Agoura author helps chronicle life of outstanding female athlete

SUPERSTAR- Lisa Leslie, a three-time Olympic gold medalist, is one of the best female athletes of all time. Her life story is detailed in the new book, "Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You, the Making of a Champion," with local sportscaster Larry Burnett. Women's sports pioneer Lisa Leslie is more than just the first female to dunk a basketball- she's a star off the court with prolific dealings in fashion, business and broadcasting.

"Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You, the Making of a Champion" is a new hardcover by Kensington Books that chronicles the life and career of the WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) star, and it's written by Agoura Hills resident and award-winning sportscaster Larry Burnett.

Stardom didn't come easily for Lisa Leslie, a three-time Olympic gold medalist and undeniably one of the best female athletes of all time. She grew up in South Central Los Angeles with a mother who drove a truck and a father she barely knew.

Timid, awkward and over 6 feet tall by the time she was in the sixth grade, Leslie struggled as a child. She turned to the basketball court as an outlet, and once scored 101 points in the first half of a high school game.

Larry Burnett But Leslie learned she could be a force off the court as well. The greatest college player of her time while at the University of Southern California- and a groundbreaking star in the women's pro game- Leslie also became a highly-paid model and let her tall, attractive frame prove that size counts for women, too.

Says Burnett, "In the locker room, Lisa puts on makeup before every L.A. Sparks game, but on the court, she will hustle, muscle and battle her opponents until the final buzzer sounds. That is why the book is titled, 'Don't Let the Lipstick Fool You.'"

A former anchor with ESPN and Prime Ticket, Burnett has known Leslie for 15 years and has been the radio and television playby-play announcer for her L.A. Sparks' games for the past 10 seasons.

"I thought she was an exceptional athlete and lady, so I approached her about collaborating on her life story," Burnett says. "Once I got into the interviewing process with Lisa, I found out what an amazing life she has lived both on and off the basketball court."

Leslie remains a 6-foot, 5-inch basketball powerhouse whose grace and charm have made her a hit with fans, fashion designers and even Hollywood types.

"Lisa, Sheryl Swoopes, Dawn Staley, and Cynthia Cooper were the original faces of the WNBA," says Burnett." It was their talent, class, and charisma that put the WNBA on the map in 1997 and made it the most successful women's basketball league in the history of the sport."

But Burnett's book isn't all dribbles and dunks. The pages jump to life with a frank discussion about self-esteem, racism and recruiting. Once an avowed skinny-dipper and now a doting mom, did Leslie really meet the man of her dreams by giving her phone number to a complete stranger?

Burnett peels through the layers of one very intriguing life.

With his first book published, he says there could be more.

"I like angles and twists and I love to delve into the human interest side of a character to find out what he or she is all about away from the athletic arena."

Burnett moved to Agoura Hills in 1990. He and his wife Barbara were active coaches in softball and soccer when their two daughters were younger.

Burnett's first television job was in Sherman, Texas. From there, his career took him to Tulsa, Miami and Minneapolis. In 1985 he signed with ESPN and in five years at the cable sports network he anchored "SportsCenter" and two Olympics, as well as hosting the "NBA Today" and "College Football Scoreboard" shows.

Along the way, Burnett won Emmy awards for Best Sports Report and Best Sports Feature and was honored by the Associated Press with its Outstanding Achievement Award.

At Prime Ticket, Burnett and his colleagues were chosen as Best Sports Anchor Team by the Southern California Sports Broadcasters Association.