Candace Nicole Parker

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Candace Nicole Parker was born on April 19, 1986 in St. Louis, Missouri. She is the child of Lary & Sara Parker. I guess that being a basketball legend runs in the family because she is the younger sister to NBA star Anthony Parker who plays on the very famous team Cleveland Cavaliers. Candace Parker has loved basketball ever since she was a young girl. In her CBS interview she states that, "I remember when I was a little girl my dad and I would go out to the gym and shoot around. When I was about fourteen my dad and I were in the gym and he told me, "Candace I think you can dunk." I said to myself that there was no possible way, but he gave me a tennis ball and I dunked it. Soon after that I dunked a basketball. All of my brothers were jealous because I dunked before them."

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Candace plays as a forward on the well known Los Angeles Sparks. She is number 3. Her rise to fame came when she first dunked on June 23, 2008. She was a freshmen in college at Tennessee State University. By that time she got her famous nickname, "Shebron." Candace Parker is labeled as the greatest player there ever was in Women College Basketball. Candace Parker was drafted to the WNBA at the beginning of her Junior year. Being drafted in the WNBA before getting out of college is very rare for women. She dunked in 57 games in just two seasons with the Tennessee Lady Vols. She has a height of 6'4". Candace is mostly recognized for dunking but that doesn't stop her ability to play any position on the floor. She can play as a foward with her amazing height. She can play has a guard with her incredible dribbling skill and she can also play as a center with her amazing defensive skills.

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Candace has achieved many things and has won many awards for all of her accomplishments. She won the slam dunking contest at the Mcdonald's All American game as a high school senior. She won Nickelodeon Choice Awards- Favorite athletes, Gatorade Award; National Player of the Year, USA Today Player of the Year- she won both in 2003 and 2004, The Wooden Award- she held this for 2007 and 2008. Other awards she has won are The USBWA player of the Year award for 2007 and 2008, The Waide Trophy in 2008, the WNBA MVP for 2008, The WNBA Rookie of the Year 2008, and the Broderick Cup.

Candace doesn't only shoot hoops. Off the court she is very active with many charities such as PETA, which is a charity for abused animals. She is a supporter of the Ronald McDonald House Charity, The Randy Foye Foundation, Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a Journey for 9/11, Muhammad Ali Center, and Hollyrod Foundation.

Candace Parker is such an inspiration to me. Not only for how amazing she is in basketball but as a person as well. I love the great attitude she has on and off the court. I love the fact that she isn't a sore loser and pumps her team up whenever they are down. I love the fact that she had gotten pregnant her second season in the WNBA and came back with a phenomenal start. I have loved her ever since she went into the WNBA in 2007. Almost everyone tells me that I can't be in the WNBA and that it's impossible, but I think otherwise. I have her poster on my wall and I have her Los Angeles Sparks jersey. "With hard work and determination, anything is possible." Candace Parker