Athletes

Lisa Leslie is a ten-year veteran on the Women's National Basketball Association's (WNBA) Los Angeles Sparks (1997-2006) and has been a member of the USA Basketball team since 1989. She has been a member of nine U.S.A. Basketball gold-medal-winning teams, including three Olympic gold (1996, 2000, 2004) and two world championships (1998, 2002). As the center for the Sparks, Leslie has been named as an All-WNBA selection each of her ten seasons in the league. In 2006, Leslie became the first WNBA player to reach the 5,000 points mark and was named WNBA MVP for the third time in her career. She was also named to the WNBA All-Decade team. In 2003, Leslie was honored with the Team Sportswoman of the Year Award from the Women's Sports Foundation. At the conclusion of the 2003 WNBA season Leslie ranked fourth in average points per game (18), third for rebounds per game (10), and 11th for total rebounds (231). She also helped lead her team to the WNBA finals, scoring the winning four points in the final 9.8 seconds of the Sparks' victory over the Sacramento Monarchs in the last game of the WNBA Western Conference Playoffs. Leslie finished the 2002 WNBA season ranked first in the league in total rebounds (322) and second in rebounds per game (16.9). She also left her mark in sports history when she became the first woman to dunk in a WNBA game on July 30, 2002. In the same month, she won the Best WNBA Player ESPY Award for her performance during the 2001 WNBA season. She was a three-time MVP in 2001 (WNBA All-Star Game, WNBA regular season, WNBA Finals), making her the first player to earn all three awards in one season. She was also the recipient of the Women's Sports Foundation's Sportswoman of the Year Award and the Flo Hyman Memorial Award in 2001. Leslie was named to the All-WNBA First Team in 2003, 2002, 2001, 2000 and 1997. As a member of the U.S. basketball team, Leslie won the 1999 U.S. Olympic Cup. Leslie also received the 1999 Young Heroes Award from the Big Sisters Guild of Los Angeles in recognition of her work with the city's foster children. She has also done work in broadcasting, and since 1996, has modeled for the Wilhelmina Agency. Lisa will miss the entire 06'-07' WNBA season due to her pregnancy. (04/07)