Tennessee forward Candace Parker was selected as the top pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft Wednesday, going to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Parker was taken with the No. 1 pick just one day after winning her second consecutive NCAA championship with the Lady Vols. Parker averaged 19.5 points and 8.9 rebounds in three seasons for the Lady Vols, going for 20.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 steals and 2.2 blocks per game this season alone.
Parker became the first woman to ever leave school early for the draft. The WNBA rule states that a woman can only join the league four years after she graduates from high school.
Parker, who was the nation's top high school player in 2004, redshirted her freshman year due to injury. The redshirt allowed for her to have a fifth-year of eligibility, which she gave up in order to join the WNBA. Parker is expected to graduate from the University of Tennessee in May.
LSU center Sylvia Fowles was taken with the second pick to the Chicago Sky, followed by Stanford guard Candice Wiggins to the Minnesota Lynx.
Fowles, the two-time All-SEC First Team recipient, averaged 17.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game for the Lady Tigers this season. Wiggins averaged 19.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game this season for the Cardinal.
Parker, Fowles and Wiggins were all named to the Kodak/WBCA All-American first team this season.
re-printed from transworldnews.com 4/09/08
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Nike Launches "LIGHTEST EVER" Basketball Shoe
Sportswear giant Nike and basketball star Kobe Bryant have joined forces to launch the Nike Hyperdunk, billed as the company's lightest and strongest basketball shoe ever.
The shoe, weighing 13oz, is 18% lighter than the average Nike basketball shoe, and hits US retail in July, prior to being used at the Beijing Olympics later in the summer.
"Our performance product for Beijing is some of the best work Nike has ever done," said Nike president and CEO Mark Parker. "Every gram counts in competition. Athletes need superior lightweight footwear and apparel that they can compete in with confidence, and that's exactly what we've created for them.
"Other Beijing-related performance products include footwear using lightweight technology fibres stronger than bullet-proof vests, as well as Nike Swift performance apparel using recycled polyester.
Nike hopes to use the Beijing Olympics to capitalise on its momentum in China, the company's largest sourcing country and its biggest market outside the US.
Revenues for the past 12 months have just passed the US $1bn mark.
Reprinted from just-style.com 4/8/08
The shoe, weighing 13oz, is 18% lighter than the average Nike basketball shoe, and hits US retail in July, prior to being used at the Beijing Olympics later in the summer.
"Our performance product for Beijing is some of the best work Nike has ever done," said Nike president and CEO Mark Parker. "Every gram counts in competition. Athletes need superior lightweight footwear and apparel that they can compete in with confidence, and that's exactly what we've created for them.
"Other Beijing-related performance products include footwear using lightweight technology fibres stronger than bullet-proof vests, as well as Nike Swift performance apparel using recycled polyester.
Nike hopes to use the Beijing Olympics to capitalise on its momentum in China, the company's largest sourcing country and its biggest market outside the US.
Revenues for the past 12 months have just passed the US $1bn mark.
Reprinted from just-style.com 4/8/08
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