National Basketball Association

Could Sparks take the Lakers? Lisa Leslie says maybe

Published Feb. 8, 2014 11:38 p.m. ET

foxsports

Model, mother, wife, hoops legend. Don't forget basketball analyst.

Lisa Leslie's done it all.

In Brentwood to speak at a Young Women's Conference on Saturday, the former L.A. Sparks legend was asked to weigh in on who would win in a game between the injury-hobbled Lakers and her former team.

"Our team may have a chance actually," the three-time WNBA MVP said of the Sparks, who made headlines this week after being sold to an investment group led by Lakers legend Magic Johnson and fellow Dodger owners Mark Walter and Stan Kasten.

Leslie says she's confident that despite the franchise's troubles, the team is in good hands with Magic and Co. on board.

Magic Johnson, other Dodgers owners purchase LA Sparks
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"I'm beyond excited about the future of the WNBA, as well as the Sparks. It's great to have Magic and their group step up because we were really almost lost the team... we were days away from losing the team here in L.A," Leslie said.

A move she says would have been a major blow to one of legendary owner Dr. Jerry Buss' visions.

"In terms of all the blood sweat and tears that came into having the Sparks here and what the late great Dr. Buss has done for us, it would have been really sad to see us not be able to continue on that legacy," Leslie added.

Leslie, the first former WNBA player to become part owner of a team, was later asked what advice she'd give to the incoming ownership group. After reflecting on the late Dr. Buss' idea to include Sparks season tickets with Lakers season tickets, Leslie offered up thoughts on how to "get butts in the seats" at Sparks games.

"There are so many dads that take their sons to [Dodgers games], but maybe we need them to do a package ticket so they could bring their daughter over to see the WNBA," she said.

Either way, Leslie is confident that Magic and his group will hit the ground running.

So thankful to my dear friend #MagicJohnson for stepping up in a huge way by purchasing the la_sparks… http://t.co/IRz612g2tD
— Lisa Leslie (@LisaLeslie) February 5, 2014

"We need a new signature sponsor and Magic is the perfect person to help us get to that place. He clearly brings in a world-wide corporate attention that the Sparks otherwise wouldn't have gotten, so as long as we have a signature sponsor, the sky is the limit for us," Leslie said.