Retired WNBA champion and National Basketball Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie has had a dramatic change of heart in a month's time.
After initially supporting New York Liberty owner James Dolan's decision to hire Isiah Thomas as team president, the former Los Angeles Sparks star now says the decision isn't quite as promising as she originally thought.
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"My initial thought was, 'great,'" Leslie told Sports Illustrated. "Because if the New York organization were a part of firing him, they must have done their due diligence hiring him. Then you get all the backlash, you get a chance to do a little more homework, and this is almost like, why would you put him in charge of a women's team when he's had issue with sexual harassment?"
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Thomas was team president and coach of the New York Knicks for Dolan in 2007 when he was accused of sexually harassing Anucha Browne Sanders, a former team executive, according to ESPN. Thomas maintains his innocence.
A jury found Madison Square Garden, owner of the Knicks, guilty of firing Sanders on the basis of her complaints about the unwanted advances from Thomas and ruled that she was entitled to $11.6 million in damages from MSG and Dolan.
MSG issued a statement of support for Thomas in announcing his hire.
"We did not believe the allegations then, and we don't believe them now," the statement read, as ESPN reported. "We feel strongly that Isiah Thomas was held responsible for sordid allegations that were completely unrelated to him, and for which MSG bore responsibility."
In an interview with CBS Sports radio host Doug Gottlieb after Thomas' hire, Leslie said she thought Thomas' name would lend credibility to the Liberty.
"You'd be surprised at how many men who played in the NBA, who are former NBA players, are huge fans of the WNBA," she said. "... It's all about winning and it's all about putting the best product and I have zero problem with Isiah Thomas being a part of it."
That was then. This is now.
"I'm not sure how you backtrack from this other than the fans can really make a change," Leslie told SI. "Because it's all about money at the end of the day, it's all about support, it's all about sponsors - they can pull out if they so choose. But the people will be able to make a change. If they're not happy about it, and they won't support the Liberty if Isiah Thomas is there, then change will happen."
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