After Dazzling Debut, Parker Sparks New Interest in WNBA

The Candace Parker Express hits Washington today. Parker, the first overall selection in this year's WNBA draft and quite possibly the most hyped player the 12-year-old league has seen, seems to set records with each game or provide fresh intrigue while attracting fans to arenas around the country.

Washington Mystics officials acknowledge that Parker is a significant reason why they're expecting a crowd at least 10,000 at Verizon Center, where the Mystics play the Los Angeles Sparks at 3:30 p.m. Women's basketball supporters hope Parker won't just bring people to games but also provide the bridge the WNBA has long sought to bring its game to the average sports fan.

"Her charismatic presence and the originality of who she is has captivated this country," WNBA President Donna Orender said. "We're all waiting to see what happens. It's about time that women can play the game of basketball with style, with the highest level of skills . . . and have it be fully celebrated and appreciated."

By all accounts, men's or women's basketball hasn't seen many athletes quite like Parker -- and the WNBA certainly hasn't. The 6-foot-4 Parker excels at every position and can turn just about any defender inside out at each of them.

She broke the league record for most points in a debut with 34 in the Sparks' 99-94 victory over defending champion Phoenix on May 17 and nearly became the first WNBA player to record a triple-double, finishing with 12 rebounds and eight assists. In Thursday's double-overtime loss to Indiana, she recorded 16 points, 16 rebounds, 6 blocks, 5 steals and 5 assists. And this is three games into her first professional season.

"She's singly the most physically gifted player I've ever seen," longtime ESPN analyst Doris Burke said. "If you like basketball, I don't think you could watch Candace Parker play and not appreciate her skill level and what she brings to the table as a basketball player, regardless of gender."

Parker's career at Tennessee under Coach Pat Summitt included consecutive national championships, but she stepped into the spotlight before arriving in Knoxville when she beat five boys in a national dunk contest as a high school senior. She's part of a new generation of players who grew up with the WNBA, something that Orender hopes signals another step forward in the league's development.

"When we started this league it was just around one in 27 who played women's basketball," Orender said. "There's been an exponential growth in the sport in the number of athletes, the families involved. Every single one of the pioneering stars has contributed to this base that has allowed Candace to come along at this time."

So far this season, Los Angeles's season ticket sales more than doubled, and its individual game sales increase fourfold. WNBAstore.com sold more of Parker's jerseys than any other rookie in league history since the draft. Television ratings also are up across the league, with games on ESPN2 experiencing a 44 percent jump and Parker's debut on ABC in the season opener registering a 60 percent increase.

Perhaps more impressive, though, is that the Sparks are having an impact on attendance at their road games. It remains to be seen whether those numbers will hold up or whether interest in Parker will translate into broader interest in the league.

"For a whole host of reasons, the league 10 years ago wasn't where it is today," Burke said. "I hope people give this league a chance at this point because there are much better athletes, who are far better coached and more highly skilled. Maybe Candace is the perfect storm, with the right timing, combined with the right skills and right personality to help."