Corridor of Famer Lisa Leslie is among the best basketball gamers ever. She started her illustrious skilled profession at Morningside Excessive Faculty in Inglewood, California, the place she scored a file 101 factors in a single sport. As a collegiate phenom on the College of Southern California (USC), she received the Naismith Faculty Participant of the 12 months award, the USBWA Girls’s Nationwide Participant of the 12 months award, and was named to 3 All-American groups.
She was drafted because the quantity seven decide for the WNBA within the 1997 inaugural draft and would go on to win three WNBA MVP awards, eight WNBA All-Star alternatives and two WNBA championships in 11 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks. She additionally made historical past as the primary participant to dunk in a WNBA sport.
Just lately, in a full circle second, Leslie praised Brittney Griner who was the primary participant to dunk within the Unmatched Basketball League.
After retiring in 2009, she was voted in by followers as one of many High 15 gamers in WNBA historical past in 2011 and was inducted into each the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame and the Girls’s Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2015.
EBONY spoke with Lisa Leslie about her ardour for teaching and the significance of Black ladies main in all areas of the sports activities business
EBONY: What was your fondest sports activities reminiscence?
Lisa Leslie: Most likely, rising up in Los Angeles and watching the Showtime Lakers, which was actually inspiring. Additionally, I bear in mind the joy of the followers. I liked the best way that my household and other people from my neighborhood would stand across the tv to observe the video games. The best way that sports activities have an effect on the feelings of individuals, there’s actually nothing prefer it.
You made historical past as one of many first ladies to educate in a males’s skilled league and win a championship. What drew you to teaching?
Teaching is one thing I’m enthusiastic about as a result of I get to encourage different folks. I really like having the chance to encourage and encourage folks that I coach. I imagine that’s what my religious present is, and basketball has been the platform that God has blessed me with to have the ability to talk that. As a coach, I ask my gamers to push via, work laborious and persevere, even once they really feel like they’ll’t get it achieved. That goes again to that motivation. If I’m asking that of my gamers, I’ve to additionally ask that of myself. That’s what made me need to coach.
Why is it essential for Black ladies to be represented in all areas of sports activities from teaching, administration and possession. Why is this message essential so that you can unfold?
We’re the primary species on this planet. There’s no human being born with out ladies. I really feel like we’re at all times attempting to create these new areas, when in reality, we belong in all of these areas. We’re greater than able to doing any job and being in anyplace in sports activities. There’s nothing that we will’t do. It’s actually been about getting alternatives and altering the minds of individuals.
Lastly, what recommendation would give to ladies who need to make a comeback of their careers, relationships or any space of their lives?
I’d say that you must write down your short-term targets that you simply need to attain inside one 12 months after which write down your long-term targets that you simply need to attain inside 5 years. With entry to a lot expertise and knowledge, there’s no cause that anybody can’t change route or profession paths. So, for those who’re attempting to make a comeback, begin there and be real looking about what your targets are and what you possibly can obtain.
I at all times inform everyone, “We get 24 hours in a day.” You must surrender some issues and make sacrifices to attain success. After I went again to high school to get my grasp’s diploma whereas pregnant, I needed to make some sacrifices. I put my daughter to mattress at 9 pm and needed to do my homework proper after. So, the largest factor I’d encourage folks to do is be prepared to make these sacrifices, test on these targets and keep per the place you’re attempting to go.
This interview was condensed for brevity.