Essence.com

The Black Women's Guide to What's Hot Now!

 

Lisa Leslie: ‘My Husband Taught Me the Difference Between a Man and a Boy’

See photos from Lisa Leslie's wedding and other personal photos »

Lisa Leslie meets President Obama at the White House »


Flying the friendly skies turned out to be one lucky lady's chance meeting with Cupid and the man of her dreams, well, sort of. WNBA legend Lisa Leslie was ending a getaway in Mobile, Alabama, visiting family when she met her future husband's friend in the airport.

"He told me that he and his wife were huge fans," says Leslie, who's set to star in a new ABC reality series. "Then he told me he had a great guy for me to meet and thought we'd hit it off and even said, 'You're tall; he's tall,' and I'm thinking, I'm not trying to meet anyone. I'm single; I'm good."

But Leslie declined until this stranger's persistence wore her down and she handed over her digits for his friend. After ignoring three consecutive calls from Michael Lockwood, a 6-foot, 7-inch-tall pilot for UPS, Leslie finally returned his call after hearing his final message: "I've called you three times. C'mon, you can at least call a brother back!"

"He made me laugh and I love to laugh," says Leslie. "When I called him back we talked for eight hours that day and then every day for a month before meeting in person. It was nice to connect with him on a spiritual and intellectual level without having the pressure of the physical."

Of course, Lockwood had the advantage of finding pictures of her on the Internet and, according to Leslie, only had one hope: that she had a little junk in her trunk.

"Men are hilarious; he kept saying, ‘I knew I liked you but I was like, please let her have a little butt,'" says Leslie with a laugh. "As you can see, three-plus years later we are inseparable."

The couple settled on a destination wedding in Maui with 85 of their closest family and friends and remained there for ten days to enjoy their activity-filled honeymoon of biking, hiking, visiting waterfalls and volcanoes and more.

Now, a blended family with their 21-month-old daughter, Lauren Jolie, and Michael's daughters, who are 17 and 15, Leslie, who will retire from the WNBA this fall, confesses that she loves being a mom and wife.

"I love being a mom because every day there's a new challenge," says Los Angeles Sparks champ. "And as far as the love of my life, well, Michael's love for me has taught me the difference between having a man in your life versus a boy, and I couldn't be happier for that lesson and his love."

 

 

PAGE:
 
Print  |  Email This

RT @essenceonline: Lisa Leslie: ‘My Husband Taught Me the Difference Between a Man and a Boy’ Lisa Leslie: ‘My Husband Taught Me the Difference Between a Man and a Boy’ @essenceonline
hey girly
Posted at 5/06/2009 1:10 PM by rachel
Flag this comment as spam or inappropriate.
Thank you so much for this story this renews my hope that "real love" still exists and God does hear and answers prays. God bless Leslie, her new beau and wonderful new family.
Posted at 4/21/2009 3:32 PM by Monique
Flag this comment as spam or inappropriate.
i think that's its great for good men to get noticed, so much we are concentrating on what they dont do right, i think its time we give brothers who are being a man props yet for the others, this should be encouraging hat in treating a lady right God will bless you
Posted at 4/21/2009 10:32 AM by Iesha
Flag this comment as spam or inappropriate.
Great article!
Posted at 4/20/2009 12:27 PM by Cynthia
Flag this comment as spam or inappropriate.
This is such a wonderful love story. She absolutely deserves to be happy. If they can weather the storms in life, they are meant to last. God bless this union forever more!
Posted at 4/20/2009 10:26 AM by Sherita
Flag this comment as spam or inappropriate.

leave your comment
(DOES NOT SHOW)
REMEMBER ME ?
    
CLICKING "POST" MORE THAN ONCE MAY RESULT IN DUPLICATE ENTRIES

Customer Service | E-mail Newsletter Sign-up | Try 2 Issues Risk Free | Give a Gift of Essence | Change Your Address | Renew Your Subscription | Pay Your Bill | Questions & Comments

Site Map | Our Company | Media Kit | Press Room | Bios | Writer's Guidelines | Careers | Internships | Essence Cares | Contact Us

© 2009 Essence Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use