Sports

Candace Parker has scored 34 points - which is the most that any player has done in their WNBA debut proving that she has what it takes. She also was able to add 12 rebounds that helped the Los Angeles Sparks to beat the Phoenix Mercury 99-94.

Cynthia Cooper held the previous spot for the most point in the WNBA debut with 25 points back in 1997.

“It obviously was better than I expected,” said the 6-foot-4 Parker, who led Tennessee to back-to-back national titles. “Coming out, I just wanted to play hard. I was a little nervous, and I think my teammates did a good job of just keeping me in it mentally and just not allowing me to get frustrated.”

Early on in the fourth quarter the game was tied at 79. That is when Parker played more of a role and as able to score 10 points in a row giving the lead to the Sparks in 89-86 when there was only 3:15 left in the game.
Parker, who made 6-of-7 shots in the final quarter, hit a short hook shot to put the Sparks up 97-94 with 12 seconds to go.

“She’s the money player,” Los Angeles coach Michael Cooper said. “Put the ball in her hands and she did what she’s supposed to do.”

The fact that she was wearing a brace on her left shoulder didn’t seem to slow her down one bit. She dislocated her shoulder during the NCAA tournament and because of that many were afraid that she would not be able to play well. She proved them all wrong.

Parker came within two assists of becoming the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double. Only one NBA player did it in his debut—Oscar Robertson, in 1960.

“Honestly, it was just finding the mismatch,” Parker said. “My teammates did a great job of just getting me the ball and just moving afterwards.”