Great Candace Parker article on Grantland

[alexrgct]

Really wish we had more coverage of WBB players like this profile.

 

[UCONNfan1]

"She's a wife, a mother, and the best female player on the planet".

Very first line. That's all I had to read to realize there was no need to go any further...

 

[stwainfan]

Nice article

 

[mcannon1]

Really wish we had more coverage of WBB players like this profile.

Loved the article. Wish all the WNBA stars would be written up like this.

 

[sarals24]

"She's a wife, a mother, and the best female player on the planet".

Very first line. That's all I had to read to realize there was no need to go any further...

Why not? It's a great piece. There is no use pretending like parenthood doesn't affect professional women athletes differently than men. It's interesting to see how she (and other) athletes choose (or don't choose) to make it part of their lives and careers.

If there were more pieces like this one maybe people would develop greater respect for women who are professional athletes and could learn to enjoy the sport for what it is, rather than what it's not.

Unless you are debating that she's the best player on the planet, and then I guess you might have a valid point...although who's better? Maya and Diana are the only two that come to mind.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Unless you are debating that she's the best player on the planet, and then I guess you might have a valid point...although who's better? Maya and Diana are the only two that come to mind.

Yes that's what I was referring to! She's had some great seasons and done some great things, but at this point, she's not even one of the top 10 players in the WNBA, never mind on the planet...

 

[sarals24]

She was pretty impressive in the Olympics...

 

[stwainfan]

No one can deny that she is very good. Geno said she does things that no one else can do. If you are looking at MVP rankings. It's still early and there are a lot of games to go. She can dominate a game.

 

[VAMike23]

I think she is easily one of the W's best players and even belongs in the conversation for best player in the world when healthy. And that's a conversation with very few names. I would include DT in that convo but not Maya (yet), although she is improving each year and is looking better than ever.

 

[UCONNfan1]

Well, VA, what's the excuse this year then? She's not near the top 10 in the W so far this season. And she's healthy. Maybe that changes as the season goes on. As for the Olympics, she had a great final game. But she wasn't the 1st, 2nd, or even 3rd leading producer on the team. That honor went to Diana, Angel, and Maya.

As for Geno's comment, apparently he never coached Elena Delle Donne. What Elena lacks compared to Candace in athleticism, she more than makes up for in ball handling and shooting.

Look, I'm not saying Parker isn't terrific. She is. But if you are going to write an article right now and start it by saying she's the "best player on the planet", well clearly she's not. You can say "well, if she's healthy", or "if she's giving 100%", or "the season is young", but the fact is she's been very average this year.

The season is about what - 35 games? And 8-11 have been played so far? So the season is between a third and a quarter over. So a nice article about her. But the first line certainly is not accurate.

 

[VAMike23]

Look, I'm not saying Parker isn't terrific. She is. But if you are going to write an article right now and start it by saying she's the "best player on the planet", well clearly she's not. You can say "well, if she's healthy", or "if she's giving 100%", or "the season is young", but the fact is she's been very average this year.

The season is about what - 35 games? And 8-11 have been played so far? So the season is between a third and a quarter over. So a nice article about her. But the first line certainly is not accurate.

I don't know about her 'clearly' and 'certainly' not being the best player on the planet anymore than I would say she certainly or clearly is. I just think she is one of very few I would put in the conversation. I can see you would not. Your window of judgment appears to be what she's doing the last month and a half. I'm looking at a longer body of work.

 

[stwainfan]

As to who is the best is a matter of opinion. I have said that she is the best for a few years now. Look at how easy she makes it look.

 

[doggydaddy]

I think she is easily one of the W's best players and even belongs in the conversation for best player in the world when healthy. And that's a conversation with very few names. I would include DT in that convo but not Maya (yet), although she is improving each year and is looking better than ever.

Why not Maya?

 

[doggydaddy]

Stwain, here is the best.

 

[doggydaddy]

Stwainfan, here is the second best.

 

[meyers7]

I don't know about her 'clearly' and 'certainly' not being the best player on the planet anymore than I would say she certainly or clearly is. I just think she is one of very few I would put in the conversation. I can see you would not. Your window of judgment appears to be what she's doing the last month and a half. I'm looking at a longer body of work.

Agree.

Personally I think DT is the best. But you make a good argument for DT, Moore, Parker and Jackson on any given day, game, series, season.

 

[Bestiarius]

"She's a wife, a mother, and the best female player on the planet".

But nowhere else? That kind of statement is okay in Knoxville, but mostly it just detracts from the article. As with UCONNfan1, many will read no further. If it read "one of the best", I'm sure everyone would agree.

 

[boontonbomber]

be careful boneyarders to not read the entire story. you just might learn something about a player and person who is not from uconn, and you don't want that to happen.

 

[boontonbomber]

Yes that's what I was referring to! She's had some great seasons and done some great things, but at this point, she's not even one of the top 10 players in the WNBA, never mind on the planet...

in an open draft of wnba players, who are the 10 players you think would be chosen ahead of parker?

 

[VAMike23]

Why not Maya?

Like many players coming into the pros, Maya has had to adjust to a slightly different role--more like different positioning--on the court than the one she had at UCONN. There are other players who, while they must still get used to the speed and athleticism of the pro game, are fortunate enough to still play in basically the same position and same style that they used in college. DT obviously had the all the tools to excel as a WNBA guard from day 1. Parker at 6'4" with excellent ball skills and footwork likewise had the length and skillset to come in and dominate right away as a 4-5 at the next level.

For me to see Maya as the best player in the world, she needs to continue developing her ball skills, because she needs them more now than she used to. She is undoubtedly one of the top players in the world 'without the ball,' but given the mix of players she is usually on the floor with (e.g., power forwards like Rebekkah Brunson) she spends as much time out on the perimeter as she does inside and must be able to get by quick defenders and penetrate to a spot, if not all the way to the hoop. As you watch her this year, she is already quite a bit better in this respect than she was in her 1st pro season. She hesitates less, reads defenses better, and is much more relaxed with the ball. The other day she did a little fake give-and-go off a high screen that she took right to the rim when she saw the opening..... The way she did it was stunning, and not something you would have seen in her first pro season. And of course she is great at using screens and creating shot opportunities beyond the arc, just as she always has. OTOH, by way of example, in watching another recent game Maya had the ball out high facing the basket and wanted to get by her defender, who overplayed her right hand heavily. Maya still tried to force the issue by going to her right. Didn't work - she was stymied easily and almost turned the ball over. She does not have the quickness or handle of an Augustus or Taurasi, she is not that great off the dribble with her left hand yet, and she does not have a consistent spin move off the dribble that could allow her to create space with her body when the gap isn't there or when no screen is there for her to use. If she did have confidence using a few more spin moves, Maya would be truly unstoppable because of all her other gifts. Perhaps those are things she will develop. (Note that I am not advocating her use of spin moves for 'highlight reel' purposes, or to 'look flashy.' I could give a rat's a*s about any of that. I am hoping she develops these moves because it would allow her to use her incredible athletic ability to get separation even when the defender is in good position. Then she could better use her finishing skills which are among the best in the world at any position.)

There's no reason to think she won't continue to progress, and it's been a lot of fun watching her WNBA games so far this year. I almost never miss an opportunity to watch and root for Maya. Hopefully it goes without saying that she is my favorite player, and is probably my favorite athlete in any sport right now. #2 on the list would probably be RG III. I really like watching that guy play football.

 

[pinotbear]

in an open draft of wnba players, who are the 10 players you think would be chosen ahead of parker?

This challenge piqued my curiostiy, so I just spent a few minutes looking at the WNBA stats. My disclaimer here is, I don't follow the league very closely, so I'm no where near as informed about it as many of you folks are.

On first impression, CP would be in a group of 7 players that seem to be having the best years- CP, Angel, EDD, Tina C., Maya, DT, and BG. Then there's another group of folks who either have the historical performance, are injured, or may be having a break-out year - like Fowles, Langhorne, Cappie, Tamika C. LJ, maybe Sue B, and Glory J..

So, I'd be hard pressed to pick 10 players ahead of Parker - maybe as many as half-a-dozen, but maybe just a few. She is having a wonderful year.

 

[MilfordHusky]

Parker is very good, but not the world's best. I'd take DT for sure. A healthy Lauren Jackson is better than a healthy Candace Parker. Candace was a non-factor in the tough game in London--against the Aussies. She could not handle Cambage at all. Tina and Asjha could. Candace can do a lot, but still has glaring weaknesses.

 

[boontonbomber]

This challenge piqued my curiostiy, so I just spent a few minutes looking at the WNBA stats. My disclaimer here is, I don't follow the league very closely, so I'm no where near as informed about it as many of you folks are.

On first impression, CP would be in a group of 7 players that seem to be having the best years- CP, Angel, EDD, Tina C., Maya, DT, and BG. Then there's another group of folks who either have the historical performance, are injured, or may be having a break-out year - like Fowles, Langhorne, Cappie, Tamika C. LJ, maybe Sue B, and Glory J..

So, I'd be hard pressed to pick 10 players ahead of Parker - maybe as many as half-a-dozen, but maybe just a few. She is having a wonderful year.

i'm certainly not very knowledgeable myself, but i think it's pretty clear that there are not 10 players who are more talented or valuable than parker.

 

[doggydaddy]

i'm certainly not very knowledgeable myself, but i think it's pretty clear that there are not 10 players who are more talented or valuable than parker.

Yeah, I think that only one poster is saying that.

Parker is still top 5.

 

[stwainfan]

My top five now are Parker, Taurasi, Angel, Maya, Glory.