SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association have announced the 10 candidates for the 2018 Lisa Leslie Award, and Tennessee senior Mercedes Russell is among them.
Russell, a 6-foot-6 center from Springfield, Ore., is averaging 16.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game and shooting 64.0 percent from the field, a mark that ranks No. 4 in the nation. She has scored in double figures in every game and posted a team-leading 10 double-doubles, bringing her career mark to 40. That total ranks No. 3 all-time in Lady Vol history.
The UT standout has helped the Lady Vols to a No. 12 national ranking and an 18-4 overall record heading into Sunday’s contest at Vanderbilt.
Named after the three-time All-American, 1994 National Player of the Year and a 2015 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the annual award in its inaugural year recognizes the top centers in women’s NCAA Division I college basketball.
“Before Lisa Leslie became one of the most recognizable faces of the WNBA, she was a collegiate center unlike any other,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Her impact was immediate as the best freshman in the collegiate game and she continued to develop her skills each season. The ten women recognized as candidates for the award bearing Lisa’s name should be both proud and honored.”
The Selection Committee for the Lisa Leslie Award is composed of top women’s college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. In March, five finalists will be presented to Ms. Leslie and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans will also have the opportunity to vote for their favorite finalists to determine the Naismith Starting 5 at www.hoophallawards.com.
The winner of the 2018 Lisa Leslie Center Award will be announced during ESPN2’s telecast of the national semifinal games in the 2018 NCAA Women’s Final Four in Columbus, Ohio on Friday, March 30. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Point Guard Award, the Ann Meyers Drysdale Shooting Guard Award, the Cheryl Miller Small Forward Award and the Katrina McClain Power Forward Award, as well as the Wade Trophy, the sport’s oldest and most prestigious national player of the year award which is presented annually by the WBCA’s community of coaches to the best player in college women’s basketball.
For more information on the 2018 Lisa Leslie Award, visit www.hoophallawards.com.
2018 Lisa Leslie Award Candidates
Kalani Brown — Baylor
Azura Stevens — Connecticut
Megan Gustafson — Iowa
Hallie Thome — Michigan
Teaira McCowan — Mississippi St.
Kaylee Jensen — Oklahoma St.
Marie Gulich — Oregon St.
A’ja Wilson — South Carolina
Mercedes Russell — Tennessee
Monique Billings — UCLA
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2017-18 season*
About Lisa Leslie: Widely regarded as the best player in the country during her senior year of high school, Leslie decided to play basketball close to home at University of Southern California. While at USC, she set Pac-10 records for scoring, rebounding and blocked shots, earning All-Pac-10 honors each of her four seasons. In 1991, she was named national freshman of the year and went on to earn All-American Honors the following three seasons. In her senior season, she won multiple national player of the year awards, including the Naismith College Player of the Year and the WBCA Player of the Year. In the summer of 1997, the Women’s National Basketball Association was launched and with it, Lisa Leslie became a household name. The Los Angeles Sparks landed the hometown star, who would go on to help them win two world championships. As an eight-time All-Star and three-time MVP, Leslie became the face of the WNBA. In 2002, she became the first player to dunk in a WNBA game. Leslie retired as the all-time leading rebounder in WNBA history and was an eight-time First Team All-WNBA performer. Internationally, Leslie won four gold medals in Olympic competition. Since retiring from professional play, Leslie has worked as a sports commentator and analyst for several networks, while exploring fashion modeling and acting as well.
