Central grad attracting plenty of attention for rare feats
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Dunk, jumper or layup.
It's all the same to Tennessee's Candace Parker, just another way to score for the No. 4 Lady Vols.
While others are raving about her latest dunk - a rim-rattler against archrival Connecticut two weeks ago - the Naperville Central graduate tries to brush aside all the attention.
"There's only so much you can say about it," Parker says politely but with obvious disdain for the subject. "I've done it a couple of times, and hopefully it's not as rare as it used to be."
Parker is the only woman in college to dunk this season, and her jam against UConn in Hartford gave her six for her career.
"It's a part of my game. It's not my game," Parker says.
Four other women have dunked in college games, but Parker, a sophomore, has dunked more often and has incorporated it into a style of play that separates her from others.
The 6-foot, 4-inch Parker is so versatile she's listed on the roster as a guard, forward and center. She leads the Lady Vols in scoring, rebounding and blocks.
Her four dunks this season have come on wide-open fast breaks. The one in Tennessee's 70-64 win against UConn won't soon be forgotten.
Early in the second half, Sidney Spencer grabbed a loose ball and passed it to Parker near midcourt as she was running toward the open basket. With no defender close, Parker rose up and slammed the ball in the basket with her right hand, rattling the rim.
"That was a pretty big atmosphere," teammate Alexis Hornbuckle said. "Everybody looks for it every time she gets a fast break, but I don't think UConn expected her to actually do it. That was great. That is probably the most memorable dunk so far. I'm sure there are more to come."
After the game, Parker said, "I wanted to have a chance to dunk on Connecticut's court and I did."
The Huskies were not thrilled about witnessing the first dunk against them.
"I knew it was coming," UConn's Charde Houston said. "It was just frustrating because I knew I couldn't catch her. It's embarrassing for our team to have someone dunk on us. But life goes on."
The play seemed to do more for UConn than the Lady Vols. Following the breakaway one-handed dunk, the Huskies went on a 31-15 run to tie the game at 60.
"It made a statement though, so it's good either way," Hornbuckle said.
Parker finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds, six blocks and four assists against UConn.
"There was a stretch that she was so dominant we didn't have an answer for her," Huskies coach Geno Auriemma said.
Tennessee coach Pat Summitt has been supportive of the dunks. After all, Parker has been dunking since high school in Naperville, and won the dunk contest against male college signees that was part of the McDonald's All-Americans game in 2004.
"I think it adds excitement. I think it brings a lot of exposure. There's players that can play at the rim. Obviously Candace can play above it," Summitt said. "She's not a showboat. She's just an aggressive player and has the ability to play above the rim, so I think it's good for the women's game."
The other women who dunked in college are Sancho Lyttle of Houston (once in 2003), Michelle Snow of Tennessee (once each in 2000, 2001, 2002), Charlotte Smith of North Carolina (once in 1994) and Georgeann Wells of West Virginia (twice in 1984). Lisa Leslie has dunked in a WNBA game.
While some women dunk only in practice, Parker believes more will start trying it in games. She's hoping her example will give them confidence.
"Women's basketball is growing a lot. We're a lot more athletic than we have been," she said. "I think there will be people eventually."
Parker's first two career dunks came last season in the first round of the NCAA tournament against Army, marking the first time a woman has dunked twice in one game.
Dunking has its drawbacks, too. Parker got a technical foul for popping her jersey after a dunk against West Virginia. Snow got one for hanging on the rim after a two-handed dunk, and Wells got whistled when her teammates ran out on the court.
Snow's feat wasn't always well-received. Summitt said some opposing coaches were critical, but she has not heard anything bad about Parker's dunks.
When Parker arrived at Tennessee as a freshman in 2004, fans wondered when - not if - she would dunk. A nagging knee injury and surgery forced her to redshirt her first season.
Last year, Parker made some attempts or changed her mind on a fast break and didn't dunk until the NCAA tournament.
"I think I've also gotten stronger and more comfortable with my knee," she said.
And there's the attention she draws after every dunk.
"That's one of the reasons why I didn't (dunk) as much last year because I don't like talking about it," Parker said.
For now, her dunks grab headlines.
"I don't see that changing for a while," Summitt said. "There's a lot of people that come here just hoping she will dunk."
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