Lisa Leslie was born to Christine Lauren and Walter Leslie. Her father, a semi-professional basketball player, left the family when Christine was four months pregnant with Lisa. Christine went on to support her children by starting her own truck driving business. Lisa has two sisters—Dionne, who is five years older, and Tiffany, who is eight years younger—as well as a brother, Elgin, who is a basketball coach at Carondelet High School.
During her early years, Lisa played on both all-girls and all-boys basketball teams, showcasing her competitive edge from a young age. While playing on her middle school all-girls team, her record stood at an impressive 33–1. Her youth involvement in multiple basketball formats helped lay the foundation for her versatile and pioneering career in women’s sports.
By middle school, Lisa had already reached a height of 6’1”. Despite her height, she initially preferred activities like Double Dutch and tetherball over competitive sports. When she first joined an organized basketball team, players were asked to divide themselves into right-handed and left-handed groups. As the only left-handed player, she felt isolated and was determined not to be singled out again. She taught herself to play with her right hand, a skill that later made her effective as an ambidextrous player on the court.
Lisa Leslie attended the University of Southern California (USC), where she built an impressive collegiate career. She was a standout player for the USC Trojans and laid solid groundwork for her future in professional basketball. During her time at USC, she earned multiple accolades and became a prominent name in women's collegiate sports.
In 1997, Lisa Leslie was selected as the seventh overall pick in the inaugural WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. Over the span of her WNBA career, she became one of the league’s most accomplished players. She won three WNBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards and led the Sparks to two WNBA championships.
Leslie made history as the first player to dunk in a WNBA game, a feat that helped redefine perceptions of women's basketball. She was an eight-time WNBA All-Star and is widely regarded as a cornerstone of the league's growth and popularity. She retired from professional basketball in 2009.
In addition to her achievements in the WNBA, Lisa Leslie was a dominant force on the international stage. She won four Olympic gold medals with Team USA in 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008. Her international success further solidified her legacy as one of the greatest women’s basketball players in history.
In 2011, Leslie was voted by fans as one of the Top 15 Players in WNBA History. Her extraordinary impact on the game was further recognized with her induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. She is consistently honored as a pioneer who influenced the trajectory of women's professional basketball.
| Birth Date: | 7 Jul, 1972 |
| Age: | 47 yrs |
| Occupations: | Basketball player |
| Citizenship: | United States of America |
| Birth Place: | Gardena |
| Education: | University of Southern California University of Phoenix |
| Gender: | Female |
| Description: | American basketball player |
| Net Worth 2021: | 5 million |
