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Lisa Leslie poses for a photo before a game between Phantom and Hive at\u00a0Sephora Arena on Feb. 22, 2026 in Medley, Fla.<\/p>\n
Supriya Limaye\/ISI Photos\/ISI Photos via Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u00a0Analyst Lisa Leslie and guest commentator Sabrina Ionescu participate on the the broadcast team during an Unrivaled game between the Vinyl and the Laces at Sephora Arena on Feb. 28, 2026 in Medley, Fla.<\/p>\n
Leonardo Fernandez\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Sparks’ Lisa Leslie (9) holds the\u00a0MVP trophy after leading the Western Conference All-Stars to an 81-76 victory in the 2002 WNBA All-Star Game played at the MCI Center in Washington, Monday, July 15, 2002.<\/p>\n
GEORGE BRIDGES\/KRT<\/p>\n
Former\u00a0WNBA star Lisa Leslie attends the game between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Minnesota Lynx at Crypto.com Arena on May 17, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Meg Oliphant\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
Women\u2019s basketball brings me joy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s an exciting time on the calendar, with a promise of delightful moments, as the NCAA Final Four starts Friday, the WNBA Draft is scheduled for April 13 and the WNBA season arrives on May 8.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cBreaking Glass: The Pat Summitt Story\u201d\u00a0is getting rave reviews. It\u2019s streaming on Hulu and will be shown Sunday, April 5 on ESPN. The film, according to ESPNpressroom.com<\/a>, underscores how her influence extended far beyond the basketball court, shaping generations of athletes and redefining leadership in women\u2019s sports. From her upbringing on a Tennessee dairy farm, where humble beginnings forged the toughness that defined her career, to her record-setting run at the University of Tennessee, the film chronicles both her triumphs and the profound challenges she faced, including her diagnosis with Alzheimer\u2019s disease. Friday\u2019s Final Four matchups feature all of the tournament\u2019s No. 1 seeds. It\u2019s the fifth time that has happened in women\u2019s basketball, according to NCAA.com. The 2025 and 2026 tournaments marked only the second time in history the same four teams made the Final Four in consecutive seasons.<\/p>\n I picked UConn and Texas to make the Finals, with Texas pulling off the upset. But my heart is with Dawn Staley\u2019s South Carolina to win it all. Raven Johnson, Tessa Johnson, Joyce Edwards and emerging freshman Agot Makeer, a 6-foot guard from Canada, are so fun to watch. UConn, of course, is heavily favored, solid at all positions, and unbeatable when the offense runs through super sophomore Sarah Strong, the 2026 Naismith Player of the Year.<\/p>\n As a Women\u2019s History Month treat to myself, I set aside time to tune in to a virtual event featuring Lisa Leslie, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer whose induction speech in 2015 is a must-watch. The event, called \u201cOwn Your Court: Aligning Vision with Purpose with Lisa Leslie\u201d was a 45-minute Q&A that added to the joy that March Madness women\u2019s basketball brings.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Make the Times Union a Preferred Source on Google to see more of our journalism when you search.<\/p>\n
\nThis column is sponsored by Times Union Women@Work, the Capital Region\u2019s network of business and professional women. Join today at:\u00a0https:\/\/womenatworkny.com<\/a><\/p>\n