Lisa Leslie is one of the best to ever play in the WNBA. The Los Angeles Sparks legend achieved a lot during her legendary career, winning the championship twice and the regular-season MVP award three times.
Leslie, who suited up for the Sparks from 1997 to 2009, is also an eight-time All-Star, two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the league’s 10th, 15th, 20th and 25th Anniversary Teams. She is widely considered a top-10 WNBA player of all time, with ESPN ranking her at No. 5 on its list back in 2021.
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That being said, Leslie certainly knows greatness and talent when she sees it.
Former WNBA player and Olympic athlete Lisa Leslie speaks during a summit.© Denny Medley-Imagn Images
On Saturday, Leslie couldn’t help but comment after she witnessed Seattle Storm center Dominique Malonga dunking during practice with her Unrivaled team, Breeze BC.
In a video posted by Breeze BC, Malonga can be seen catching a lob from her teammate, Paige Bueckers. Another clip showed the French star receiving a pass from Kate Martin and driving to the basket for the slam.
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Leslie was clearly amazed by what she saw and took to the comment section to express her delight, writing, “Yessss! Next level!!!”
Leslie’s message is significant, especially since she was the first player to dunk in the WNBA. So, witnessing Malonga do it with ease highlights the progress of the game and the icon’s part in paving the way for the next generation.
For what it’s worth, it was not only Leslie who was left in disbelief over Malonga’s dunks. Former Chicago Sky head coach Teresa Weatherspoon, who serves as coach of the Unrivaled team Vinyl BC, wrote, “Dawg lol….”
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“Mann i love watching the growth of the game!” a commenter added. Another one wrote, “She ever dunked in a game? She doing it with ease.”
“Sports world would break if they did this in game,” fan stated.
It remains to be seen if Malonga will be able to dunk in a game, but sure enough, Leslie and the rest of the basketball world will be keeping an eye on her when Unrivaled kicks off on Jan. 5.
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This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Dec 22, 2025, where it first appeared in the WNBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
