WNBA Women's National Basketball Association

Lisa Leslie named WNBA Player of the Week

June 26, 2006 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release


NEW YORK, June 26, 2006 - Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks was named WNBA Player of the Week for games played Monday, June 19 through Sunday, June 25. This marks the second consecutive week, the third time this season and the 13th time in her career that the two-time WNBA MVP has earned the honor. No other player in league history has garnered more Player of the Week awards (Indiana's Tamika Catchings ranks second with eight).

In a 105-80 victory over the visiting San Antonio Silver Stars on Sunday, June 25, Leslie, the league's all-time leading scorer, became the first WNBA player to reach 5,000 career points. Entering the game with 4,999 career points, Leslie reached the milestone just 53 seconds into the first quarter and didn't stop there. The 10th year pro, who was named to the league's All-Decade Team on June 13, went on to tally a career-high 41 points and led the Sparks to a team-record for points in a single game. Leslie also finished with 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals and was 7-for-9 on free throws and 16-for-23 on field goals.

Following that effort, Silver Stars head coach Dan Hughes said, "She was vintage Lisa Leslie in every way. She is having a good year, the best I've ever seen her play."

Her own head coach, Joe Bryant, was even more to the point saying, "If she's not the greatest player to ever play, I don't know who is."

In the Sparks' three games last week, Leslie averaged 21.3 points, 9 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.0 steals and shot 60 percent (24-for-40) from the field and 82.4 percent (14-for-17) from the free throw line, as the Sparks posted a perfect 3-0 record.

Los Angeles has won 8 straight games and holds the best record in the Western Conference (11-3). They are also the only team in the West that remains undefeated at home (7-0).

Leslie currently leads the league outright in total points (308), rebounds (142) and field goals made (117) and is tied for the lead in double-doubles (8).

Other candidates for WNBA Player of the Week were Detroit's Cheryl Ford, Houston's Tina Thompson, and Sacramento's Yolanda Griffith.

2006 WNBA Player of the Week winners:

Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks - 5/30/06

Seimone Augustus, Minnesota Lynx - 6/05/06

Cappie Pondexter , Phoenix Mercury - 6/12/06 Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks - 6/19/06

Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks - 6/26/06

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