Lisa Leslie
A dominant center who transformed the WNBA with her power and grace, becoming the first woman to dunk in a professional game.
Born 1972 (age 54)·American basketball player·Birthday: July 7·Generation X
Biography
Lisa Leslie didn't just play basketball; she imposed a new reality on the women's game. Standing 6'5" with the agility of a guard, she was a force from her high school days in California, where she famously scored 101 points in a single half. At USC, she was a national player of the year, setting the stage for her professional destiny. As a cornerstone of the Los Angeles Sparks from the WNBA's inaugural season, Leslie defined the post position with a blend of soft touch, fierce rebounding, and intimidating shot-blocking. Her 2002 in-game dunk was a cultural moment, shattering a perceived barrier and showcasing athleticism that demanded new respect for the women's sport. She led the Sparks to two championships, earned three MVP awards, and anchored four Olympic gold medal teams for the USA. Off the court, her poised presence as a model and broadcaster made her one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, paving the way for the league's future stars.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Lisa was born in 1972, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Lisa Was Born
The biggest hits of 1972
#1 Movie
The Godfather
Best Picture
The Godfather
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Lisa's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1972Born
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1977Started school
Star Wars premieres; Elvis dies
Gas: $0.62/galHome: $31,800Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Tonight's the Night" — Rod StewartBest Picture: Annie Hall
1985Became a teenager
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1988Could drive
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1990Could vote
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
1993Turned 21
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2002Turned 30
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2012Turned 40
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2022Turned 50
Russia invades Ukraine; Queen Elizabeth II dies
Gas: $3.97/galHome: $348,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"As It Was" — Harry StylesBest Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once
2026Age 54 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first player to dunk in a WNBA game during the 2002 season.
- Led the Los Angeles Sparks to back-to-back WNBA championships in 2001 and 2002.
- Awarded the WNBA Most Valuable Player award three times (2001, 2004, 2006).
- Won four Olympic gold medals with the United States basketball team (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008).
- Selected as a WNBA All-Star in each of the league's first eight seasons.
Did You Know?
She scored 101 points in the first half of a high school game, after which the opposing team refused to play the second half.
She worked as a professional model and appeared on the covers of magazines like Vogue and Elle.
She was a television broadcaster for Fox Sports and later for Orlando Magic games.
She is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, inducted in 2015.
“I think that's one of the reasons why I never dunked in a game before, because I always wanted to make sure it was during a game that meant something.”
