Official Los Angeles Sparks Thread

Derrick_Rose · Apr 14, 2008, 01:47 PM

Sparks Select Tennessee Superstar Candace Parker with No. 1 Pick in WNBA Draft

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Sparks selected Tennessee All-American forward Candace Parker with the No. 1 over-all pick in Wednesday's WNBA draft. Parker will join Lisa Leslie and former Tennessee teammates Sidney Spencer and Tye'sha Fluker on the Sparks. The Sparks also selected Parker's Tennessee teammate, guard Shannon Bobbitt, in the second round and Virginia guard Sharneé Zoll in the third round.

The 6-4 Parker recently completed one of the most brilliant careers in women's collegiate basketball history, leading the Lady Volunteers to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2007 and 2008 and earning consensus All-American and player of the year honors. Parker became the fourth player to win back-to-back Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four honors. This season, she averaged 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists with 90 blocked shots and was named Naismith Trophy and Associated Press college basketball player of the year. She is a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award. She is one of only five to win the Naismith Trophy in both high school (2003, 2004) and college. She is one of six women to dunk in the college game and had seven in her career, including two in one game against Army as a freshman. A senior academically, Parker played three years at Tennessee after red-shirting as a freshman.

"I'm extremely happy to be adding a player of her caliber to the Sparks family to help us continue our winning tradition," said Sparks' general manager Penny Toler.

"It was a very difficult pick because these two players (Parker and LSU center Sylvia Fowles) are such outstanding talents," said Sparks' coach Michael Cooper. "We picked the best player for our ball club. This pick is the equivalent of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy and we got all three in one pick. I'm very happy and pleased she is a Spark."

"I feel relieved; I was so excited when the Sparks called my name," Parker said. "I am so happy to be able to play alongside Lisa Leslie and having such a phenomenal coach as Michael Cooper. I can't wait to be in LA."

Parker posted a double-double (19 points, 10 rebounds) in her first collegiate game for Tennessee against Stetson. She went on to lead the team in scoring 18 times and in rebounding 22 times. As a sophomore in 2007, she led Tennessee to the NCAA title. She became the youngest woman ever to earn the State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year and the Wooden Player of the Year awards. She also won the Honda Award for Basketball Player of the Year and she was named the Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year. Very much a student-athlete, Parker earned second-team Academic All-America honors in 2007. She is earning her degree in Sports Management with a minor in Psychology.

Born in St. Louis, Parker moved with her family to Naperville, Ill., outside Chicago, where she became perhaps the most decorated high school player in history. She helped Naperville Central to two Illinois AA state titles. She became the only high school junior ever to win both the Naismith and Gatorade Prep Player of the Year awards, accomplishing the feat in 2003 and 2004. She also was the only two-time USA Today National Player of the Year (2003, 2004). She was the 2004 Women's Sports Foundation High School Athlete of the Year and three-time Gatorade Illinois State Player of the Year (2002, 2003, 2004). She averaged 22.9 points and 13.2 rebounds in her prep career.

In September 2007, Parker led the USA Women's Senior National Team to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship and an automatic berth to the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. She led the 2004 U.S. Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a gold medal in Puerto Rico with a 5-0 record. She is a two-time AAU Deep South Classic Most Valuable Player. She was selected MVP of the 2001 Reze International Basketball Tournament for Girls in Nante, France.

Bobbitt, 5-2, from Bronx, N.Y., quarterbacked Tennessee's NCAA championship teams in 2007 and 2008. She was selected to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team in 2007. She was the WBCA Junior/Community College Player of the Year in 2006. She averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game in 2008.

Zoll, 5-7, from Marlboro, N.J., was one of the most decorated guards in Virginia history. She was the Atlantic Coast Conference's all-time assists leader. She ranks in the all-time top 10 in career steals and she was a three-time all-ACC selection. She averaged 8.5 points and 6.3 assists per game in 2008.

The Sparks begin their 2008 WNBA regular season May 17 at the defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury. The game airs at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC. The Sparks play their home opener at STAPLES Center on June 6 at 7:30 p.m. with a rematch against the Mercury.

http://www.oursportscentral.com/serv...es/?id=3619778

Derrick_Rose · Apr 14, 2008, 02:01 PM

Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker are 2 of the hottest chick in the WNBA, and I personally think that Candace Parker would become the Lebron James of the Women's League.

Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Coach Michael Cooper

Katchatore · Apr 14, 2008, 03:10 PM

Wow. Wala bang mixtape ng Sparks dyan?

Seriously, pwede na itong i-combine sa Lakers thread.

Derrick_Rose · Apr 14, 2008, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katchatore

Wow. Wala bang mixtape ng Sparks dyan?

Seriously, pwede na itong i-combine sa Lakers thread.

Meron na yata na Sparks thread dito dati pero hinde updated eh, mga 2005-06 pa yata yung thread nung sila pa ang pinakadominant team sa WNBA.

Derrick_Rose · May 18, 2008, 11:45 AM

Maganda na saka sobrang galing si Candace Parker. Baka maging kaunaunahan siya na Rookie-MVP sa WNBA.

34 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists. - Debut Game in the WNBA.

Parker Nears Triple Stack in Rookie Debut

Posted May 17 2008 6:33PM
By ANDREW BAGNATO

Candace Parker set a WNBA rookie-debut record with her game-high 34 points in Phoenix. The Sparks rookie also had 12 rebounds and eight assists.

Candace Parker scored 34 points, the most ever in a WNBA debut, to help the Sparks beat the defending champion Mercury 99-94 on Saturday.

Los Angeles 99, Phoenix 94

PHOENIX, May 17 (AP) -- Candace Parker scored 34 points, the most ever in a WNBA debut, and added 12 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the defending champion Phoenix Mercury 99-94 on Saturday.

The previous high in a WNBA debut was 25 points by Cynthia Cooper in 1997.

The game was tied at 79 early in the fourth quarter when Parker, who led Tennessee to back-to-back NCAA titles, took over. She scored 10 straight points to give the Sparks an 89-86 lead with 3:15 to play.

Parker, who made 6-of-7 shots in the final quarter, hit a short hook shot to put the Sparks up 97-94 with 12 seconds to go.

Parker wore a brace on her left shoulder, which she dislocated during the NCAA tournament. It didn't slow her one bit.

Parker came within two assists of becoming the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double. Only one NBA player did it in his debut -- Oscar Robertson, in 1960.

Cappie Pondexter scored 32 points for Phoenix but missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 4 seconds to go. Lisa Leslie, who missed last season on maternity leave, had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Sparks.

Before the game, the Mercury celebrated their 2007 WNBA championship with a ring ceremony and the unveiling of US Airways Center's lone basketball title banner.

Mercury star Diana Taurasi told the crowd of 13,749 that the Mercury aim to make it two in a row this season. But this is a different team.

Former coach Paul Westhead left after the season to join the Seattle SuperSonics' staff, although he returned for the ring ceremony. And star forward Penny Taylor is back in her native Australia preparing for the Beijing Olympics.

With Phoenix-area resident Muhammad Ali watching from a baseline seat, the fired-up Mercury broke out to a 15-7 lead midway through the first quarter.

The Sparks answered with a 10-0 run capped by a pair of 3-pointers by Sidney Spencer, who hit 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the opening quarter.

Taurasi missed her first six shots, showing the effects of a stomach virus she contracted after returning from Russia this week. She was scoreless until she made a 3-pointer late in the first half. Taurasi finished with 24 points.

http://www.wnba.com/games/20080517/LASPHO/recap.html

Katchatore · May 18, 2008, 11:56 AM

This Candace Parker girl balls well

I'd take her over Jordan Farmar in heartbeat

She's engaged with Shelden Williams

budiluvsbak · May 18, 2008, 09:44 PM

Her brother is Anthony Parker of the Toronto Raptors.

Gospel of Judas · May 18, 2008, 10:33 PM

wnba's CP3! wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!

santaclaus · May 19, 2008, 09:39 AM

They look more tough than the lakers.

white rabbit · May 19, 2008, 09:46 AM

candace parker = pretty face

lisa leslie = looks like a grandmother

st.anger · May 19, 2008, 09:50 AM

will she make the WNBA relevant again?

white rabbit · May 19, 2008, 09:54 AM

i'd rather watch the spurs than the WNBA.

adonis827 · May 19, 2008, 10:43 AM

i must admit that i find candace parker hot. as for trivia

Quote:

Slam Dunk contest

Parker made sports history in March 2004 by winning the Slam Dunk contest of the McDonald's High School All-American Game in Oklahoma City[citation needed]. Only a 17-year-old high school senior, Parker beat five male competitors for the prestigious title, including future 2005 NBA Slam Dunk contestant JR Smith and champion Josh Smith. The competition had been won in years past by Vince Carter, David Lee and LeBron James.

i am not sure though if she won it because she was a girl

adonis827 · May 19, 2008, 10:47 AM

for more of candace

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candace_Parker

adonis827 · May 19, 2008, 11:23 AM

cute tangos ng ilong parang high school lang. may hawig nga sila ni anthony (pero parang mas maputi si anthony for some reason)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=u7fwMnU6trs

this one's cheryl ford who looks as much as her dad
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1JHpNGZpkJI&feature=related

keener · May 19, 2008, 09:32 PM

haha @ CP3

Naluma tuloy kagad si Diana Taurasi.

Derrick_Rose · May 19, 2008, 09:55 PM

Ang rule pala sa WNBA kapag ikaw yung pinakakulelat na team sa regular season. Automatically yung team mo ang magiging no.1 pick sa WNBA Draft, and wala na yatang draft lottery process kasi kakaunti lang yung teams nila.

dakilangungaz · May 19, 2008, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Candace Parker announced engagement to Shelden Williams, who was a college basketball star with Duke University 2002-2006. Currently, he plays for the Sacramento Kings in the NBA.

astig ah...

dakilangungaz · May 19, 2008, 10:12 PM

vince 15 · May 19, 2008, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by adonis827

i must admit that i find candace parker hot. as for trivia

i am not sure though if she won it because she was a girl

I was able to watch that competition. She won because the guys, in trying to impress the audience, kept missing their dunks. She got in because she's a girl but she won because the guys sucked. Don't even try watching it anymore because it's a waste of time.


Apr 14, 2008, 01:47 PM	#1
Derrick_Rose Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Outer Limits	Official Los Angeles Sparks Thread Sparks Select Tennessee Superstar Candace Parker with No. 1 Pick in WNBA Draft LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Sparks selected Tennessee All-American forward Candace Parker with the No. 1 over-all pick in Wednesday's WNBA draft. Parker will join Lisa Leslie and former Tennessee teammates Sidney Spencer and Tye'sha Fluker on the Sparks. The Sparks also selected Parker's Tennessee teammate, guard Shannon Bobbitt, in the second round and Virginia guard Sharneé Zoll in the third round. The 6-4 Parker recently completed one of the most brilliant careers in women's collegiate basketball history, leading the Lady Volunteers to back-to-back NCAA titles in 2007 and 2008 and earning consensus All-American and player of the year honors. Parker became the fourth player to win back-to-back Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four honors. This season, she averaged 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists with 90 blocked shots and was named Naismith Trophy and Associated Press college basketball player of the year. She is a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award. She is one of only five to win the Naismith Trophy in both high school (2003, 2004) and college. She is one of six women to dunk in the college game and had seven in her career, including two in one game against Army as a freshman. A senior academically, Parker played three years at Tennessee after red-shirting as a freshman. "I'm extremely happy to be adding a player of her caliber to the Sparks family to help us continue our winning tradition," said Sparks' general manager Penny Toler. "It was a very difficult pick because these two players (Parker and LSU center Sylvia Fowles) are such outstanding talents," said Sparks' coach Michael Cooper. "We picked the best player for our ball club. This pick is the equivalent of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, and James Worthy and we got all three in one pick. I'm very happy and pleased she is a Spark." "I feel relieved; I was so excited when the Sparks called my name," Parker said. "I am so happy to be able to play alongside Lisa Leslie and having such a phenomenal coach as Michael Cooper. I can't wait to be in LA." Parker posted a double-double (19 points, 10 rebounds) in her first collegiate game for Tennessee against Stetson. She went on to lead the team in scoring 18 times and in rebounding 22 times. As a sophomore in 2007, she led Tennessee to the NCAA title. She became the youngest woman ever to earn the State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year and the Wooden Player of the Year awards. She also won the Honda Award for Basketball Player of the Year and she was named the Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year. Very much a student-athlete, Parker earned second-team Academic All-America honors in 2007. She is earning her degree in Sports Management with a minor in Psychology. Born in St. Louis, Parker moved with her family to Naperville, Ill., outside Chicago, where she became perhaps the most decorated high school player in history. She helped Naperville Central to two Illinois AA state titles. She became the only high school junior ever to win both the Naismith and Gatorade Prep Player of the Year awards, accomplishing the feat in 2003 and 2004. She also was the only two-time USA Today National Player of the Year (2003, 2004). She was the 2004 Women's Sports Foundation High School Athlete of the Year and three-time Gatorade Illinois State Player of the Year (2002, 2003, 2004). She averaged 22.9 points and 13.2 rebounds in her prep career. In September 2007, Parker led the USA Women's Senior National Team to a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship and an automatic berth to the 2008 Olympic Summer Games. She led the 2004 U.S. Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a gold medal in Puerto Rico with a 5-0 record. She is a two-time AAU Deep South Classic Most Valuable Player. She was selected MVP of the 2001 Reze International Basketball Tournament for Girls in Nante, France. Bobbitt, 5-2, from Bronx, N.Y., quarterbacked Tennessee's NCAA championship teams in 2007 and 2008. She was selected to the NCAA Final Four All-Tournament team in 2007. She was the WBCA Junior/Community College Player of the Year in 2006. She averaged 9.9 points and 3.3 assists per game in 2008. Zoll, 5-7, from Marlboro, N.J., was one of the most decorated guards in Virginia history. She was the Atlantic Coast Conference's all-time assists leader. She ranks in the all-time top 10 in career steals and she was a three-time all-ACC selection. She averaged 8.5 points and 6.3 assists per game in 2008. The Sparks begin their 2008 WNBA regular season May 17 at the defending WNBA champion Phoenix Mercury. The game airs at 12:30 p.m. PT on ABC. The Sparks play their home opener at STAPLES Center on June 6 at 7:30 p.m. with a rematch against the Mercury. http://www.oursportscentral.com/serv...es/?id=3619778


Apr 14, 2008, 02:01 PM	#2
Derrick_Rose Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Outer Limits	Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker are 2 of the hottest chick in the WNBA, and I personally think that Candace Parker would become the Lebron James of the Women's League. Lisa Leslie, Candace Parker, and Coach Michael Cooper


Apr 14, 2008, 03:10 PM	#3
Katchatore G1BO 2010 Join Date: Mar 2007	Wow. Wala bang mixtape ng Sparks dyan? Seriously, pwede na itong i-combine sa Lakers thread.


May 18, 2008, 11:45 AM	#5
Derrick_Rose Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Outer Limits	Maganda na saka sobrang galing si Candace Parker. Baka maging kaunaunahan siya na Rookie-MVP sa WNBA. 34 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists. - Debut Game in the WNBA. Parker Nears Triple Stack in Rookie Debut Posted May 17 2008 6:33PM By ANDREW BAGNATO Candace Parker set a WNBA rookie-debut record with her game-high 34 points in Phoenix. The Sparks rookie also had 12 rebounds and eight assists. Candace Parker scored 34 points, the most ever in a WNBA debut, to help the Sparks beat the defending champion Mercury 99-94 on Saturday. Los Angeles 99, Phoenix 94 PHOENIX, May 17 (AP) -- Candace Parker scored 34 points, the most ever in a WNBA debut, and added 12 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the defending champion Phoenix Mercury 99-94 on Saturday. The previous high in a WNBA debut was 25 points by Cynthia Cooper in 1997. The game was tied at 79 early in the fourth quarter when Parker, who led Tennessee to back-to-back NCAA titles, took over. She scored 10 straight points to give the Sparks an 89-86 lead with 3:15 to play. Parker, who made 6-of-7 shots in the final quarter, hit a short hook shot to put the Sparks up 97-94 with 12 seconds to go. Parker wore a brace on her left shoulder, which she dislocated during the NCAA tournament. It didn't slow her one bit. Parker came within two assists of becoming the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double. Only one NBA player did it in his debut -- Oscar Robertson, in 1960. Cappie Pondexter scored 32 points for Phoenix but missed a potential tying 3-pointer with 4 seconds to go. Lisa Leslie, who missed last season on maternity leave, had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Sparks. Before the game, the Mercury celebrated their 2007 WNBA championship with a ring ceremony and the unveiling of US Airways Center's lone basketball title banner. Mercury star Diana Taurasi told the crowd of 13,749 that the Mercury aim to make it two in a row this season. But this is a different team. Former coach Paul Westhead left after the season to join the Seattle SuperSonics' staff, although he returned for the ring ceremony. And star forward Penny Taylor is back in her native Australia preparing for the Beijing Olympics. With Phoenix-area resident Muhammad Ali watching from a baseline seat, the fired-up Mercury broke out to a 15-7 lead midway through the first quarter. The Sparks answered with a 10-0 run capped by a pair of 3-pointers by Sidney Spencer, who hit 4-of-5 from beyond the arc in the opening quarter. Taurasi missed her first six shots, showing the effects of a stomach virus she contracted after returning from Russia this week. She was scoreless until she made a 3-pointer late in the first half. Taurasi finished with 24 points. http://www.wnba.com/games/20080517/LASPHO/recap.html


May 18, 2008, 11:56 AM	#6
Katchatore G1BO 2010 Join Date: Mar 2007	This Candace Parker girl balls well I'd take her over Jordan Farmar in heartbeat She's engaged with Shelden Williams


May 18, 2008, 09:44 PM	#7
budiluvsbak Secret Agent Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Behind you...	Her brother is Anthony Parker of the Toronto Raptors.


May 18, 2008, 10:33 PM	#8
Gospel of Judas The Lost Gospel Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: hanging in a tree	wnba's CP3! wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh!


May 19, 2008, 09:39 AM	#9
santaclaus ho ho ho! Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Iloilo	They look more tough than the lakers.


May 19, 2008, 09:46 AM	#10
white rabbit burning hot Join Date: May 2006 Location: 18th floor	candace parker = pretty face lisa leslie = looks like a grandmother


May 19, 2008, 09:50 AM	#11
st.anger tee hee hee! Join Date: May 2004 Location: here	will she make the WNBA relevant again?


May 19, 2008, 09:54 AM	#12
white rabbit burning hot Join Date: May 2006 Location: 18th floor	i'd rather watch the spurs than the WNBA.


May 19, 2008, 10:47 AM	#14
adonis827 Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: QC, Montalban	for more of candace http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candace_Parker


May 19, 2008, 11:23 AM	#15
adonis827 Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: QC, Montalban	cute tangos ng ilong parang high school lang. may hawig nga sila ni anthony (pero parang mas maputi si anthony for some reason) http://youtube.com/watch?v=u7fwMnU6trs this one's cheryl ford who looks as much as her dad http://youtube.com/watch?v=1JHpNGZpkJI&feature=related


May 19, 2008, 09:32 PM	#16
keener Moneymaker Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: BF Paranaque	haha @ CP3 Naluma tuloy kagad si Diana Taurasi.


May 19, 2008, 09:55 PM	#17
Derrick_Rose Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Outer Limits	Ang rule pala sa WNBA kapag ikaw yung pinakakulelat na team sa regular season. Automatically yung team mo ang magiging no.1 pick sa WNBA Draft, and wala na yatang draft lottery process kasi kakaunti lang yung teams nila.


May 19, 2008, 10:12 PM	#19
dakilangungaz Marijuana Chongkee Giantz Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bahay ng mga Parol