Thu
Feb 21 2008
05:01 pm
Candace Parker going pro
By: R. Neal

Tennessee's Parker to Skip Senior Year

By skipping her final year of eligibility, Parker has the chance to enter the WNBA draft in April. She would likely go as the top pick.

UPDATE: Yesterday's news.

Topics:
jbr's picture

The Washington Post is on

Submitted by jbr on Thu, 2008/02/21 - 5:17pm.

The Washington Post is on top of things. Impressive.

Bbeanster's picture

"Candace Parker is Kareem

Submitted by Bbeanster on Fri, 2008/02/22 - 9:25am.
"Candace Parker is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy and Magic Johnson all rolled into one — that's how good she is.

Michael Cooper, LA Sparks head coach

I'd say chances for a trade are slim.

(link...)

Bbeanster's picture

This was not unexpected. PHS

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2008/02/21 - 5:37pm.

This was not unexpected. PHS announced at the beginning of the season that this would be Candace's last at UT. And she isn't skipping her senior year -- she's declining to stay a fifth year to play out her eligibility.

That's too bad for Tennessee fans, but pretty understandable when you consider the endorsement deals that will be connected to the Beijing Olympics. Given her talent, smarts, looks and aplomb, CP3's the most marketable player that womens basketball has yet produced.

Another thing-- if she leaves this season, she's a lock to be drafted into the WNBA by the LA Sparks, where she'll get max exposure, lots of endorsement deals, play alongside Lisa Leslie and be in the same state as her fiance, Shelden Williams, who has just been traded to Sacramento. If she stays another season, she could end up in Minnesota or (cough) Connecticut.

knoxvegas99's picture

Sad, but not unexpected.

Submitted by knoxvegas99 on Thu, 2008/02/21 - 5:41pm.

Sad, but not unexpected. Candace would not be nearly as intelligent as I think she is if she stuck around another year.

Larry Van Guilder

Toad In The Hole's picture

I Think She'll End Up with Chicago WNBA team

Submitted by Toad In The Hole (not verified) on Thu, 2008/02/21 - 5:58pm.

they've got the second pick and LA is LA, but for marketing prowess, Nike needs to return to Chicago to ensure that the product line is not viewed solely as a west coast thing. They've sold more shoes with Michael Jordan in Chicago than they have with Kobe Bryant in L.A.

I think the knee scare the other night really caused the issue to bubble up a little earlier than anticipated and it's probably health for the team to go ahead and get past these issues and get down to serious basketball.

Bbeanster's picture

Nope, she's going to LA.

Submitted by Bbeanster on Thu, 2008/02/21 - 6:15pm.

Nope, she's going to LA. Their coach, Michael Cooper, has told the media he's not even scouted another first round draft choice. She's a lock for the Sparks.

mjw's picture

The draft lottery did it

Submitted by mjw on Thu, 2008/02/21 - 11:37pm.

Once LA won the draft lottery, the writing was on the wall. She might have stuck it out (played in the Olympics, then come back to UT, since there won't be much of a WNBA season for the Olympians this year) if, say, Minnesota had won the lottery. But how can you pass up a plum franchise like LA?

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