Thursday, March 30, 2006

At end of first season, Parker already looking at second

Tennessee star expects to assume leadership role

Candace Parker ended her first college season visibly frustrated Tuesday as she committed her seventh and eighth turnovers during the final minute of the Cleveland Regional Championship.

The self-titled woman of a million faces began expressing a few of them as time expired and No. 1 North Carolina, instead of her own Tennessee Lady Volunteers, celebrated its trip to next week's Final Four in Boston.

That scenario didn't exactly portray an NCAA tournament dream come true for Parker, the redshirt freshman recruited by legendary coach Pat Summitt (college basketball's all-time winningest coach) to help win championships.

"I definitely have grown up from this first season," said Parker in the locker room at Quicken Loans Arena, moments after scoring a game-high 20 points and grabbing nine rebounds in the 75-63 loss. "I'm gonna try to take a lot of the things that (senior teammates Shanna Zolman and Tye'sha Fluker) taught me, because I'm really gonna have to step up into a leadership role next year. I feel like I'm jumping from a freshman to a junior next year."

No wonder Parker's already thinking about next season. As her high school career at Naperville Central proved, four years go by quickly and championships are fewer and farther between than many realize.

Parker did not win the Class AA state title until her junior and senior years at Central, and Tennessee, for example, advanced to the three previous Final Fours without ever winning it all.

If anything's become clear this season, it's that Parker will be the keystone to Tennessee's future success.

"She's a very good talent, I mean, a very tremendous talent," said Cleveland Cavaliers guard LeBron James, who watched the regional finals from a skybox on his home court. "She does a lot for that Lady Volunteers team, and I bet they're happy that she's back from her injury. And I know that they're happy that they have her, that she's on their side."

James, who watched Parker's historical NCAA tournament dunk live on television, said he's been following Parker's career since high school when she defeated several males to win the 2004 McDonald's All-America Games' Powerade Jam Fest. He thinks he knows what makes the 6-foot-4-inch Parker so good.

"I think just her love for the game, her talent," he said. "She's shown all aspects of her game this year, and for years to come I think they've got a bright future."

Summitt feels the same way, going as far as saying her team's "wheels fell off" when "her best go-to player" left Tuesday's game with two fouls early in the first half. That reaction should come as no surprise in lieu of Parker's many accolades, which include Second-Team All-American, Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and Cleveland Region All-Tournament team honors.

"Without Candace on our team, we would miss a lot of points and rebounds," Summitt said. "She's just a great, great player and teammate."

Parker ended the season averaging 17.3 points per game, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.4 blocks, and she averaged even more points, assists and blocks in the four NCAA tournament games.

As long as Parker continues to be an inside-outside threat, especially given her current playing size, teams will always struggle to defend the girl that can also dunk. Parker not only brings energy with her above-the-rim play, but she becomes a scouting enigma because of her ability to play all five positions.

Charlotte Smith, an assistant coach at North Carolina and the second woman ever to dunk in an NCAA game back in 1994, said she likes Parker because she's not a one-dimensional, back-to-the-basket post player like many of today's bigger female players.

"I'm just a firm believer that every player should have the ability to be able to handle the ball and shoot the outside shot, so I just love to see players that are well-rounded and have worked on every aspect of the game," Smith said. "I just think her future's very promising, because she's definitely loaded with talent right now and still somewhat raw."

Parker and the Lady Vols have a long way to go before attempting a return to Cleveland, the site of next year's Final Four. That's for sure. But when and if they do, one can be certain that Parker will be leading the way, a million faces and all.

In the books

Candace Parker's Freshman Season


• Second-Team All-American

• Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year

• Cleveland Region All-Tournament team

• SEC Tournament MVP

• Paradise Jam All-Tournament MVP

• First female to dunk in the NCAA tournament

• One of 18 Wooden Award finalists

• One of 30 Naismith Award finalists

• V Foundation Comeback Player of the Year Nominee

STATISTICS
Season Average (per game)

Points Rebounds Assists Blocks
17.3 8.3 2.9 2.4
NCAA Tournament Average (per game)
Points Rebounds Assists Blocks
22.5 6.3 3.0 3.8

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