WNBA’s success astounds Leslie

Victoria Sun

Wednesday, Jan. 23, 2002 | 10:19 a.m.

With her college playing days at USC behind her, Lisa Leslie left the comforts of her Southern California home to play professional basketball in Italy.

It never occurred to her that she would one day be showcasing her talents on national television in her own country in front of thousands of fans.

Since Leslie, the NCAA's national player of the year in 1994, was signed by the WNBA and assigned to play for the Los Angeles Sparks in 1997, she has been living a fantasy.

"From the beginning, I assumed it would be a summer league where they would open the gym and let people sit on one side," Leslie said Tuesday afternoon. "I didn't know we'd be in uniforms and playing in the arenas that we play in.

"For me, it (exceeded) my expectations of what the WNBA would be."

The 6-foot-5 center of the reigning WNBA champions was in town to promote WNBA and NBA products at the sporting goods "Super Show" being held at the Sands Convention Center.

Backed by the NBA, the WNBA has doubled from eight to 16 teams over the past six years.

Although published reports indicate the WNBA has been in a financial tailspin, the popularity of the league seems to have grown.

The average paid attendance in each city last season was 9,075, about the same as it was the previous year.

According to an NBA spokesperson, the TV ratings for WNBA games shown in Las Vegas were 62 percent higher than the national average.

"I think we're doing remarkable," said Leslie, last year's league MVP. "I know the awareness has increased so much over these years.

"People are really tuned in with what's going on with the Sparks, everyone is yelling repeat already. I don't know the exact numbers, but I think we have about 5,000 hard-core fans that come out and support us each game. We just need to get 2,000 to 3,000 more on a regular basis.

"We had a huge crowd for our championship game and we hope we can build on that."

Former Los Angeles Lakers great James Worthy supports the WNBA and thinks it will thrive, as long as the league continues to promote the game.

"They need to continue to play the game the way they play it," Worthy said. "They don't play above the rim so they have to be fundamentally sound.

"I think their fundamentals are better in the WNBA than in the NBA. That's what I like to watch. I think they've made themselves known to a lot of young girls around the world and they've got a lot of male groupies that watch the WNBA. So I think they just need to continue what they're doing."

The WNBA's 32-game regular season begins in May and ends in September.

Leslie reasoned that attendance across the league might not be as high as it could be because most of the games are played during the summer, when many people take vacations.

But that hasn't stopped Leslie from developing a following.

She averaged 19.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game in the regular season and improved that to 22.3 points and 12.3 rebounds during the playoffs last year.

She is the WNBA's all-time leading scorer with 2,670 points, and her No. 9 replica jersey is a WNBA top seller.

She also has numerous endorsement contracts, and in what little spare time she has, she is a model for Wilhemina Models, Inc.

But Leslie is most proud of what she and her teammates were able to do on the court.

"Last year was a great year and I don't know if it gets any better," Leslie said. "To win a championship is above any personal accolade you can get. "

Leslie, a key member of the 1996 USA Olympic women's basketball team that won the gold medal, will get the opportunity to represent the U.S. again in September at the FIBA World Championship for Women in China.

"I always say it's one thing to represent your city, but it's another to represent my country," Leslie said. "When I put on that red, white and blue uniform, we're going to war.

"We only use a basketball, but it's an amazing feeling to watch our flag lifted and listening to the anthem, knowing you've done your all for your country."