18 Inspirational Lisa Leslie Basketball Quotes to Motivate You

Hoopers know the name, Lisa Leslie. She’s a true legend in women’s basketball. From her days at the University of Southern California and the Olympic medals she brought home while on the United States National Team to her remarkable career in the WNBA with the Los Angeles Sparks, Lisa Leslie has left a mark.

Beyond her impressive career, Leslie has never shied away from sharing inspiring words. Lisa Leslie’s quotes resonate with many for their wisdom, motivation, and most notably, positivity. If you’re struggling to achieve your goals, her quotes can provide that extra uplifting push you need (and if you’re a fan, check out this sweet Lisa Leslie throwback jersey from the 2004 Olympics).

Below, I’ve gathered 18 of the most inspirational and motivational Lisa Leslie quotes. They give some insight into the mindset, approach, and confidence of a two-time WNBA champion and eight-time WNBA All-Star. Get ready to be inspired by one of the greatest players in women’s basketball!

Lisa Leslie Quotes For Inspiration

1. Forget Age

“Everyone talks about age, but it’s not about age. It’s about work ethic. Winning never gets old.”

This quote from Lisa Leslie reminds us that dedication and hard work are what drive the needle rather than simply time when it comes to achieving success.

2. Follow to Lead

“Well, the first quality of being a good leader is you have to be able to follow. See, a good leader can’t just be the leader all the time, I have to be able to follow.”

Leslie believes that strong leadership involves also being able to follow and learn from others, not just leading all the time.

3. Strong and Authentic

“I’m strong, I’m tough, I still wear my eyeliner.”

Leslie emphasizes that people should be authentically themselves. In her case, that means demonstrating that her strength and toughness can coexist with embracing her femininity and personal style.

4. Achieve Your Goals

“Goal-setting and achieving these goals – that’s just what I do.”

In this motivational Lisa Leslie quote, she points out that things didn’t just happen for her. They’re the result of setting clear goals and working diligently to achieve them.

5. Grateful for Recognition

“There’s a lot of women in the WNBA. There’s a lot of women who could be here. To be voted by the fans says a lot – that people are aware of what’s going on. I’m really thankful. I think they just really appreciate my talent so I’m definitely grateful.”

Earning a spot in the WNBA is HARD, let alone becoming a fan favorite. Here, Leslie expresses gratitude for fan recognition and appreciation of her talent among the league’s many skilled players.

6. The Dunking Desire

“Boys have that desire to want to dunk way more than girls do. It just never seemed like something we could truly fathom and do.”

Despite being the first-ever player to dunk in a WNBA game, dunking isn’t that important to her. In this quote, she suggests there are different aspirations and perceptions of dunking between men and women in basketball.

7. Education Through Basketball

“I’m a better and more educated person because of basketball.”

Playing basketball offers many physical, mental, and emotional benefits for anybody. This quote from Lisa Leslie acknowledges how basketball has contributed to her personal growth.

8. Versatility in Play

“You just don’t want to get pigeon-holed into one position. That’s why even though I start out at center, I may play small forward, if I get a rebound and you’re not there I can bring the ball up.”

It’s easy to stay in cruise control. But, Leslie values versatility and finding new ways to improve. In her case, that means the ability to play multiple positions and adapt.

9. Proving Yourself

“I played on an all-boy’s team in the 8th grade, but they wouldn’t throw me the ball even though I was on their team. One day I stole the ball from my own teammate and I made a basket. From that point on, everyone yelled, ‘Give the ball to the girl!’ I was the only girl on the whole league!”

Sometimes you’ve got to make opportunities for yourself. Here, Leslie shares an empowering story of proving her skills and gaining respect from a group that doubted her.

10. Scorer, Not Necessarily Shooter

“I’ve never proclaimed myself to be a shooter. But I am definitely a scorer.”

Everyone has to find their path to success, and it can look different from another’s. For Leslie, she clarifies that while she may not have been the best shooter on the floor, she still undeniably found a way to score points.

11. Surpassing Dreams

“My success has surpassed my childhood dreams.”

At one point after keeping your head down and working you look up to see how far you’ve gotten. With this aspirational Lisa Leslie quote, she reflects on how her achievements have exceeded even her earliest aspirations.

12. Role Model through Play

“If, by the way I play, I can be a role model or encourage someone else, that would be great.”

You’ve heard the phrase, “Lead by example.” Leslie recognizes she can have a positive and motivating impact on others through the way she plays.

13. Encourage Girls in Sports

“I encourage girls to play sports and play hard.”

Sports are beneficial for everyone, but unfortunately, girls drop out at twice the rate of boys by the age of 14. Here, Leslie advocates for girls to not only participate in sports but also put in their best effort.

14. Confidence in Ability

“I still believe I’m the best player. That’s what keeps me going.”

This quote from Lisa Leslie reminds us we need to know our “why.” Her words here suggest that it’s the confidence she has in her abilities that fuels her motivation and drive.

15. Mental Toughness

“The one thing I learned about myself going back and watching tapes of all the losses that we’ve had is that I’m physically capable of doing this and dominating the game, but the mental part was not there. I don’t know if it comes with age, but I had to learn to be mentally tough.”

Self-evaluation gives you insight into where you can improve. Leslie did just that, allowing her to recognize the importance of developing mental toughness in addition to physical skills.

16. Hard Work to Achieve Goals

“When I set a goal, I work hard to achieve it.”

It’s one thing to set a goal. It’s another to set a goal and make the effort to achieve it seriously. Here, Leslie highlights her commitment to achieving goals through hard work and dedication.

17. Strive for Excellence

“Somebody’s gotta be the best, so why not me?”

Among all of the Lisa Leslie quotes, this may be my favorite. With it, she inspires striving for excellence and believing in your potential to become the best.

18. Recognizing Talent

“Caitlin Clark. I mean, what can you say? I call her a game-changer. She’s one of those players that come along every 20 years, maybe, that just does something that’s never been seen. And she’s doing that.”

Leslie is always one to shout out the achievements of others. Here, she praises young WNBA star Caitlin Clark as a rare and exceptional talent, recognizing her impact on the game.

More Women’s Basketball Quotes

If you liked these Lisa Leslie quotes, you can discover more basketball quotes for motivation from the best to ever do it. Or, check out our curated lists of quotes from long-time great minds like Dawn Staley and Pat Summitt. We’ve also got young-star quotes from Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

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Featured image and quote graphics use photo by Eric Draper (The White House) – https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2008/08/images/20080809_d-0931-515h.html, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4547883