Candace Parker's WNBA debut

[Da Coach]

I watched part of the season-opening WNBA game today between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Phoenix Mercury, and Candace Parker seemed to have an easier time against the pros than she did at Tennessee.

In her first pro game, Candace scored 34 points, and had 12 rebounds and 8 assists. LA won 99-94--
http://www.wnba.com/
http://www.wnba.com/games/20080517/LASPHO/boxscore.html

 

[lefty]

I watched part of the season-openin WNBA game today between the Los ngeles Sparks and the Phoenix Mercury, and Candace Parker seemed to have an easier time against the pros than she did at Tennessee.

In her first pro game, Candace scored 34 points, and had 12 rebounds and 8 assists. LA won 99-94--
http://www.wnba.com/
http://www.wnba.com/games/20080517/LASPHO/boxscore.html

you know...I think she has a future

 

[Da Coach]

The LA Sparks are 4-1 so far with Candace Parker leading them in scoring (17.8 ppg), rebounding (10.6 rpg), and assists (5.2), and is shooting 50% on threes and averaging 3 blocks per game.
So far they have played their first 5 games on the road. Their home opener is tonight, and it is generating a lot of buzz in LA.

Candace was named the Rookie of the Month for the WNBA games played in May.

Here is a great article about how Candace is becoming a celebrity in the town known for celebrity worship--
http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/wnba/sparks/la-sp-candace6-2008jun06,0,3621917.story

Here are a couple interesting clips from that article--
Now, not quite three weeks into her WNBA career, Parker already has boosted the league's popularity to its highest level and placed herself on the fringe of Hollywood celebrity status. When she makes her home debut tonight against the defending champion Phoenix Mercury at Staples Center, she will have played in five consecutive road sellouts, a first for any franchise.
How popular is she? Her player page on WNBA.com received more views during the first week of the season than any NBA player that week, with the exception of Kobe Bryant.


http://wnba.com/features/parker_080605.html
http://wnba.com/sparks/stats/index.html

 

[tornado]

so will she parlay all this into an acting career like Mark Harmon and Rick Fox have?
Of all the ex-jocks who became actors, none seem to have the staying power in front of the camera.
Here's a story about how a few ex-basketball players are spending their retirement years...
http://azsportshub.com/2008/06/04/kj-mayor-of-sacramento-barkley-mayor-of-phoenix/

 

[tornado]

Here's another nice story on Candace mentioning her brother Anthony and Bradley.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/basketball/wnba/sparks/la-sp-candace6-2008jun06,0,3621917.story