Lisa Leslie

Leslie traveled to Sicilgesso, Italy to play professionally in 1994, as there were at the time no U.S. outlets for female players. The lack of opportunities at home frustrated Leslie. "I think we are cheated as a gender," she told Entertainment Weekly "No one knows what happens to all the great people in our game. It seems like we're written off."

Leslie returned home in 1996 to play with the U.S. Olympic "Dream Team." The team earned a gold medal and Leslie led the team in scoring with 19.5 points per game. She also broke the women's Olympic record with thirty-five points in a semifinal game against Japan. After the Olympics, Leslie was offered an opportunity to play professionally at home, in the newly formed Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). While initially unsure if she wished to continue playing after the Olympics, she eventually signed on with her hometown team, the Los Angeles Sparks.

Again, Leslie emerged as the star of the team. Coach Michael Cooper, who played for the L.A. Lakers, likened her to one of his former teammates. "Lisa is smooth like Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]," he once told Sports Illustrated. Leslie led the Sparks to two WNBA championships, in 2001 and 2002, and was named MVP of the finals both times. In the summer of 2002, she scored one giant leap for womankind when, on July 30, she became the first woman to slam dunk in a professional game.