Lisa Leslie 'Seriously Considering' Applying for Vacant WNBA President Position

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Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie told Katie Barnes of espnW.com on Wednesday that she is interested in becoming the WNBA's president. The position has been open since October when ex-president Lisa Borders resigned.

"It's something that I am seriously considering to throw my name in for as well," Leslie told Barnes. "I feel like I could continue to help guide us in the right direction. I want for the league to be successful and have the best president possible, someone who wants to stay and help it to grow."

Leslie sports one of basketball's most decorated resumes. An eight-time All-Star for the Los Angeles Sparks, she posted 17.3 points and 9.1 rebounds in 12 seasons. She won back-to-back WNBA Finals in 2001 and 2002 and earned four Olympic gold medals with Team USA.

Leslie would be an excellent public face for the league. However, the job would not be without significant challenges.

Matt Bonesteel of the Washington Post covered some of the issues in an April 20 article. Of note, WNBA players are fighting for more money, as they currently receive just 20 percent of league revenue compared to 50 percent for NBA players.

Richard Sandomir of the New York Times also reported that half of the league's 12 teams were losing money as of 2016.

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Furthermore, Jenn Hatfield of Her Hoop Stats reported that the league's attendance fell 13 percent from 2017 to 2018 to 6,721 fans per game, which is the lowest mark this decade.

Clearly the next WNBA president has to address some issues, but Leslie may be one of the best candidates for the job given her stellar basketball resume and WNBA experience.