Every game has its ‘Mount Rushmore,’ where impactful players have made a long-lasting mark on the game. In the WNBA, Becky Hammon put A’ja Wilson as the WNBA’s greatest. But in all, there are many worthy candidates; a separate Mount Rushmore could be created for every region. Similarly, for California, Paul Pierce nominated Lisa Leslie as the best Basketball player from the area.
Discussing the top player coming out of Inglewood, California, the Celtics star took Leslie’s name and accepted that he looked up to her for inspiration. Leslie is five years older than Pierce and was one of the top players from the region.
Paul Pierce Considers Lisa Leslie The Best Basketball Player From LA
In a discussion with Shannon Sharp on the ‘Club Shay Shay’ podcast, the former NBA champion was brutally honest with his assessment of the best athlete from Inglewood. Reminding the Sharp about the WNBA star’s iconic high-school game, where she scored 101 points in the first half during a game in the early 90s, he mentioned that Leslie is the best player from the region.
“I wouldn’t give myself the best basketball player. I would give it to Lisa. I’ll give it to Lisa Leslie. I had the honor of seeing her play in high school. She was a cold man, I gotta give flowers to Lisa. I looked up to her as a kid. I’ll probably be in the top three or four, maybe basketball players,” Pierce said.
"Lisa Leslie scored 100 points in a half. She was cold. I got to give flowers to Lisa. I looked up to her." – @paulpierce34 pic.twitter.com/WGUAjWfFUu
— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) October 21, 2025
Both basketball stars were massive on the pro level, earning multiple All-Star selections and championships. The 6-foot-5 WNBA forward played for the LA team in the WNBA while Pierce represented the Celtics, fierce rivals of the City.
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
Even though the NBA star acknowledged the Sparks forward as the best player from the region, the player showed huge admiration for A’ja Wilson after the star won her fourth MVP.
Lisa Leslie Gives Honest Opinion On A’ja Wilson Breaking Her Record
While the player excelled in her high school and college careers, she also dominated her era in the WNBA. Playing for the Los Angeles Sparks, the star won two titles and two Finals MVP Awards. The star earned three regular-season MVP awards, setting a record at the time. But the Aces’ forward broke the award in 2025 with her incredible season.
The LA legend gave Wilson flowers, accompanied by an iconic photo alongside Sheryl Swoopes and Jackson. Leslie wrote, “Congratulations @aja22wilson, I could not be more proud of you! You fought for absolutely everything you have earned!!! 4X MVP.”
The eight-time All-Star stays in touch with all the happenings in the league, as Leslie discussed declining refereeing quality due to lack of tenure, and compares it to her era. While the league undergoes changes, the style of play evolves, and new players join, there will be times when Wilson takes Leslie’s position, and a new player coming in will follow her footsteps.