American former professional basketball player and actress, born on July 7, 1972, in Gardena, California, USA. Her father is Walter Leslie, a former professional basketball player. She transferred to a middle school without a girls' basketball team and joined the boys' basketball team. Her success there contributed to her confidence in her abilities to play. At the age of fourteen, before beginning her high school studies in Morningside, she received more than a hundred college recruitment letters, including from the University of Tennessee and Stanford University. She continued her education in 1986 by enrolling at Morningside High School in Inglewood, California. She had an immediate impact on the basketball program, starting every game for the girl's team. She also found time to join the volleyball team and compete in track and field. She ended up being one of the qualifying nations in the 400 meters and the high jump. After an illustrious career in the Hall of Fame that included four Olympic gold medals, two WNBA titles, and three WNBA MVP Awards, she shifted to acting.