Position: Center 
Height: 6-5 / 196 cm
Weight: 170 lbs. / 77 kg
Born: July 7, 1972 in Gardena, Calif.
WNBA: Los Angeles Sparks 
College: University of Southern California ‘94

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USA Basketball Notes

Gold Medals: 1996, 2000, 2004 & 2008 Olympic Games, 1998 & 2002  World Championships, 1999 U.S. Olympic Cup, 1994 Goodwill Games, 1993 World Championship Qualifying Tournament, 1992 R. William Jones Cup, 1991 World University Games.
Silver Medal: 2008 Good Luck Beijing Tournament.
Bronze Medal: 1994 World Championship.
Honors: 2002 FIBA World Championship MVP; 1993, 1998 and 2002 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year.

  • Named to the 2008 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team on May 31, 2008.
  • Aided the USA to a 4-2 mark and the silver medal at the 2008 Good Luck Beijing Tournament, averaged USA team second bests of 14.7 ppg. and 7.8 rpg.
  • Returned to the court after taking a year off to give birth to her daughter, Lauren, for the 2007 USA College Tour and posted eight points, 10 boards and a pair of assists in the USA's opening contest against Maryland on Oct. 31.
  • Started all eight games of the College Tour and averaged 14.1 ppg., 8.1 rpg. and 2.4 bpg.
  • Named to the 2007-08 USA Basketball Women's National Team on Oct. 29, 2007.
  • One of only seven of USA Basketball's three-time Olympians (Anne Donovan, Teresa Edwards, Katrina McClain, David Robinson, Dawn Staley and Sheryl Swoopes).
  • In 2004 led the U.S. team in scoring, both during its exhibition schedule and at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. In leading the squad to the gold medal stand, averaged 15.6 ppg. and 8.0 rpg. and was the USA's high scorer in three of eight contests.
  • Closed out her third Olympic competition ranking as the USA's all-time leading scorer, rebounder and shot blocker after compiling 407 points, 185 rebounds and 25 blocked shots in three Olympic Games (1996, 2000 and 2004); also sits atop the list for a single competition for blocked shots with 14 in '04.
  • In 2002 competed in her third World Championship and walked away with the MVP award. Leading the U.S. squad in scoring and rebounding, she ranked fourth among all competitors and tied for third in rebounds with averages of 17.2 points and 8.1 rebounds an outing.
  • Has posted double-digit scoring averages in every major international event she has competed.
  • Leading scorer and rebounder of the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team that rolled to an 8-0 record and won the gold medal in Sydney; Leslie also led the 1999-2000 USA National Team to a 38-2 record, along with the 1999 U.S. Olympic Cup and the USA Basketball International Invitational titles, leading up to the Games.
  • Leading scorer of the gold medal winning 1998 USA World Championship Team which finished with a perfect 9-0 record and was named the 1998 USA Basketball Team of the Year. Prior to the start of the Worlds, aided the U.S. to a 12-1 record in its 13-game 1998 pre-World Championship tour.
  • Finished as the leading scorer of the gold medal winning 1996 USA Olympic and the historic 1995-96 USA Basketball Women's National teams that compiled a combined 60-0 record and were named the 1996 U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Basketball Team of the Year.
  • Was a member of the 1999 USA Basketball Women's Winter European Tour Team that compiled a 4-1 record; competed on the 1989 USA Junior World Championship team and toured Canada with the 1990 USA Junior National Team.
  • Was the youngest participant at the 1992 USA Olympic Trials.
  • Scored a USA Olympic single-game record 35 points versus Japan (7/31/96), and owns four of the USA's top 10 single-game scoring performances.
  • Scored a USA Olympic competition record 156 points (19.5 ppg.) in 1996 and ranks tied with USA head coach Anne Donovan for most blocks by a U.S. player in a single Olympic competition (9).
  • On the World Championship stage, ranks first among all-time USA World Championship leaders in points (393) and rebounds (190) and ranks second in blocked shots (17). Additionally, Leslie posted the highest USA Goodwill Games field goal percentage in a single competition after shooting 71.8 percent (28-39 FGs) in 1994.

Professional Notes:
Signed: by the WNBA and assigned to the Los Angeles Sparks on Jan. 22, 1997. 
WNBA MVP: 2001, 2004, 2006
WNBA Finals MVP: 2001, 2002
WNBA Titles: 2001, 2002
All-WNBA first team: 1997, 2000-2004, 2006
All-WNBA second team: 1998, 1999, 2005
All-Star Game MVP: 1999, 2001, 2002
All-Star Games: 1999-2003, 2005, 2006
WNBA All-Decade Team: 1997-06
Defensive Player of the Year: 2004
WNBA All-Defensive first team: 2006
All-Defensive second team: 2005
WNBA Player of the Week honors: 14 (league record)

  • Gave birth to her daughter Lauren Jolie Lockwood on June 15, 2007, and missed the entire 2007 WNBA season.
  • Averaged 19.8 ppg. and 8.0 rpg. throughout the 2002 WNBA playoffs, collected WNBA Finals MVP honors after leading the Sparks to their second straight title.
  • Aided the Sparks in 2001 to a 28-4 record en route to a WNBA title, averaged 22.3 ppg., 12.3 rpg., 4.4 bpg., and 3.0 apg.; in the 2001 WNBA playoffs and recorded 35 points, 16 rebounds, seven blocked shots in the Sparks' 93-62 victory over the Charlotte Sting in the final contest.
  • Finished the 2002 season as one of only two players to average a double-double after posting averages of 16.9 ppg. and 10.4 rpg. in leading the Sparks to a 25-7 record and a first place finish in the Western Conference.
  • Became the first person to dunk in a WNBA game after doing so against Miami on July 30, 2002.
  • In 2003, despite missing 11 games following an injury in the All-Star Game, helped the Sparks to a 24-10 record and LA advanced through the playoffs to the finals; averaged a double-double of 18.4 ppg. and 10.0 rpg. through the season, led her squad in the playoffs, averaging 20.8 ppg. and 8.9 rpg.
  • Was a member of the 1998 and 1997 WNBA All-Star teams that toured Brazil and Europe.
  • Competed during the 1994-95 season in Alcamo, Italy, for Sicilgesso, averaged 22.6 ppg. and 11.7 rpg.; also played in Russia in 2006-07.

College Notes

  • During her four years, the University of Southern California posted an 89-31 overall record, made four NCAA Tournaments, advanced as far as the Elite Eight in 1992 and 1994 and won one Pac 10 Conference championship.
  • Unanimously voted the 1994 National Player of the Year as a senior and earned 1991 National Freshman of the Year honors in her rookie season.
  • Earned All-America honors in 1992, 1993 and 1994 and was named to the All-Pacific-10 Conference first team all four years, becoming the first player in Pac-10 history to receive all-conference first team honors four times.
  • Named as the 1991 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year.

Personal Notes

  • Hails from Inglewood, Calif., and played her prep career at Morningside High School.
  • Married to Michael Lockwood Nov. 5, 2005, the couple splits their time living in Los Angeles and Dallas
  • Recently published her autobiography, "Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You."
  • The daughter of Christine Leslie-Espinoza, has two sisters and four half brothers.
  • In Oct. 1998, dedicated the Lisa Leslie Sports Complex, which includes a 42,000 square foot court with 12 baskets, at Morningside High.
  • Has worked with foster children in Los Angeles and was presented with the 1999 "Young Heros Award" from the Big Sisters Guild of Los Angeles for her work with foster children.
  • Collected 2001 Sportswoman of the Year honors in the team category from the Women's Sports Foundation.
  • Returned to school in the 2002 off-season to work on a Master's Degree in Business Administration.
  • One of five Olympic athletes featured in a Herb Ritts photo spread for Vogue magazine and has modeled designs by Armani, Tommy Hilfiger, Gigi Hunter and Anne Klein.
  • Has appeared in the TV shows "Hangtime," "Moesha," "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" and "The Weakest Link."
  • Has done color commentary for several USC basketball games and has also been a guest correspondent on "NBA Inside Stuff;" intends to continue broadcasting when basketball career is over.