The lady version of Kobe Bryant?
Candace Parker began the first day of her professional career on Saturday, May 3, 2008. The significance of this date will play out years from now, as the WNBA is looking towards a bright future behind the play of rookies, Candace Parker, Candice Wiggins, Sylvia Fowles, Essence Carson, and Crystal Langhorne.
In her first professional game (preseason) against the Atlanta Dream, Parker had an impressive outing scoring 14 points, while dishing out 8 assists, and nabbing 8 rebounds.
She was in a word…impressive, most impressive, and next to superstar Lisa Leslie they looked like an early favorite to win the championship, as Leslie put up some numbers with 18 points and 7 boards in less than 20 minutes of play.
Can the Sparks win a title this year? Of course.
The league is in good hands with the aforementioned dynamic duo, however it may lead to consecutive titles by the Los Angeles Sparks, and while dynasties are normally good for sports, it remains to be seen if the WNBA will benefit after watching the Houston Comets win, with their tight grip on the league.
The WNBA All-Star game will take place in the nation’s capital on Sunday, July 15, 2008. Although it doesn’t have the same flair and fanfare as the NBA, you can count on two things: Candace Parker will be named a starter in for the Western Conference, and she will have the first dunk in WNBA All-Star game history.
Parker is known for being able to dunk as she has displayed that since her days in high school, including her win in a coed battle for dunk supremacy as a McDonald’s All-American. On a fast break in last Saturday, Lisa Leslie threw an impromptu behind the back pass to her rookie teammate. “CP3″ attempted to throw it down…however in missing, she is able to breathe a new life into the professional game, even with the errant play.
Nothing happens overnight, as many tend to shy away from women’s basketball…the only thing people can do is to keep an open mind. YES WE CAN…because change is good.
