Lisa Leslie

Lisa Leslie is a retired professional basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest female basketball players of all time. Born on July 7, 1972, in Gardena, California, Leslie grew to 6 feet 5 inches tall and used her height and athleticism to dominate the sport at every level. She starred at USC, where she became the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,414 points and was a two-time National Player of the Year. Her college career set the stage for her pioneering role in women’s professional basketball.

Leslie was a founding member of the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks in 1997 and played her entire 12-season WNBA career with the team. She was a three-time WNBA MVP (2001, 2004, 2006), two-time WNBA champion (2001, 2002), and eight-time WNBA All-Star. In 2002, she became the first woman to dunk in a WNBA game, a historic moment that symbolized the evolving athleticism in women’s basketball. She also represented the United States in four Olympic Games, winning gold medals at the 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics.

After retiring from playing in 2009, Leslie transitioned into broadcasting, working as a sports analyst for networks including ESPN, Fox Sports, and CBS Sports Network. She has also pursued business ventures, including ownership stakes in sports teams and various entrepreneurial pursuits. In 2019, she became part of the BIG3 basketball league coaching staff, and she has been an advocate for women’s sports visibility and investment.

Leslie’s net worth is estimated at $10 million as of 2026, built through her WNBA salary, Olympic earnings, endorsement deals with brands like Nike and Taco Bell, broadcasting work, and business investments. She was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, cementing her legacy as a pioneer who helped build women’s professional basketball from the ground up.