Lifetime Player's Journal: Lisa Leslie and Ruth Riley
Player's Journal: Lisa Leslie and Ruth Riley
Friday, August 2, 5 p.m.
Lifetime
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Ruth Riley, with the support of her mom, has become a WNBA superstar. Denis Bancroft/WNBAE Photos/Getty Images |
Ruth Riley, Miami Sol
This Player's Journal spotlights Ruth Riley and Lisa Leslie, two WNBA stars who began their journeys much the same way, as loving daughters of single mothers.
Ruth Riley was born August 28, 1979, the middle child of three with an older sister and younger brother. Her mother Sharon raised them all on her own and often through difficult financial times. Ruth's values and work ethic come from her mom, who at one point supported the family by running a beauty salon out the house.
Another large part of Ruth's character is the small town she grew up in -- rural Macy, Indiana. It was there that she had to overcome her insecurities about her height as she reached six foot tall by age 12. Soon though, Ruth began to develop her athletic ability as a standout basketball player for North Miami High School, eventually earning a scholarship to Notre Dame. Once at Notre Dame, Ruth played alongside other girls her size allowing her to become less self-conscious about her height. She also continued to excel on the court and led Notre Dame to the 2001 NCAA National Championship.
Following her success in college, Ruth became a regular in the Miami Sol starting lineup as a rookie after she was chosen by the team in the first round of the 2001 WNBA draft. From Macy to Miami, Ruth is now a role model for young girls while also making her own childhood hero, her mother Sharon, extremely proud of her daughter's accomplishments.
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On July 30, Leslie became the first-ever player to dunk in a WNBA game. Lisa Blumenfeld/WNBAE Photos/Getty Images |
Lisa Leslie, perhaps the most recognizable, and beautiful female athlete in the world, did not achieve that status by accident. She attained it through hard work, setting goals, and overcoming obstacles. Growing up in Compton, CA was not easy as Lisa's mother -- and role model -- Christine Leslie-Espinoza worked as a cross country trucker to help make ends meet for Lisa and her younger sister.
With mom on the road, Lisa took on the role of raising her younger sister. It was a full time job, but somehow, the incredibly tall Lisa (six feet in the sixth grade) found time for her cousin, Craig Simpson, to teach her to play basketball and to use her height as an advantage. In 1990, Lisa attained national acclaim when she scored 101 points in the first half of a game to cap off her illustrious playing career at Morningside High School in Inglewood, CA.
One of the most highly recruited high school players of her generation, Lisa attended national power University of Southern California where she earned college player of the year honors in 1994. In 1997, Lisa's status as one of the game's elite players was apparent when she was one of the first players chosen to play in the newly formed WNBA and has since starred for her hometown Los Angeles Sparks.
In 2001, Lisa took her place as the game's top player when she was named the All-Star Game MVP, was the season MVP and most importantly led her team to the 2001 championship. One of the most prominent female athletes of the day, Lisa is the WNBA's spokesperson for the league's Breath Health Awareness initiative, a cause particularly close to Lisa since her mom had a scare after discovering two benign lumps in her breast.