The first player to dunk in a WNBA game and one of the most decorated women's basketball players in history — four Olympic gold medals, three WNBA championships and three league MVP awards across a groundbreaking 12-year career with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Lisa Leslie was born in Los Angeles, California in 1972. Los Angeles Sparks selected her third overall in the inaugural 1997 WNBA Draft from USC. She won four Olympic gold medals (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008), three WNBA championships (2001, 2002) and three WNBA MVP awards (2001, 2004, 2006). She was the first player to dunk in a WNBA game — at the Staples Center on 30 July 2002. She was a 10-time All-Star and was named to the WNBA's All-Decade and 20th Anniversary teams. Her combination of height, athleticism and scoring from the post and mid-range set the standard for the WNBA centre position. She was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 and is considered one of the five greatest WNBA players in league history.
First player to dunk in a WNBA game, dominant center who led Sparks to championships
How They Played
Dominant post player with excellent shooting range and shot-blocking ability
Lasting Impact
WNBA pioneer and Hall of Famer who helped establish women's professional basketball
Olympic Gold 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008
Career Honours
- Olympic Gold 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008
- WNBA Champion 2001, 2002
- WNBA MVP 2001, 2004, 2006