SPARK PLUG SOUL-SEARCHING TRIP TO RUSSIA INSPIRES LISA LESLIE TO HAVE ONE HOT SEASON.

Byline: RAMONA SHELBURNE  Staff Writer

Hmm ... Moscow in winter. Not exactly a dream travel destination unless you are a devout Rocky IV fan. But for WNBA players looking to work on their games -- or pad their bank accounts -- it's the place to go in the offseason.

Still, it took some prodding, and a strong dose of humility, for Lisa Leslie to brave the Russian winter.

She'd played overseas only once before, in Italy in 1994. But that was only because the WNBA didn't exist yet. As one of the best players in the league, with a lucrative modeling and television career in the offseason, Leslie could afford to stay home.

After struggling through an injury-riddled 2005 season, in which she posted career lows in scoring and rebounding during an injury-played, Leslie's pride made her get on the plane and pack a heavy coat.

``My uncle (Craig Smith) basically said to me, `If you have another year like that, you should retire.' That was a pretty big challenge to me,'' she said.

She wanted to work on her field-goal percentage, which had dipped into the low 40s, her free-throw shooting and offensive rebounding.

The Russian training camp has been as successful for Leslie as it was for Rocky Balboa: a classic knockout.

She's is having the finest season of her 10-year WNBA career, averaging 20.0 points for the first time and 9.5 rebounds. She's practically a lock to win her third MVP award, having led the Sparks to the second-best record in the league and the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

But when you're 34, recently married and contemporaries like Yolanda Griffith and Dawn Staley are starting to announce their retirements, the question tends to come up.

``I've gotten that question a lot,'' Leslie admitted. ``People are like, `Lisa, you've done everything, why are you still playing?'

``I don't know. I guess I just enjoy the game still. I play when I'm passionate, when I find something that's driving me and when I'm healthy.''

Leslie says she won't make a decision until the offseason and doesn't know how the Sparks' playoff success will affect it.

``I'm not even thinking about retiring ... But who knows what I'll say if we get up on that championship podium,'' she said.

``Maybe I'll be like Pat Riley and say, `I gotta come back and go for four!'''

You get the sense her teammates are dying to get Leslie onto that podium.

``That's anybody's dream, to want to go out on top,'' Sparks forward Chamique Holdsclaw said. ``And if she's trying to do that, which I'm sure she is, I'm glad I'm rolling with her.

``She deserves it, if that's what she chooses. If we win it, she deserves that right.''

Leslie said her husband, former BYU basketball player Michael Lockwood, isn't putting any pressure on her one way or the other.

Lockwood has two children from a previous marriage. But Leslie admits the couple would like to have children of their own someday.

``There's no rush,'' she said. ``My husband's extremely supportive. He's like, `Whatever you want to do.'''

When Leslie does eventually retire, it will mark the end of one of the most decorated careers in basketball history.

``She's definitely one of the top five female basketball players in the world,'' said Hall of Famer Cheryl Miller. ``I coached against her in the WNBA (in Phoenix) and she was always an absolute match-up nightmare. I was trying to see if I could dress up Shawn Marion so he could guard her. There was no way we could ever single-cover her.''

Leslie first splashed into the national headlines in 1990, when she scored 101 points in a half as a senior at Morningside High in Inglewood.

She easily was the most sought-after high school recruit in the country, but elected to stay close to home and attend USC, where she became a three-time All-American. In 1994, she was unanimously voted National Player of the Year.

Internationally, she has led the United States to three gold medals. And for 10 years, she has been the face of the Sparks and to a large extent, the WNBA.

``I think she's just born with it. I wish I had that work ethic. She's never satisfied with what she's accomplished,'' said Mwadi Mabika, Leslie's longtime teammate. ``She's so competitive. Every day, she just comes out and works to get better.''

Mabika said she has encouraged Leslie to play as long as her body allows her to, but couldn't blame her if she wanted to go out on top.

``Age doesn't really mean anything,'' Mabika said. ``She's still the best.''

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CAPTION(S):

5 photos, 2 boxes

Photo:

(1 -- 5 -- color) no caption (Lisa Leslie)

- Daily News; photos by Getty Images

Box:

(1) THE LESLIE FILE

(2) THURSDAY'S WNBA PLAYOFF GAMES