Leslie taking jump to the next level

Biding his time: Deedy almost ready to make collegiate choice
June 14, 2017
Stop it. LeBron is not Michael
June 14, 2017
Biding his time: Deedy almost ready to make collegiate choice
June 14, 2017
Stop it. LeBron is not Michael
June 14, 2017

For as long as Houma native Lionheart Leslie can remember, he’s had the same dream.

“I’ve always wanted to be a professional basketball player,” Leslie said. “That was it for me. Some people want to be astronauts or teachers. I wanted to play basketball. That’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.”


In the coming weeks, there’s a really, really good chance that the dream is going to come true.

Now finished with his collegiate eligibility at California State-Fullerton, Leslie is talking to agents and professional teams around the world in hopes of signing in the coming months to start his career.

Leslie, a 5-foot, 11-inch point guard, was All-Conference last season for the Titans – helping lead the team to the semifinals of the Big West Conference Tournament.


He said he’s working diligently to be ready for the next step – a pro career he hopes will last for more than a decade.

“I’ve been working for this as long as I can remember,” Leslie said. “And now, it feels funny because it’s all so close and it’s like that light is at the end of the tunnel and I’m almost to where I can just grab it. I don’t know where I’m going to end up playing, but I know that whatever team or country I’m sent to, they’ll be getting a hungry, motivated guard who will leave everything out on the floor in every, single game.”

Those aren’t just words for Leslie.


He’s played with that relentless energy for his whole career.

He started his collegiate career at Blinn College – the school he chose after a dominant career at Vandebilt Catholic High School.

With Vandebilt, Leslie averaged well more than 20 points per game and helped lead the team to one of its most successful stretches in school history.


During a three-year stretch from Leslie’s sophomore to senior seasons, the Terriers never lost a home game. They also were undefeated in district play in every, single season, often earning Top 10 seeds in the Class 4A State Playoffs.

At the collegiate level, it wasn’t much different.

With Blinn, Leslie was an instant starter, providing the Buccanneers with heart, hustle and steady play at point guard.


As a sophomore, Leslie elevated his game and averaged 14.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game, while shooting 59.1 percent from the field.

“He’s relentless,” Blinn coach Scott Schumacher said during Leslie’s sophomore season. “He attacks throughout the game and puts so much pressure on the opposing team. He’s small, but he doesn’t play small. His energy overcomes any size disadvantage he may have on the floor. He’s a great leader.”

After his two seasons on the JUCO scene, Leslie chose Cal-State Fullerton over offers from some high-end mid-majors around the country, including Northern Iowa, VCU and others.


He said he picked the Titans because of his love for California but also because the school was building and he wanted to be part of that success.

It worked out.

As a junior, Leslie provided the Titans with grit and on-ball defense, averaging 8.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.


In the past offseason, Leslie said he bulked up, adding 15 pounds of muscle to get close to 200 pounds.

With the added weight, he became more of an offensive presence in his senior season, averaging 10.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while also leading the team with 1.8 steals per game.

Leslie’s solid play sparked life into the Titans program, helping guide the team to a 17-15 season, including a 10-6 mark in conference play.


In the biggest games, Leslie was at his best.

He scored 24 points in the Big West Conference Tournament quarterfinals against California State-Northridge, helping guide the Titans to a 81-68 win.

Just 24 hours later, Leslie was good again, scoring 12 points with 7 rebounds and 5 steals in a buzzer-beater overtime loss against UC-Davis – the team which ended up winning the league and going on to the NCAA Tournament.


Leslie said the loss to UC-Davis was heartbreaking because he and his teammates believed the Titans were the best team in the Big West.

But he said he’s used that loss as motivation to guide him through into his pro career.

Leslie said he doesn’t have a timeline for when he wants to sign, but he hopes it will be in the coming months so that he can depart in the fall for the 2017-18 season.


He said he’s open to playing anywhere, adding that in the meantime, he’s going to be working tirelessly to make sure that his mind, body and game are ready for the challenges which lie ahead.

“I’m going to be ready. There’s no doubt about that,” Leslie said. “I’ve waited for this my whole life, so it’s hard to not be impatient sometimes. But I believe in myself and I believe in God and I know that there’s a plan for me. I’m just ready to attack it and see where it all leads.” •

Lionheart Leslie


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