Sports Icon Billie Jean King Names WNBA Player Who ‘Paved the Way’

Billie Jean King knows what it takes to become a trailblazer in women's sports. The tennis icon recently spotlighted someone who did the same for the WNBA.

On Tuesday, King reminded the world of what Los Angeles Sparks legend Lisa Leslie did for the WNBA. She reposted a clip of Leslie's memorable first dunk in 2002—the first time a WNBA player ever threw down a jam.

"22 years ago today, Lisa Leslie made history as the first WNBA player to dunk in history," Kings captioned her post. "In doing so, she paved the way for so many others to follow."

Leslie is one of just a handful of WNBA players who have dunked during a regulation game. Candace Parker, Brittney Griner, Sylvia Fowles, and Liz Cambage are among the names to follow in Leslie's lead.

Parker, who stands at 6-foot-4, is the shortest WNBA player ever to dunk. Griner has the most dunks in WNBA history, by far, with 26 total throughout her 11-year career.

But besides empowering women to dunk, Leslie's iconic moment pushed the boundaries of the sport. A sport dominated by the men's game has since seen a female resurgence thanks to the arrival of new breeds of stars like A'ja Wilson, Angel Reese, and Caitlin Clark .

Leslie's influence on the sport's popularity certainly "paved the way" for its future torchbearers.

King's seal of approval certainly validates Leslie's impact too. Aside from winning 39 career grand slams on the tennis court, King famously broke barriers herself. She's perhaps best known for her triumph over fellow tennis legend Bobby Riggs in a match referred to as the "Battle of the Sexes."

The 1973 contest pitted a 29-year-old King against a 55-year-old Riggs. Even with the age difference, King's win in straight sets was a huge moment for women's tennis, which is a massive sport with its own superstars today.

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