Lisa Leslie

Once Leslie gained an interest in basketball, she worked hard to excel in the sport. With the encouragement of a cousin, she embarked on a self-directed training regimen, which included sit-ups, push-ups, drills and shooting baskets, as well as taking on male players after whom she then modeled her own style of play.

Lisa Leslie

Hard work and perseverance were familiar to Leslie, whose father left the family when she was four years old. Raised by her mother Christine, Leslie learned about hard work and struggle watching her mother work as a cross-country truck driver to earn money to support her three daughters. During the school year, Leslie was often cared for by a babysitter or an aunt. Her mother's absence forced her to mature and gain self-reliance early. In the summers, she and a sister accompanied their mother, sleeping on a bunk in the back of the rig. Despite her mother's long absences, Leslie credits Christine with imparting numerous life lessons. Christine, who stands 6'3", taught her daughter to be proud of her stature. "She raised me to be confident and hold my head up," Leslie told People magazine.