Leslie Has Eyes on Biggest Prize

Lisa Leslie thought she would be nervous. And maybe she was.

Leslie’s first two shots, a little jumper from the baseline and a baby hook shot, both went halfway through the basket before coming out.

Which was too bad because had either stayed in, Leslie would have been the first WNBA player to score a basket at Staples Center.

The WNBA is five years old now and it seems here to stay. The Sparks played their first game in the big arena Tuesday night. There were 11,445 people at Staples. Not a sellout, not the biggest Sparks crowd, but there was enthusiasm and noise and a Sparks victory, 58-50, over the Cleveland Rockers.

It doesn’t seem five years ago that Leslie, Rebecca Lobo and Sheryl Swoopes were the linchpins of this new league. Lobo was coming off a fabulous college career at Connecticut. Swoopes and Leslie were Olympic heroes, leaders of the 1996 U.S. gold medal team.

But this year, Swoopes is out for the season because of a knee injury and Lobo is just coming back after missing nearly two seasons because of a knee injury.

Leslie? She’s still here. Leslie hardly ever misses a game. She will turn 29 in July and Leslie still loves the game as if she were a child. She still gets nervous for big occasions and Tuesday night was a big occasion.

“I’m going to play on the same floor as the Lakers,” Leslie said before the Sparks’ 2001 home opener against the Cleveland Rockers. “We have our own floor out there. It is one of the best buildings in the league. It feels good to come in here. This is a special night.”

For four years the Sparks played at the Forum. Once the Lakers left, the Forum was dusty and musty. It felt abandoned, even when 5,000 or 6,000 Spark fans would come.

Tuesday night the Sparks had their own noisy celebratory introduction on the JumboTron. There were swirling lights and lots of high-pitched cheers from teenage girls who have adopted the game.

Instead of Laker Girls, a group of young boys and girls wearing tie-dyed shirts and pants did the dancing. Magic Johnson was at the game and TV commentator Ann Meyers hopes that by arriving at Staples Center, the Sparks will attract celebrities in the front-row seats. “Celebrities have kids who would enjoy the games,” Meyers said.

But the WNBA isn’t about celebrities. It is about kids. It is about parents being able to afford bringing their sons and daughters to Staples. It is about making sure there is a supply of future WNBA players.

“I feel like the WNBA is making a difference,” Leslie said. “I hear all the time from girls who say they’re playing basketball because of us. That’s what we hoped the league would do. But you never know.”

The lower bowl of Staples Center was sold out on opening night. Leslie had also been afraid that the Sparks might play sloppy basketball because of the anticipation of this moment. Leslie was right. The Sparks had eight turnovers in the first half and shot 40% from the field. Leslie wanted very much for the Sparks to be dazzling. “We want to have the people who come tonight wanting to come back again,” Leslie said.

For five years Leslie has worried about things like being dazzling. She accepted her role as a beautiful face of the new league. Everybody knew that Leslie had signed a modeling contract, that she wanted some day to have a career as a TV commentator.

Sometimes this meant that Leslie’s basketball skills were overlooked or downgraded. And Leslie still hasn’t led the Sparks to a championship.

“I thought I’d have a championship by now,” said Leslie, who does have two Olympic gold medals to treasure. “That’s the thing I need to do. We’ve talked about this, how we want to be like the Lakers. Move into this building and win a title the first year.”

This should be the year. The Comets have won all four WNBA titles and eliminated the Sparks last season. But with Swoopes out and Cynthia Cooper retired, the Sparks are the clear favorites. “We were favored last year too,” Leslie said. “Being favorites doesn’t mean a thing. We have to do it.”

Leslie does not want to be thought of as some elder statesman of the league. She sees the new stars--Chamique Holdsclaw, 20-year-old rookie Lauren Jackson of the Australian Olympic team, Ruth Riley of recent NCAA champion Notre Dame--getting the attention and that’s fine.

“They’re good players,” Leslie said. “But I think I’m holding my own.”

Leslie had a game-high 23 points and eight rebounds against Cleveland. The Sparks are undefeated, 4-0. Leslie took a microphone after the game to thank the crowd and ask them to come back, please. It might be the same building, but the Sparks aren’t the Lakers. Leslie has to say please and thank you and hope the fans come again.

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Diane Pucin can be reached at diane.pucin@latimes.com