Height: 6-5
Weight: 170
Position: Center
Currently: Number 9 for the Los Angeles Sparks
WNBA
Lisa Leslie is the Sparks leading scorer, averaging over 16 points per
game. Leslie leads the WNBA in rebounds with 9.4 average. "This is a great
opportunity. I like that I can help to change people's perspectives about
what women can and can't do. And when my playing days are over, I hope
people will remember me as the most versatile center to ever play the game,
man or woman."
Olympic Athlete
The US Women's Basketball Olympic team took the Gold Medal in 1996. Over
30 thousand fans attended the sold out Olympic Women's Basketball games.
Leslie scored a total of 156 points as a starter in all 8 games, averaging
19.5 points per game, made 28 of 44 free throws, rebounded 58 times with an
average rebounding record of 7.3 per game. Leslie assisted her teammates 19
times and stole the ball 9 times from the opponents. The highlight (so far)
of Leslie's basketball career was defeating the Brazilian Olympic team to
earn the Gold Medal. Leslie states, "We accomplished what we set out to do.
We tried to get women's basketball to the next level. Our game speaks for
itself, but now our names are in the public eye and that's the thing that
took the NBA from one level to the next."
US National Team
Leslie played on the undefeated US National Team in 1996. The team played
52 games in preparation for the 1996 Olympics. She says, "I think the
National Team is a opportunity for girls to get their VCR tapes out and
record it and rewind it and watch it, and have that opportunity to fantasize
about being like us."
Collegiate Career
Leslie attended USC from 1990-1994. She played in 120 games, averaged
20.1 points per game with a field goal percentage of 0.534 and a free throw
percentage of 0.698. The USC Trojans played in the NCAA Tournament every
year of Leslie's collegiate career. Leslie's career scoring record of 2414
still stands as a PAC-10 record, as does her 1214 rebounds and 321 blocked
shots. Leslie's owns the USC record of most blocked shots of 95 per season
and 321 per career. Leslie was 1994 National Player of the Year. She was
named All-PAC-10 all four years and was the only PAC-10 player to be named
to the all-conference first team honors four times. In 1993 and 1994, Leslie
led USC in scoring and rebounding, and lead the PAC-10 in blocked shots.
Cross Training
Leslie lifts weights, plays pick up basketball games and has practiced
with Magic Johnson's traveling squad.
Off Court
Leslie is a runway model off court and is designing several lines of
women's athletic apparel.
Other Links
WNBA Biography on Lisa Leslie
Leslie, Lisa
