Lesa Burgess’s memoir “Behind the Bench” provides a candid glimpse into the extraordinary life of a professional basketball player’s wife. As the spouse of 6’11” Chris Burgess, Lesa journeyed through nine different countries over eleven years, raising five children while supporting her husband’s international basketball career. Her story is not merely about being in the background—it’s about crafting an identity and finding strength in the most challenging circumstances.
Photos Courtesy of Lesa Burgess
The podcast conversation with Lesa reveals the remarkable adaptability required when living overseas as a sports family. From Turkey to Ukraine, South Korea to Australia, Lesa navigated unfamiliar healthcare systems, language barriers, and cultural differences while pregnant and raising young children. One particularly striking story involves Lesa giving birth to her third child in Turkey with minimal pain medication, no nursery facilities, and her husband having to leave shortly after delivery for a game the next day. The total hospital bill? A mere $275, followed by a tetanus shot “just in case things weren’t sterile.”
What makes Lesa’s journey compelling is how she transformed from a competitive college soccer player with her own athletic identity to finding purpose in a supporting role. The transition wasn’t seamless—she struggled with feeling invisible when everyone’s attention focused on her husband. “I grew up being part of a team… and you always would get this validation,” Lesa explains. “It just all changed so quickly.” This identity shift represents a challenge many partners of prominent figures face, yet Lesa’s perspective evolved to recognize the vital importance of her contributions to their family’s success.
Cultural adaptation became a hallmark of their family life. In South Korea, Lesa recalls the humorous contrast of people caring more about her husband’s age than his towering height—a complete reversal from American priorities. She navigated medical emergencies with language barriers so severe she needed phone translators to communicate with doctors treating her children. The memoir details harrowing moments, like being locked out of her apartment in Turkey without keys or a working phone, forcing her to communicate through gestures and broken Turkish words to find help.
Throughout these trials, faith served as Lesa’s anchor. “We just believed that if we were together, we could get through anything, and if we were together in faith, we really could bust through mountains,” she shares. This spiritual foundation provided companionship during lonely periods when Chris traveled for games, sometimes being gone 70-75% of the time during particularly challenging seasons. 
What begins as a deeply personal project—documenting their international adventures for their children’s benefit—evolves into a published memoir that resonates with anyone navigating life’s unexpected turns. Lesa’s advice to her younger self encapsulates the wisdom gained through these experiences: “Whatever happens, you’re strong enough… It’s going to be messy, it’s not going to look like the path that you see in your head, and that’s okay.”
“Behind the Bench” offers an important perspective on the sacrifices and triumphs that occur away from the spotlight. While professional athletes receive recognition for their accomplishments, their support systems often work silently to create stability amid constant change. Lesa’s story illuminates how adventure, resilience, faith, and family intertwine to create a life that’s challenging yet beautiful in its complexity.
