New York, September 3, 2006 – Lisa Leslie of the Los Angeles Sparks has been named the 2006 WNBA
Most Valuable Player, the league announced today. Leslie, who also was named MVP
following the 2001 and 2004 WNBA seasons, joins Sheryl Swoopes as the only players
in league history to capture the award three times.

Leslie received the most votes from a panel of national sportswriters and broadcasters. Panel members
were asked to select their top five choices for the award, with 10 points being
awarded for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth
and one for fifth. Leslie received 40 first place votes and her total of 508 points
more than doubled that of her nearest contender, Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix
Mercury, who received 211 points.

Rounding out the top five vote-getters were: Connecticut Sun forward Katie Douglas (208 points), Seattle Storm forward
Lauren Jackson (193 points) and Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings, the 2006
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (181 points).

“We are extremely proud of Lisa’s performance,” said WNBA President Donna Orender, “particularly
in a year in which so many players gave outstanding efforts and so many records
were set. Established superstars like Lisa, Lauren Jackson and Tamika Catchings
had perhaps the best year of their respective careers and young stars like Diana
Taurasi and Cheryl Ford emerged as superstars. Players like Katie Douglas and
Alana Beard posted breakthrough seasons and four rookies from an outstanding draft
class were selected to the All-Star Game. All of that makes Lisa’s effort that
much more outstanding.”

An All-WNBA team selection in each of her ten seasons, a seven-time All-Star, three-time All-Star MVP, two-time Finals MVP and
three-time Olympic Gold Medalist, Leslie now becomes the second player in league
history to garner the MVP award three-times. Sheryl Swoopes of the Houston Comets
earned her MVP titles in 2000, 2002 and 2005.

While leading the Sparks to the best record in the Western Conference (25-9), Leslie also led the league
in double-doubles (17) and defensive rebounds (240); ranked second in total rebounds
(323) and blocks (57); third in points (680), free throws (158) and field goals
made (257), and sixth in field-goal percentage (51.1 percent). So dominant was
Leslie’s performance that she led Los Angeles in both points and rebounds in the
same game in 16 of the Sparks’ 34 contests.

In her 10th WNBA season, Leslie, who was selected to the League’s All-Decade Team in June, posted career-high figures
for points and assists per game (20.0 and 3.2) and also logged the best field-goal
shooting percentage of her career (51.1). In one particular effort, Leslie also
established personal career-bests for most points (41) and most field-goals made
(16) in a win over San Antonio on June 25.

Leslie became the first WNBA player to reach 5,000 points this season. She tops the all time charts in career
scoring (5,412) and rebounding (2,863) and ranks second in blocks (692) and total
minutes (9,932) and sixth in steals (427).
In conjunction with the award, Leslie
will receive $15,000 from the league.