| The 23-year-old basketball star of the Sparks, | | | | great players such as Tina Thompson, Lisa Leslie, |
| Candace Parker, returned to her team almost | | | | Diana Taurasi and others. This experience has |
| two months after giving birth to her daughter | | | | been one of the greatest for Candace, who for |
| Lailaa, who was born on May 13th. | | | | some it’s considered as the Michael Jordan in |
| Now the Sparks player is ready for some action | | | | women’s basketball. |
| on the basketball court and despite of some | | | | In the first game on her return, Candace |
| people thinking that is too soon to come back, | | | | didn’t look as amazing as she used to, scoring |
| Candace is feeling great after practicing all last | | | | just 6 points in her 18 minutes and 41 seconds |
| week and playing this past Sunday against the | | | | off the bench. However, her coach and her |
| Phoenix Mercury, to whom her team lost | | | | teammates knew it wouldn’t be so easy for |
| regardless of her participation. Obviously, she | | | | her to recover completely this soon but they all |
| wasn’t at her hundred percent since she was | | | | know that with her determination and her young |
| out of pro basketball for almost 10 months. | | | | age, she will recover her great game in a little |
| Parker, before signing with the Sparks in 2008 | | | | while. |
| and leaving college, was one of the greatest | | | | "It's different. Last year I was able to rely more |
| players in the University of Tennesse, becoming | | | | on my athleticism and jumping over people. Now I |
| the first woman basketball player in the NCAA to | | | | actually have to box out. The speed, I'm not able |
| dunk the ball in a tournament game and twice in a | | | | to go past people anymore. I'm going to have to |
| college basketball game. Candace took the Lady | | | | be more fundamental until that comes back," |
| Vols to two NCAA titles in 2007 and 2008 and | | | | expressed the 23-years-old Candace Parker. |
| was named MVP of the tournament in two | | | | In addition, her teammate Lisa Leslie, who has |
| occasions. Also Parker scored her 1,000 career | | | | already been through the experience Parker is |
| point just at her sophomore year in her 56th | | | | living now, expressed that she is glad to be the |
| game; a record that surpassed the ones of great | | | | mentor of Parker and the one who can give her |
| players such as Chamique Holdsclaw, who did it on | | | | some advices not only in the basketball court but |
| her 57th game and Tamika Catchings's, who did it | | | | also outside of it. Leslie also said that it took her |
| in 58 games. | | | | almost a year to get back in her rhythm after |
| During last season, Parker was named MVP and | | | | having her daughter back in 2007, but she knows |
| rookie of the year with her great performance, | | | | that with the hard-worker mentality that Candace |
| averaging 18.5 points and leading the WNBA with | | | | has and her young age, she could recover sooner |
| 9.5 rebounds. Parker also participated in her first | | | | and her contribution will be big for the Sparks this |
| Olympic tournament with the USA team, in which | | | | season. |
| she won the gold medal playing collectively with | | | | |
