PHOENIX – Candace Parker had some jitters in her WNBA debut. It sure didn't show.
Parker scored 34 points, the most in a WNBA debut, and added 12 rebounds to help the Los Angeles Sparks beat the defending champion Phoenix Mercury 99-94 yesterday.
The previous high in a WNBA debut was 25 points by Cynthia Cooper in 1997.
“It obviously was better than I expected,” said the 6-foot-4 Parker, who led Tennessee to back-to-back national titles. “Coming out, I just wanted to play hard. I was a little nervous, and I think my teammates did a good job of just keeping me in it mentally and just not allowing me to get frustrated.”
The game was tied at 79 early in the fourth quarter when Parker took over. She scored 10 straight points to give the Sparks an 89-86 lead with 3:15 to play.
Parker, who made 6-of-7 shots in the final quarter, hit a short hook shot to put the Sparks up 97-94 with 12 seconds to go.
Parker wore a brace on her left shoulder, which she dislocated during the NCAA Tournament. It didn't appear to slow her.
In other WNBA opening games yesterday, Tamika Whitmore had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Connecticut Sun past the expansion Atlanta Dream 100-67 at Uncasville, Conn., and Katie Smith scored 21 points and Plenette Pierson added 17 to help the host Detroit Shock beat the Houston Comets 85-66.
La Jolla Country Day and Stanford grad Candice Wiggins makes her WNBA debut today when her Minnesota Lynx host the Shock.
– ASSOCIATED PRESS
