‘Silk’ the future of the league
In case you hadn’t heard yet, there’s this rookie in the WNBA wrecking shop. We’re gonna have a bunch more of these throughout the season, but since it’s Los Angeles Sparks rook Candace Parker, it’s OK.
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee is the latest to stumble upon the greatness that is Parker. Courtesy of the SacBee:
Parker is a throwback, a 1980s kind of player. She can pass, shoot, dribble and rebound, score in the low post and score with either hand. She even dunks occasionally. In fact, in the course of a 20-minute conversation the other night at Staples Center, Los Angeles Sparks coach Michael Cooper – though never one to romance his rookies with verbal bouquets – said his young star offers a dash of Larry Bird, a smidge of Jamaal Wilkes and a whole lot of Magic Johnson.
So, no pressure.
“The league has to have a face,” said Cooper, “and she’s it.”
But is the physical play of the L tough on Parker? Yeah, right.
Asked about her coach’s critique, Parker nods. She is polite and accommodating, and, similar to the polished Leslie, seems to grasp the importance of selling the product. The demands of the pro game – on and off the court – are pretty much what she anticipated. The game is faster and the players more physical; against the Detroit Shock, she was tagged with an elbow and sustained her first bloody nose.
“It’s been a little bit of an adjustment,” she said. “I’ll play wherever coach wants me. I’m a little tired. Got to get my body right.”
The only concern about Parker pertains to her health. She has had reconstructive surgery and a cleanup procedure on her left knee. She continues to wear a protective sleeve over the left shoulder she dislocated during the NCAA Tournament. Surgery remains possible.
“I’m going to watch her minutes,” added Cooper, “but she’s ready to go. She’s the face of the league. It’s right there for her.”
I’m going to go out on a limb here and say she wins Rookie of the Year.
(Newscom gets a fist-pound for the photo.)
Tags: "michael cooper", candace-parker, lisa-leslie, los-angeles-sparks, WNBA, wnba-basketball, womens-basketballRelated Stories
POSTED IN: WNBA
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