Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Parker takes WNBA honors
By The Associated Press
Saturday, October 04, 2008 | No comments posted.
SAN ANTONIO — Candice Parker received the WNBA’s most valuable player award Friday, becoming the first player to win the award along with the rookie of the year honors. The Los Angeles star was unanimously selected rookie of the year.
The awards capped a big run for Parker, who was college player of the year last season for national champion Tennessee. Parker also was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. team in the Beijing Olympics.
Parker edged Connecticut’s Lindsay Whalen and Seattle’s Sue Bird in the MVP race.
“You know, Coach (Michael) Cooper set this goal for me early on, and I looked at him like he was crazy,” Parker said. “He’s like, ‘We’re going to win the rookie of the year, and you’re going to win a championship and you’re going to win the MVP.’ I just looked at him like, ‘That’s what you expect of me already?”’
Parker, the top overall draft pick this year, averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. She had a high of 40 points and grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 17 games. She led the league in double-doubles with 17, led the league in rebounding and led rookies in scoring, blocks (2.3 bpg) and minutes (33.6 mpg).
In the playoffs, Los Angeles beat Seattle in the Western Conference semifinals before losing to San Antonio in the conference finals.
The all-rookie team, selected by league coaches, included Parker, Minnesota’s Candice Wiggins and Nicky Anosike, Chicago’s Sylvia Fowles, Houston’s Matee Ajavon and Connecticut’s Amber Holt. Ajavon and Holt tied for the fifth spot on the team.
The awards capped a big run for Parker, who was college player of the year last season for national champion Tennessee. Parker also was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. team in the Beijing Olympics.
Parker edged Connecticut’s Lindsay Whalen and Seattle’s Sue Bird in the MVP race.
“You know, Coach (Michael) Cooper set this goal for me early on, and I looked at him like he was crazy,” Parker said. “He’s like, ‘We’re going to win the rookie of the year, and you’re going to win a championship and you’re going to win the MVP.’ I just looked at him like, ‘That’s what you expect of me already?”’
Parker, the top overall draft pick this year, averaged 18.5 points and 9.5 rebounds. She had a high of 40 points and grabbed 10 or more rebounds in 17 games. She led the league in double-doubles with 17, led the league in rebounding and led rookies in scoring, blocks (2.3 bpg) and minutes (33.6 mpg).
In the playoffs, Los Angeles beat Seattle in the Western Conference semifinals before losing to San Antonio in the conference finals.
The all-rookie team, selected by league coaches, included Parker, Minnesota’s Candice Wiggins and Nicky Anosike, Chicago’s Sylvia Fowles, Houston’s Matee Ajavon and Connecticut’s Amber Holt. Ajavon and Holt tied for the fifth spot on the team.
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines