). She was 17 at the time, the youngest player on the USA team. The team participated in the second Junior World Championship, held in Bilbao , Spain in July 1989. The USA team lost their opening game to South Korea in overtime, then lost a two-point game to Australia. After winning their next game against Bulgaria, behind 22 points and nine rebounds from Leslie, the USA team again fell in a close game, losing by three points to Czechoslovakia. After beating Zaire in their next game, the USA team played Spain, and fell three points short. Leslie led the team in scoring, rebounds, and blocks, averaging 13.3 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and recording 21 blocks over the course of the event. The USA team finished in seventh place. [32]

Leslie was a member of the USA team competing at the 1991 World University Games held in Sheffield , England. Leslie was the second leading scorer on the USA squad, averaging 13.0 points per game, and helped the Tara VanDerveer -coached team to a 7–0 record and the gold medal. [33]

She competed with USA Basketball as a member of the 1992 Jones Cup Team that won the Gold in Taipei for the first time since 1987. [34]

Leslie has made four consecutive Olympic appearances, and has earned four gold medals. She was the second female basketball player ever to earn that many gold medals, after Teresa Edwards . Leslie has also made appearances with the United States national women's basketball team where she won gold medals in 1996 and 2000, and has also earned a world championship. [4] Leslie scored 35 points against Japan in the semifinals of the 1996 Olympics to set an American Olympic women's scoring record. [5]

Leslie is one of seven USA Basketball's three-time Olympians, and one of two players with four gold medals. She led the U.S. team in scoring during the 2004 Olympic Games. During her third Olympic completion, she became the USA's all-time leading scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker in Olympic competition. Every time she has competed in a major international event, she has compiled double-digit scoring averages. Leslie, at age 20, was also the youngest player to participate at the USA Olympic Trials in 1992. [35]

Leslie has had a rivalry with Lauren Jackson ever since the 2000 Olympics, when the Australian star ripped out Leslie's hair extensions during a game. [36] [37]

Apart from basketball, Leslie is also a fashion model and an aspiring actress. She has been featured in Vogue and Newsweek , as well as many sports publications. [5] She has been on ESPN numerous times and has been a guest star on several television shows such as Sister Sister , The Game , and One on One . She is a guest commentator for "Sports Zone" on KABC-TV /Los Angeles and wears the Circle 7 logo from the channel when on the show. She has also acted in a variety of commercials. Early in her career she signed a modeling contract with the Wilhelmina modeling agency . [21] Leslie appeared on the show, Superstars , and she and her partner, David Charvet, took third place after David injured his wrist. Leslie also played herself in an episode of the TV-show The Jersey called "Nick's a Chick", where she switched bodies with a boy named Nick Lighter (played by Michael Galeota ). In addition, she played herself in one episode of The Simpsons . She also appeared in the movie Think Like A Man , and played as herself. Leslie is also a playable character in the original Backyard Basketball , alongside Kevin Garnett . She was only the fourth female professional athlete in the Backyard Sports series, after soccer players Brianna Scurry , Brandi Chastain , and Tiffeny Milbrett . She also appeared in the second episode of All in with Cam with host Cam Newton . In 2013, Leslie switched places with Downtown Julie Brown on the show Celebrity Wife Swap . On January 28, 2016, it was announced that she would be a contestant in The New Celebrity Apprentice (also known as Celebrity Apprentice 8 ). Recently, she played septuagenarian Betty Lou in Uncle Drew which hit the theaters in June 2018.

Since her retirement from professional basketball, Leslie has worked as a sports commentator and analyst for several sports networks, such as NBC , ABC and Fox Sports Net . She had also released an autobiography called Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You . [38] In 2011, she had become a co-owner of the Los Angeles Sparks . [39] In 2018, Leslie joined Fox Sports Florida as a studio analyst on Orlando Magic broadcasts. [40]

Leslie was named coach of the Triplets - an expansion team of the BIG3 three-on-three league founded by Ice Cube - on January 10, 2019, and that year led the team to a 7–1 record, and winning the BIG3 Championship.

On November 5, 2005, Leslie married Michael Lockwood, who played basketball for the United States Air Force Academy and is a pilot for UPS . [41] [42] [43] In 2007, she took a year's leave from professional basketball for a pregnancy, and her daughter was born in 2007. [44] Leslie returned to the WNBA for the 2008 season. [8] Leslie had her second child in 2010. [45]

Leslie is also a Christian . In an interview, she spoke out about her faith by saying: "As a prayerful kid, I was always putting my faith and goals in the Lord's name. That was always one of the things that helped me the most. I always wanted to fulfill His purpose. I think that's really been the saving grace for me. When you have faith, you have to step out on it [and trust God]." [46]

On February 4, 2020, Leslie was interviewed by Gayle King to talk about her friendship with Kobe Bryant . During the interview, Leslie was asked about Bryant's sexual assault case in 2003. Leslie responded that those accusations did not align with the person she knew. [47]

Leslie is now a realtor and co-founder of a sports and entertainment real-estate firm named Aston Rose. [48] [49]

Leslie was initiated as an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority on July 15, 2021. [50]

• List of basketball players who have scored 100 points in a single game
• List of WNBA career rebounding leaders
• List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event
• WBCBL Professional Basketball Trailblazer Award

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• ↑ "Lisa Leslie: First Dunk in WNBA History | "What's she gonna do... She dunked it!" On her 45th birthday, look back at Lisa Leslie's historic slam. #FlashbackFriday #WNBABDAY | By WNBA - Facebook" . www.facebook.com . Retrieved August 30, 2023 .
• ↑ "Ranking the 25 greatest players in WNBA history" . ESPN.com . September 21, 2021 . Retrieved August 30, 2023 .
• 1 2 "Lisa Leslie Bio" . NBC Universal. Archived from the original on September 17, 2016 . Retrieved December 21, 2008 .
• 1 2 3 4 5 Porter p. 279–280
• 1 2 3 "Lisa Leslie Biography" . Black Book Partners. 2008 . Retrieved December 21, 2008 .
• ↑ Grundy p. 222
• 1 2 3 4 Leslie, Lisa, and Larry Barnett. Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You . New York: Kensington Publishing Corp., 2008
• ↑ "Morningside's Leslie Scores 101 in One Half   : Girls' basketball: She is initially credited with record-tying 105, but game officially ends when opponents refuse to play" . Los Angeles Times . February 8, 1990 . Retrieved November 2, 2021 .
• 1 2 3 Meyer, Jan (1997). "Women in Sports" . Retrieved December 21, 2008 .
• ↑ Peter, Josh (July 21, 2008). "Day in the life of Lisa Leslie" . Yahoo . Retrieved December 21, 2008 .
• ↑ William C. Rhoden (January 16, 2009). "University Sells Itself During Playoffs" . The New York Times . Retrieved March 20, 2009 .
• ↑ Los Angeles Sparks Lisa Leslie Receives her Masters at University of Phoenix [ permanent dead link ] WireImage Website, Accessed March 20, 2009
• 1 2 Leslie, Lisa (2008). Don't let the lipstick fool you . Burnett, Larry. New York, NY: Dafina Books. p.   104. ISBN   978-0-7582-3435-3 . OCLC   233592709 .
• 1 2 "Lisa Leslie heading to Women's Basketball Hall of Fame" . USC News . July 21, 2014 . Retrieved March 30, 2020 .
• ↑ "USBWA > All-America > Women" . sportswriters.net . Retrieved March 30, 2020 .
• ↑ "Basketball" . CWSA . Retrieved March 30, 2020 .
• 1 2 "Hoophall Awards" . Hoophall Awards . Retrieved March 30, 2020 .
• ↑ "USC Media Guide" (PDF) . Retrieved September 12, 2017 .
• ↑ "New York Liberty at Los Angeles Sparks, June 21, 1997" .
• 1 2 3 Gretchen (March 22, 2006). "Girls Can't What" . Archived from the original on October 20, 2007 . Retrieved December 21, 2008 .
• ↑ "Sportswoman of the Year Award" . Women's Sports Foundation. Archived from the original on July 22, 2009 . Retrieved August 3, 2009 .
• ↑ "WNBA's History" . Archived from the original on October 11, 2011 . Retrieved July 15, 2014 .
• ↑ "Triple-Doubles, Dunks and 20–20 Games – WNBA.com – Official Site of the WNBA" .
• ↑ "SW Day 25: Leslie first to dunk in a WNBA game" . January 26, 2014.
• ↑ "Sparks' Leslie becomes 1st player to 6,000 points" . Associated Press . Retrieved August 12, 2009 .
• ↑ Lisa Leslie Announces Retirement WNBA.com, February 4, 2009
• ↑ Lisa Leslie acknowledges the fans during 'Lisa Leslie's Farewell Game' Archived February 12, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
• ↑ Lisa Leslie Playerfile Archived February 8, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
• ↑ "Los Angeles Sparks at Phoenix Mercury, September 26, 2009" .
• ↑ "WNBA.com: AllStar 2011" . WNBA.
• ↑ "Second FIBA Women's U19/Junior World Championship – 1989" . USA Basketball. June 10, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015 . Retrieved October 20, 2015 .
• ↑ "FIFTEENTH WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES – 1991" . USA Basketball. Archived from the original on January 11, 2013 . Retrieved June 12, 2010 .
• ↑ "1992 WOMEN'S R. WILLIAM JONES CUP" . Archived from the original on August 8, 2014 . Retrieved August 3, 2014 .
• ↑ "Dan Carter signs four-deal to stay in NZ" . Archived from the original on September 18, 2008 . Retrieved February 6, 2009 .
• ↑ "Video" . CNN . August 30, 2004. Archived from the original on April 9, 2009 . Retrieved May 7, 2010 .
• ↑ "Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson dreams of gold" . July 20, 2008. Archived from the original on April 9, 2009.
• ↑ "Lisa Leslie" . Biography.com . November 28, 2023.
• ↑ "Leslie joins up with Sparks' ownership group" . August 27, 2011.
• ↑ Robbins, Josh (January 11, 2018). "Lisa Leslie joins Fox Sports Florida's Magic telecast crew" . Orlando Sentinel . Retrieved February 10, 2019 .
• ↑ "Lisa Leslie: 'My Husband Taught Me the Difference Between a Man and a Boy' " . Essence.com . December 16, 2009.
• ↑ "Michael Lockwood WNBA Lisa Leslie's husband" . February 25, 2016.
• ↑ "Michael J. Lockwood" . Penguin Random House Canada .
• ↑ "SPARKS: Sparks Star Lisa Leslie has Baby Girl" . WNBA.
• ↑ "Lisa Leslie Welcomes Son Michael Joseph II" . Archived from the original on September 8, 2017 . Retrieved April 9, 2010 .
• ↑ "Lisa Leslie balances family, fame" . brnow . Retrieved September 12, 2017 .
• ↑ "Gayle King Asked Lisa Leslie About Kobe Bryant's Rape Case. The Response Revealed How Much Further We Need to Go" . The Root . February 6, 2020 . Retrieved February 13, 2020 .
• ↑ "These Professional Athletes Founded the First National Sports and Entertainment Luxury Real Estate Firm" . Forbes .
• ↑ "A New Real-Estate Agency Focused on Athletes is Ready to Play" . March 17, 2022.
• ↑ Tracee Ellis Ross, Lisa Leslie among Alpha Kappa Alpha 2021 honorary members
• Grundy, Pamela (2005). Shattering the glass . New Press. ISBN   978-1-56584-822-1 .
• David L. Porter, ed. (2005). Basketball: A Biographical Dictionary . Greenwood Press. ISBN   978-0-313-30952-6 .
• Lisa Leslie at WNBA.com at the Wayback Machine (archived October 2, 2009)
• Lisa Leslie at Basketball-Reference.com
• WNBA chat transcript
• Lisa Leslie at Team USA (archived March 18, 2023)
• Lisa Leslie at the Team USA Hall of Fame ( archive July 20, 2023 )
• 101-point half at USA Today
• Lisa Leslie at IMDb
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• Díaz-Miguel
• Ferrándiz
• Fitzsimmons
• Nikolić
• J. Thompson
• Tomjanovich
• G. Williams
• R. Williams
• Stanković
• 1948–1982 Wayland Baptist women's teams
• 1956–57 Tennessee A&I State men's team
• 1957–58 Tennessee A&I State men's team
• 1958–59 Tennessee A&I State men's team
• 1960 United States men's Olympic team
• 1965–66 Texas Western men's team
• 1976 United States women's Olympic team
• 1992 United States men's Olympic team
• All-American Red Heads
• Buffalo Germans
• The First Team
• Harlem Globetrotters
• Immaculata College
• New York Renaissance
• Original Celtics
• 1976: Harris
• 1978: Meyers
• 1979: Lieberman
• 1981: Sterkel
• 1982: Caulkins
• 1983: De. Collins
• 1984: Caulkins & C. Miller
• 1985: Joyner
• 1986: Ethridge
• 1987: Meagher
• 1988: Weatherspoon
• 1989: Huber
• 1990: Favor
• 1991: Staley
• 1992: Marlowe
• 1993: L. Fernandez
• 1996: Rizzotti
• 1998: Holdsclaw
• 2000: Teuscher
• 2001: Stiles
• 2002: A. Williams
• 2003: Watley
• 2005: Nnamani
• 2006: Sinclair
• 2007: Pavan
• 2008: Parker
• 2009: Kupets
• 2010: Hodge & M. Moore
• 2011: M. Moore
• 2012: Griner
• 2013: Ricketts
• 2014: Jacob
• 2015: Franklin
• 2016: B. Stewart
• 2017: Ledecky
• 2018: Manuel
• 2019: Garcia
• 2020: No award
• 2021: Garcia
• 2022: Boston
• 2023: Ca. Clark
• 1988: Roethlisberger
• 1989: Jacobs
• 1990: Robertson
• 1991: T. Nichols
• 1992: Stepp
• 1994: H. Scott
• 1995: A. Johnson
• 1996: Carson
• 1998: H. Anderson
• 1999: J. Jones
• 2000: J. Olson
• 2001: Berner
• 2002: Koetsier
• 2003: McPherson
• 2005: Kroon
• 2006: Payne
• 2007: Kohut
• 2008: Knight
• 2009: Hester
• 2011: Breland
• 2012: Delle Donne
• 2013: Mingo
• 2014: Gilliland
• 2015: McGee-Stafford
• 2016: Fogle
• 2017: N. Stafford
• 2018: Cunningham
• 2019: Fessler
• 2021: O'Neal
• 2022: Thibodeau
• 2023: M. White
• 1988: Brinton
• 1989: Cobbs
• 1990: Hardy
• 1991: Saunders
• 1993: C. Allen
• 1994: Metro
• 1995: Coetzee
• 1996: Clarkson
• 1997: Morlock
• 1998: Penner
• 1999: Almazan
• 2001: Martin
• 2002: N. Duncan
• 2003: Gregg
• 2004: Gomez
• 2005: Lewallen
• 2007: Hanavan
• 2008: Braegelmann
• 2010: McNamara
• 2012: Daugherty
• 2013: Daugherty
• 2014: Battista
• 2015: Dickinson
• 2017: Muscaro
• 2018: C. Kurgat
• 2019: Reiss
• 2021: No award
• 2022: Petrantonio
• 2023: B. Olson
• 1988: Beachy
• 1989: Prineas
• 1990: Grierson
• 1991: Gilbert
• 1992: K. Oden
• 1993: Carter
• 1994: Ainsworth
• 1995: Albers
• 1997: Ta. Johnson
• 1998: Speckman
• 1999: Schade
• 2000: Fischer
• 2001: Rogers
• 2002: Bergofsky
• 2003: Hysell
• 2004: M. Gordon
• 2005: Buttry
• 2006: Silva
• 2007: Bondi
• 2008: Zerzan
• 2009: Huston
• 2010: Borner
• 2011: Stern
• 2012: Hagensen
• 2013: Fournier
• 2014: Cazzolla
• 2015: Fournier
• 2017: Crist
• 2018: Chong
• 2019: Temple
• 2022: Nicholas
• 2023: Earley

Michael Lockwood Wiki, Age (Lisa Leslie’s Husband) Biography & Family

Michael Lockwood (born in 1972) is an American Former Basketball Player, Pilot, and Celebrity Partner from California. He is well identified as a spouse of Lisa Leslie (former professional basketball player).

The former player used to perform in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) with the Los Angeles Sparks. Lisa is currently working as a head coach for Triplets in the BIG3 professional basketball league.

In fact, she also serves in Orlando Magic broadcasts on Fox Sports Florida as a studio analyst. In her successful playing career, Leslie won the Olympic gold medal three times. She even remained a three-time WNBA MVP winner.

The ex-basketball player first started her career at the University of Southern California. In 2009, she retired from the sport and became a coach. Moreover, Lisa Leslie is the first player to dunk in a WNBA game.

Married Life, Spouse Lisa Leslie & Children

The 47-years-old Michael Lockwood tied the knot with his wife “Lisa Deshaun Leslie” on November 5, 2005. Their wedding ceremony was a lavish affair that took place in the presence of family and close friends.

Lisa Leslie with her husband, Michael Lockwood, son Michael Joseph Lockwood II & daughter Lauren Jolie Lockwood.

As per the source, the couple first met each other at the airport. Lisa introduced to him when she was visiting her family in Mobile, Alabama. On June 15, 2007, Michael and Leslie welcomed their daughter “Lauren Jolie Lockwood”.

At that time, Lisa took a leave for one year from professional basketball during her pregnancy. The pair’s second child is “Michael Joseph Lockwood II” (a son). He took birth on April 6, 2010.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxYCzEVAE6Q/

Some Lesser Known Facts about Michael Lockwood

• Michael Lockwood took birth to his parents in 1972 ( age 47 years, as in 2019 ) in the United States of America. However, there are no details about his actual birthdate and birthplace on the internet.
• As of February 2020, Lisa Leslie’s husband works as a pilot for UPS (United Parcel Service). It is an American multinational parcel shipment and supply chain management organization.
• His spouse returned to the WNBA for the 2008 season.
• During an interview, Leslie told her fans that she ignored three consecutive calls from Lockwood.
• After a month, she contacted him and they talked for eight hours straight.
• The couple conducted their first date after a month.

Don’t Miss : Jelani Maraj Biography, Height, Weight, Trivia, Wiki & Facts to know

• According to a source, their wedding was a destination union which was held in Maui.
• Almost 85 of their closest family and friends were present.
• Lisa and Lockwood also celebrated their honeymoon in the same destination for ten days.
• They did various sports such as hiking, biking, visiting waterfalls & volcanoes and much more.
• How tall : Michael Lockwood stands an impressive height of 6 ft 7 in (205 cm tall).
• He even maintains his body weight which is around 91 kg by doing moderate exercise.
• Furthermore, Michael is a very private person and has no official accounts on various social media i.e. Facebook, Twitter, and Facebook.

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