Candace Parker leaving after the season

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[font=Arial, Helvetica]KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- All-American forward Candace Parker will skip her senior season at Tennessee.[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica]Coach Pat Summitt says the junior will graduate at the end of this season and wants to play in the Beijing Olympics and pursue a pro career.[/font]
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[/td] [td] [/td] [/tr][tr][td]Parker, a junior, is in her fourth year at Tennessee because of a medical redshirt in 2004-05. (AP)[/td] [td] [/td] [/tr][/table][font=Arial, Helvetica]Summitt tells the Associated Press: "Obviously we'd love to have her another year. Who wouldn't?"[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]Parker will participate in the third-ranked Volunteers' senior night before the Feb. 28 game against Florida.[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica]She was unavailable for comment Thursday morning while the team traveled to Alabama. Parker redshirted her freshman season to recover from surgeries to repair a torn knee ligament.[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica]The 6-foot-4 Naperville, Ill., native leads the team in scoring with 20.6 points and 8.8 rebounds per game and is one of six women to have dunked in the college game. She made her seventh career dunk earlier this month against Kentucky.[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica]After leading the Lady Volunteers to the national championship last season, Parker played with the U.S. national team during her summer break, helping earn a 2008 Olympic bid. She also earned the women's 2007 John R. Wooden Award.[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica]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.[/font]

[font=Arial, Helvetica]The Los Angeles Sparks hold the top pick, which would give Parker the opportunity to play alongside Lisa Leslie and former teammates Sidney Spencer and Tye'sha Fluker.[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica]AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2007-2008, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved[/font]

 

[fede dpt]

I would hope so, she's been at UT for 10 years.

 

[clutchshooter]

at having 7 dunks as a career highlight.

 

[kb8sandiego]

Candace Parker to the Sparks.

 

[lamarownsem]

Originally Posted by KB8sandiego

Candace Parker to the Sparks.

And Leslie is coming back after missing last season.
Champs?

 

[jmause3]

Its going to be pretty cool to see Leslie and Parker in the same frontcourt

 

[kb8sandiego]

Originally Posted by LamarOwnsem

Originally Posted by KB8sandiego

Candace Parker to the Sparks.

And Leslie is coming back after missing last season.
Champs?

I'm not much of a WNBA fan, but since I got love for LA, I wouldn't mind seeing them do it.

 

[lnmymind]

Shelden Williams being in California now influenced this decision...

 

[wallyhopp]

graudating early and playing ball? thats just crazy. she has that dream and is motivated.

not to say the Wnba sucks but id pursue a dream elsewhere. pros make less than people at mcdonalds.

seriously though, im wondering how she was allowed to play in the olympics during a college career. i thought they always had to limit that sort of thing. iguess if its not your coach, you can almost do anything?

 

[fanatic15]

Originally Posted by WallyHopp

graudating early and playing ball? thats just crazy. she has that dream and is motivated.

not to say the Wnba sucks but id pursue a dream elsewhere. pros make less than people at mcdonalds.

seriously though, im wondering how she was allowed to play in the olympics during a college career. i thought they always had to limit that sort of thing. i guess if its not your coach, you can almost do anything?

The Olympics aren't a professional event. Plenty of amateurs play there, in fact that's how the format was in modern times. Only recently havePro's been allowed to participate alongside non-pro's.

 

[babybop2g]

^Truth

 

[5am6oody72]

I thought she was in the WNBA already

I don't hate her or anything, but I'm still bitter over her winning the HS slam dunk contest...@*+% was a joke.

 

[the wizard]

Its a good thing that Fresh got banned, so now he has ample time to go get her pregnant and be her baby dads

 

[j rain 23]

candance should stay in school. coming out early to go to the wnba is laughable. in the nba, you pretty much are guaranteed to be set for life with first roundmoney. there's no guarantees that the wack wnba will even be in existence in a few years.

yes, i am still salty that candace won the high school dunk contest a couple years ago. that was a joke. she did the most plain and simple one handed dunk andwon the contest. you are 6'4" and can barely dunk, congrats!

 

[fanatic15]

Originally Posted by J RAIN 23

candance should stay in school. coming out early to go to the wnba is laughable. in the nba, you pretty much are guaranteed to be set for life with first round money. there's no guarantees that the wack wnba will even be in existence in a few years.

yes, i am still salty that candace won the high school dunk contest a couple years ago. that was a joke. she did the most plain and simple one handed dunk and won the contest. you are 6'4" and can barely dunk, congrats!

I fthis were in fact true, then it does make sense to go early.

 

[ocks]

Wasn't she medically redshirted her frosh year? I'm pretty sure she is graduating this year

 

[notorious p a c]

Originally Posted by Clutchshooter

at having 7 dunks as a career highlight.

 

[the pga tour]

Originally Posted by Ocks

Wasn't she medically redshirted her frosh year? I'm pretty sure she is graduating this year

correct.

 

[darthska]

L. A. S P A R K S

There's no way she doesn't wear purple/gold if she goes pro this summer.

Heck, that might be enough to bring Mique out of retirement, which I wouldn't mind seeing at all. Leslie + Mique + Parker?

 

[keel252]

Why would she stay she fulfilled everything you can in college sport plus shes gettin her degree.

Nat. Champ
2 All American
Conf. POY
2 time POY

No need to stay after these

 

[barondavis5]

Shes gonna be a beast in the WNBA.

 

[caliwestcoast1]

this my girl right here

...that wouLd be crazy to see her in a sparksuni

 

[dyyhard]

Its a good thing that Fresh got banned, so now he has ample time to go get her pregnant and be her baby dads

and have her miss the WNBA season?

 

[pharelfor3]

overrated

 

[wildkycat]

Originally Posted by J RAIN 23

candance should stay in school. coming out early to go to the wnba is laughable. in the nba, you pretty much are guaranteed to be set for life with first round money. there's no guarantees that the wack wnba will even be in existence in a few years.

stay in school and hope she can play her way into the NBA draft? what the hell are you talking about?

J RAIN 23 wrote:

---

yes, i am still salty that candace won the high school dunk contest a couple years ago. that was a joke. she did the most plain and simple one handed dunk and won the contest. you are 6'4" and can barely dunk, congrats!

Joe Crawford got beat in a dunk contest by a girl.