African artist finds inspiration in UA women's basketball players

It would have been easy for Khalid Leshawn to follow the same path taken by so many of his fellow artists.

But Leshawn leads with his heart, which has taken him a different way. The 27-year-old freelance digital artist from Accra, Ghana, is creating pieces on women’s athletes and he couldn’t be happier.

“When I look at sports content on social media, all the good designs and illustrations are male sports,” Leshawn said. “All my digital artists mates are all interest(ed) in male sports just because it gives you the exposure and get you in the sight of the recruiters, it gets you more likes and comments on social media — more than the women’s.

“Since I am a women’s sports fan, I said, ‘Why not put my time and dedication to the women’s sports with my talent?’”

Leshawn’s online portfolio features women’s college basketball players, including Arizona’s Shaina Pellington, Bendu Yeaney and Ariyah Copeland. His work also focuses on soccer and track and field — the other sports he gravitates to as a fan.

Pellington and Yeaney found Leshawn on social media to thank him. Pellington responded with the emoji for “lit,” saying that she had never had anything like this done before and that it was awesome.

Leshawn said it “feels good” to see the athletes’ reactions.

Leshawn says he’s drawn to an athlete from the photos he sees online. He knows immediately when he has found his subject, even if he can’t quite express why.

020222-tuc-spt-uawomenshoops-p2 — Arizona’s Bendy Yeaney has been featured by Ghana’s Khalid Leshawn.
Illustration courtesy of Khalid Leshawn

The artist has also become a fan of UA coach Adia Barnes, saying he appreciates her “enthusiasm and her legacy.” So why hasn’t he created an illustration of her?

“I wanted to do something for her, but not now, I don’t want to stress myself with a lot of work at this time,” Leshawn said.

Leshawn has two distinct styles. There are the illustrations that look like drawings that he used for the Wildcats and other women’s college basketball players. Other pieces take on a more realistic look; Leshawn saves the style for WNBA stars like Breanna Stewart, Brittney Griner and Candace Parker, retired USWNT superstar Carli Lloyd and tennis star Naomi Osaka.

His portfolio sports all types of collections he has completed over the past few years. He has created social media branding for soccer clubs like Gotham FC and Bristol, cell phone wallpaper of the WNBA’s 2022 Champion Chicago Sky and collections on 2021 NWSL Challenge Cup and WNBA Inside the Wubble 2020.

His NCAA women’s basketball art also includes South Carolina’s Aliyah Boston, Iowa’s Caitlin Clark and Tennessee’s Rae Burrell.

Leshawn says his ultimate goal is “to work with any women’s teams or athletes as their content creator and just help their brands with my talents.”

Hidden in one of Leshawn’s Women & Sports collection is something special for Wildcat fans: An illustration of former standout Aari McDonald as she strikes a pose in her Arizona uniform.

“I didn’t know that he did something on me,” McDonald said. “But I am really appreciative. … Representation is everything.”