Sparks Win Top Pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft
Published onNEW YORK, Nov. 10, 2011 – The Los Angeles Sparks won the eleventh annual WNBA Draft Lottery and earned the top pick in the 2012 WNBA Draft, the league announced today.
Los Angeles had 104 chances out of 1,000 to receive the first overall selection, the fewest of any of the four teams in the Lottery mix. This marks the second time in WNBA history that the team with the fewest chances to win has won the top pick. The other team to do so was the Phoenix Mercury, which won the Lottery held in advance of the 2007 WNBA Draft.
The Chicago Sky, which had the second fewest chances to win the Lottery (178), will have the second pick in the Draft followed by the Minnesota Lynx. Minnesota, which, after winning the Lottery last year used the No. 1 overall pick to select Maya Moore and went on to earn its first WNBA championship, had the second best odds of winning the 2012 Lottery. The Lynx had a 27.6 percent chance of landing the top pick having obtained the first round selection of Washington (6-28) after trading forward/center Nicky Anosike to the Mystics two days prior to the 2011 Draft.
The Tulsa Shock, which had the most chances to win the Lottery (44.2%) will select fourth.
WNBA officials and a representative from the accounting firm of Ernst & Young conducted the Draft Lottery in New York City to establish the order of selection for the first four picks of the 2012 WNBA Draft. The order of selection for the remainder of the first round as well as the second and third round is determined by inverse order of the teams’ respective regular-season records.
Vote for the Greatest Moment in WNBA History
Published onNEW YORK, August 23, 2011 – As part of the ongoing celebration of its 15th season, the WNBA today announced the launch of the “WNBA Top 15 Moments Presented by Boost Mobile.” Fans will have an opportunity to view and rank 15 special moments, which will include outstanding plays and events in WNBA history that were selected by a panel of league executives.
All 15 moments will be showcased during an NBA TV special presentation scheduled to air on Aug. 26 at 7:30 pm ET and will feature WNBA Top 15 Players of All Time: Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Teresa Weatherspoon, and others reflecting on the most memorable moments that have defined the league. The moments will also be highlighted during select national telecasts of WNBA games and on WNBA.com.
Fans will be able to rank their favorite moments on WNBA.com through Tuesday, Sept. 13, with their vote solely determining the final results. Moments 15 through six will be unveiled on WNBA.com during the playoffs. The top five greatest moments will then be revealed during ESPN2 telecasts of the WNBA Finals Presented by Boost Mobile beginning Oct. 2.
Recently, the WNBA and no-contract wireless provider Boost Mobile entered a landmark multiyear marketing partnership making Boost Mobile the first league wide marquee partner of the WNBA. As the marquee partner of the WNBA, Boost Mobile is the league’s most prominent marketing partner and is tied closely to the WNBA brand on a national level.
Listed in chronological order are the nominees for the greatest moment in WNBA history:
Jun. 21, 1997: The WNBA tips-off its first game. A national TV audience sees the Los Angeles Sparks host the New York Liberty. Guard Penny Toler of the Sparks records the first basket in WNBA history.
Aug. 16, 1999: In an emotional game, Houston Comet Cynthia Cooper scores 42 vs. Utah as her friend and teammate, Kim Perrot, was nearing the end of her battle with cancer.
Sep. 4, 1999: Teresa Weatherspoon of the Liberty hits a miraculous, half-court shot at the buzzer to win Game 2 of The Finals, sending the series to a deciding game.
Jul. 30, 2002: Los Angeles Sparks center Lisa Leslie throws down the first dunk in WNBA history in the first half of a game vs. the Miami Sol.
Aug. 13, 2002: Edna Campbell of the Sacramento Monarchs makes a triumphant return to the court after battling breast cancer. Her first basket on a fast break is a truly inspirational moment.
Aug. 31, 2002: Nikki Teasley, a Los Angeles Sparks rookie, hits a game-winning, 3-point shot in the final seconds to give LA the 2002 WNBA championship over the New York Liberty at Staples Center.
Jul. 12, 2003: During the WNBA All-Star Game, Seattle’s Sue Bird caps off a fast break with a spectacular, no-look pass between her legs to Lauren Jackson, who scores an uncontested lay-up.
Sep. 16, 2003: In Game 3 of The WNBA Finals, Detroit’s Deanna Nolan’s 3-pointer in the final minute vs. the Los Angeles Sparks seals the title for the Shock, who complete a “worst- to- first” turnaround in just one season.
Jul. 10, 2006: Phoenix Mercury guard Diana Taurasi scores a WNBA record 47 points in a 111-110 triple-overtime victory over the Houston Comets.
Sep. 27, 2008: San Antonio forward Sophia Young hits a shot at the buzzer to lift the Silver Stars to a 67-66 win over the visiting Los Angeles Sparks and force a deciding Game 3 in the Western Conference Finals.
Oct. 3, 2008: Los Angeles Sparks forward/center Candace Parker is named league MVP, the first time in the WNBA’s 12 seasons that a rookie earns the award. Parker also won Rookie of the Year honors the same day.
Sep. 29, 2009: In Game 1 of The WNBA Finals, Phoenix defeats Indiana 120-116. The 236 combined points makes it the highest scoring WNBA game to that point in history.
Aug. 1, 2010: United States President Barack Obama attends a Washington Mystics game at the Verizon Center with daughter Sasha. It marks the first time a U.S. President attends a WNBA game.
Aug. 8, 2010: Los Angeles Sparks forward Tina Thompson breaks Lisa Leslie’s WNBA career scoring record. Thompson surpassed Leslie’s career total of 6,263 points with a 16-foot jump shot vs. San Antonio.
Sep. 7, 2010: In the Eastern Conference Finals, Atlanta’s Angel McCoughtry nets a playoff record 42 points. The 36 points by New York’s Cappie Pondexter make it is the most points by two players in a WNBA postseason game.
Candace Parker Named WNBA Western Conference Player of the Week
Published onNEW YORK, Aug. 22, 2011 – A pair of former No. 1 overall draft picks and Rookie of the Year award winners – Angel McCoughtry of the Atlanta Dream and Candace Parker of the Los Angeles Sparks – were named the WNBA’s Eastern and Western Conference Players of the Week, respectively, for games played Monday, August 15 through Sunday, August 21.
McCoughtry’s 23.7 points per game ranked second in both the WNBA and the Eastern Conference as the surging Dream, winner of 10 of its last 14 games, posted a 2-1 mark on the week. Within the conference, the 2009 Rookie of the Year also ranked third in blocks (1.3 bpg), fourth in assists (4.3 apg), fifth in rebounds (8.3 rpg) and tied for fifth in steals (2.33 spg).
For the season, McCoughtry ranks second in the league in scoring (20.4 ppg) behind Phoenix’s Diana Taurasi (21.0 ppg). Her 5.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per contest are 11th and 12th best, respectively, in the Eastern Conference.
The University of Louisville product and Baltimore native put together her best outing of the week in a 94-88 win over the Connecticut Sun on Aug. 19, when she recorded a double-double with 26 points and a season-high 12 rebounds. She sent the game into overtime when she blocked a shot by Allison Hightower on the final play of regulation and then scored a pair of key baskets in the extra period. Three days earlier, in a 84-79 road victory over Los Angeles, she scored 23 points and contributed five assists. McCoughtry closed out the week with 22 points, nine rebounds and four assists in a loss at Connecticut.
The Player of the Week award is the third of the year for McCoughtry and the fifth of her career.
Parker, meanwhile, earned the honor for the first time this year and the fifth time in her four WNBA seasons.
For Parker, the 2008 league MVP and Rookie of the Year, the Player of the Week award capped a solid return to action after she was sidelined for 15 games due to a knee injury.
The Sparks’ center/forward tied for second in the Western Conference in scoring with 18.5 ppg while helping Los Angeles to a 2-2 mark on the week. She also ranked third in field goal percentage (.565 on 26 of 46 shooting), tied for third in three-point shooting (.667 on 8 of 12 from beyond the arc), was fourth in rebounding (8.3 rpg), and ranked among the conference leaders in minutes, averaging 32.8 mpg.
In her return to the court, the University of Tennessee product and Naperville, IL native recorded her fifth double-double of the season (15 points, 10 rebounds) in a narrow loss to the Dream. She then tallied 18 points, six boards and five assists in a 75-70 win over the East-leading Indiana Fever and another 18 points and 8 rebounds in a loss at Minnesota. Parker closed out her week by leading the Sparks past the Tulsa Shock, 73-67, with a game-high 23 points, nine rebounds and two steals.
Other candidates for WNBA Players of the Week were Chicago’s Sylvia Fowles, Indiana’s Tamika Catchings, New York’s Cappie Pondexter, Phoenix’s Penny Taylor, Seattle’s Sue Bird and Washington’s Crystal Langhorne.
Candace Parker: The Comeback
Published onHere’s a look at Candace’s road to recovery this season. With Focus, Determination, and Hard Work Candace Parker fights to recover from a right meniscus tear in late June 2011, and help her L.A. Sparks clinch a playoff spot.
Candace Parker Expected to Return Tonight Against the Atlanta Dream
Published on
LOS ANGELES – Post player Candace Parker is expected to see her first game action since late June when the Los Angeles Sparks host the Atlanta Dream at STAPLES Center on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at 7:30 p.m. PT.
Parker has been sidelined since June 26, when she suffered a torn lateral meniscus in her right knee during the third quarter of a game vs. the New York Liberty in Newark, N.J. She missed 15 games during that span.
“We’re beyond excited that Candace is coming back for the stretch run of our season,” Sparks Head Coach Joe Bryant said. “She’s worked her tail off to rehab her knee. It’s a testament to Candace’s determination and professionalism.”
Prior to her injury, Parker averaged 17.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists through seven games this season, recording four double-doubles. In 2008, the Naperville, Ill., native became the first player in league history to capture both MVP and Rookie of the Year honors.
Tickets for Tuesday’s showdown with Atlanta – as well as all remaining Sparks home contests – are available online at LASparks.com, by phone at 877-44-SPARKS (772757), at the STAPLES Center box office and at all Ticketmaster outlets. Season tickets, as well as flexible mini-plan options, are also available.
Tuesday’s game can also be seen live in Southern California on PRIME TICKET and nationally on NBA TV.
« Newer | Older »|
|
