Lisa Leslie was born on July 7, 1972 in Gardena, California. Before beginning her career as a professional athlete, Leslie attended USC from 1990 to 1994, where she studied communication and played for the USC women’s basketball team. While on the team, Leslie played 120 college games, averaging 20 points per game, and she currently holds the USC single-season record for blocked shots. In her senior year, Leslie helped her team win a Pac-12 conference championship while making four NCAA tournament appearances. After her time at USC, she went on to play for the Los Angeles Sparks, earning her MVP titles and making WNBA history by becoming the first woman to dunk during a WNBA game. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. Leslie is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner.