WNBA news: Lisa Leslie reveals league expansion team she's 'excited' for

Published 11 hours ago• 2 minute read

The WNBA is in the middle of an unprecedented era of growth. The next generation of stars, led by Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, routinely smash the league's viewership records. Now the W is set to expand to 18 teams by the 2030 season. significantly expanding the reach of the league. One of the WNBA's legendary players is particularly excited about one of those expansion teams.

WNBA legend Lisa Leslie admitted in a recent interview that she is excited to cheer for Toronto's upcoming expansion team.

“I think Toronto. I'm excited about Toronto,” Leslie told Sports Illustrated. “I guess I'd say that because I love Canada. I think it's great for them to have the exposure of the WNBA and to be able to impact another country in the way that the WNBA can…I think it's only positive, so I look forward to getting out to Toronto and seeing some games for sure.”

The Toronto Tempo will join the WNBA during the 2026 season. They will join alongside the returning Portland Fire, which was a part of the WNBA from 2000 through 2002.

The WNBA will also expand into Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia by the end of the decade.

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert makes opening remarks during a press conference to announce an expansion WNBA franchise in the San Francisco Bay Area at Chase Center. — © D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

The WNBA is growing at an incredible rate.

Leslie is thrilled to see women's basketball rising in popularity.

“I'm excited about the growth of the WNBA. I think that we paved a way and these women have taken the torch and are running with it,” Leslie said. “The product has always been amazing out there and we're just really happy where the game is in terms of sponsorship, support and eyeballs that are on the game that's justifying the money that the women are getting and the money that the women are going to get in the future.

The success of Team USA women's basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics certainly helped gain exposure for the W.

“I think the more it grows, the better it is for everybody,” Leslie concluded. “The more jobs that are out there because there's a lot of players that end up getting cut because there's just not enough roster space for them. I think the WNBA is really in a great spot—we just hope the CBA and all of that happens and we can get through it.”

There's has never been a better moment to get on board and become a fan of the WNBA.

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