Lisa Leslie has already accomplished virtually everything a basketball player could dream of.
She is a three-time WNBA MVP, two-time WNBA champion, four-time Olympic gold medalist, two-time WNBA Finals MVP and a member of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She also made history as the first player to dunk in a WNBA game.
On Sunday, another chapter was added to that remarkable legacy.
Leslie was honored with an 11-foot bronze statue titled “The First Lady” outside the Los Angeles Sparks’ arena, making her the first Sparks player to receive such an honor. But rather than simply looking backward at everything she has accomplished, Leslie used the occasion to reveal that she still has ambitions for the future.
And her next goal could take her from the court to the ownership suite.
LISA LESLIE’S STATUE IS A SYMBOL OF HOW FAR THE WNBA HAS COME
The unveiling represents much more than a personal celebration for Leslie.
For decades, women’s basketball players had to fight for visibility, investment and recognition. Leslie was one of the athletes who helped change that landscape from the beginning of the WNBA.
Her statue captures her in the iconic pose associated with one of the defining moments of her career — becoming the first player to dunk in a WNBA game.
That achievement was significant because it challenged perceptions of what women’s professional basketball could look like. Leslie combined size, athleticism, skill and competitiveness in a way that helped establish a blueprint for the modern WNBA superstar.
Her recognition outside the Sparks’ home arena therefore serves as both a tribute to her individual career and a reminder of the league’s evolution.
Leslie is now only the second WNBA player to receive a statue outside a professional franchise’s arena, following Seattle Storm legend Sue Bird.
“MAGIC, CALL ME”: LESLIE HAS HER EYES ON OWNERSHIP
The most intriguing moment of the ceremony, however, came when Leslie revealed that she wants to return to the business side of the Sparks.
Speaking to reporters, Leslie explained that she had recently discussed the possibility with her agent and wants to become involved in ownership and investment again.
Then she delivered the line that immediately grabbed attention:
“Magic, call me.”
The message was directed toward Lakers icon Magic Johnson, who is part of the ownership group that acquired the Sparks in 2014.
For Leslie, this would not be an entirely new experience.
She previously held a minority ownership stake in the Sparks from 2011 to 2014, making her one of the earliest WNBA players to transition into team ownership.
A return would therefore represent something of a full-circle moment.
MAGIC JOHNSON AND LISA LESLIE SHARE A LONG HISTORY
Johnson’s connection with Leslie goes far beyond the Sparks’ ownership group.
The two basketball legends have shared the court, with Leslie recalling opportunities to play pickup basketball alongside Johnson and other NBA players during her WNBA career.
Those experiences were particularly valuable because Leslie was determined to expand her game beyond the traditional expectations placed on a 6-foot-5 center.
She has previously described playing as a guard during those sessions, running off screens and knocking down jump shots while competing alongside NBA talent.
That environment helped expose her to different styles of basketball and allowed her to learn directly from some of the game’s greatest players.
The relationship also appears to have gone both ways.
During the statue ceremony, Johnson praised Leslie for helping elevate women’s basketball and Los Angeles. His tribute emphasized not only her accomplishments but also the broader influence she had on the sport.
That makes Leslie’s latest request particularly interesting.
She isn’t asking a stranger.
She’s speaking to someone who has witnessed her career, understands the business of professional sports and is now part of the ownership structure of the very franchise she helped build.
LESLIE’S BUSINESS AMBITIONS COULD MATTER FOR THE ENTIRE WNBA
Leslie’s interest in ownership comes at an important time for women’s professional sports.
WNBA franchises have become increasingly valuable as the league’s audience, media attention and commercial opportunities have expanded.
That growth creates an opportunity for former players to become more deeply involved in the business side of the sport.
Leslie’s potential return to Sparks ownership would therefore carry significance beyond one franchise.
Former players bring something unique to ownership groups: firsthand knowledge of the league, its athletes and the challenges that players face.
Someone who spent an entire career inside the WNBA understands the product from a perspective that traditional investors cannot necessarily replicate.
For Leslie, that knowledge could become an important part of her next chapter.
HER LEGACY EXTENDS WELL BEYOND THE STATISTICS
It would be easy to define Leslie’s career through numbers.
Three MVP awards.
Two championships.
Two Finals MVP awards.
Four Olympic gold medals.
A Hall of Fame induction.
The first WNBA dunk.
But perhaps the more important part of her legacy is the generation of players who followed.
Leslie entered professional women’s basketball when the WNBA was still establishing its identity. Players today compete in an environment with dramatically greater visibility and commercial attention.
That does not mean Leslie created the modern WNBA by herself. Many players, coaches, executives and supporters contributed to the league’s growth.
But she was undeniably one of its foundational stars.
Her willingness to return to the league after becoming a mother also made her an important figure beyond basketball. Her career demonstrated that professional athletes could continue competing at the highest level while navigating major changes in their personal lives.
THE KOBE BRYANT CONNECTION ADDS ANOTHER EMOTIONAL LAYER
Another powerful element of the ceremony was Leslie’s connection to Kobe Bryant.
Leslie and Bryant developed a close friendship during their playing careers, and Leslie has continued to speak about him warmly following his death.
Her new statue stands near the monument honoring Bryant and his daughter, Gianna.
That proximity made the moment particularly meaningful for Leslie.
She described herself as being surrounded by people who had played important roles in her life, including Johnson and Bryant.
For a player whose career was so deeply connected to Los Angeles, having her legacy permanently represented in the city carries an obvious sense of significance.
WHAT A RETURN TO SPARKS OWNERSHIP COULD MEAN
If Leslie eventually returns to the Sparks’ ownership structure, the impact could extend beyond symbolism.
Her presence could strengthen the connection between the franchise and generations of former players while providing another high-profile example of athletes moving from the court into executive and ownership roles.
It could also reinforce an increasingly important idea in professional sports: players can be more than employees or performers.
They can become investors, entrepreneurs, executives and owners.
Leslie has already demonstrated an interest in that transition.
Now she appears ready to pursue it again.
WHY THIS MATTERS FOR TODAY’S WNBA STARS
The story also has relevance for the current generation of players, including stars such as Caitlin Clark, A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart and others who are helping drive the league’s current growth.
Today’s WNBA stars are entering a vastly different commercial environment from the one Leslie encountered early in her career.
The increased attention around players creates opportunities that extend beyond basketball — from endorsements and media ventures to entrepreneurship and potentially franchise ownership.
Leslie’s career offers a blueprint for that evolution.
The next generation doesn’t necessarily have to stop at retirement.
They can potentially become part of the business infrastructure that shapes the league they helped build.
A FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT FOR THE SPARKS LEGEND
Perhaps the most fitting part of Leslie’s story is that her statue ceremony wasn’t treated as the end of her journey.
Instead, it looked like the beginning of another chapter.
She has already left an enormous mark on basketball. Now she wants to have a greater influence on the business side of the game.
And there is something fitting about her turning to Magic Johnson for help.
Johnson himself successfully transitioned from basketball superstar to entrepreneur and sports owner. Leslie has spent years building her own identity beyond the court as well.
Whether her “Magic, call me” message ultimately leads to a new ownership role remains to be seen.
But the possibility is fascinating.
THE NEXT CHAPTER OF LISA LESLIE’S LEGACY
Lisa Leslie’s statue will stand as a permanent reminder of everything she accomplished on the basketball court.
Yet her latest comments show that she isn’t interested in simply being remembered.
She wants to keep contributing.
From becoming the first player to dunk in the WNBA to winning championships and Olympic gold medals, Leslie repeatedly pushed the boundaries of what was possible.
Now, she appears ready to challenge another boundary — the distance between being a former player and becoming an owner.
And if Magic Johnson does make that phone call, Leslie may have an opportunity to add yet another “first” to a career already filled with them.
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