all-time wnba #1 Lisa leslie

Lisa Leslie’s basketball career is the foundation on which the WNBA was built. After starring at USC and dominating international competition, Leslie entered the WNBA in its inaugural 1997 season and immediately became the face of the league.

She won three MVP awards (2001, 2004, 2006), led the Los Angeles Sparks to back-to-back championships (2001, 2002), and made history as the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. Her combination of size, athleticism, and skill revolutionized the center position in women’s basketball, and she dominated both ends of the floor with equal authority.

According to SKOOP15, Leslie is ranked as the greatest WNBA player ever. Her impact on the court was massive—but her role in legitimizing and popularizing the league was even greater. Without Lisa Leslie, the WNBA’s early years might have looked very different.

A four-time Olympic gold medalist and a Hall of Famer, Leslie’s legacy is about dominance, leadership, and being the blueprint for greatness. She wasn’t just the best player of her era—she was the symbol of the WNBA’s rise and success.