Los Angeles Sparks' Candace Parker named Hanns-G \'Go Beyond' 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year

October 3, 2008 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) News Release

NEW YORK, Oct. 3, 2008 - Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker was named the Hanns-G 'Go Beyond' 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year, the league announced today. Parker received all 45 votes from a national panel of sportswriters and broadcasters to earn the award.

Parker, the No.1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, topped the charts among rookies in scoring (18.5 ppg), rebounding (9.5 rpg), blocks (2.3 bpg) and minutes (33.6 mpg). Parker led the league in double-doubles (17), scored more than 20 points in 12 games and collected more than 10 rebounds in 17 games. Three times, she dropped 30 or more points, including a career-best 40-point performance on July 9 against the Houston Comets. The league leader in rebounds, Parker finished the regular season fourth in points and second in blocks, trailing only Sparks teammate Lisa Leslie (2.9 bpg).

The 6'4" forward started her professional career by posting the best rookie debut in WNBA history; she fell short of a triple-double by two assists, posting 34 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists. Another performance where Parker made history was on May 29 against the Indiana Fever when she tallied the first-ever "5x5" performance in WNBA history, posting 16 points, 16 rebounds, six blocked shots, five assists and five steals.

Parker propelled a team that finished 10-24 in 2007 to a third place finish and the 2008 WNBA Playoffs as the culmination of a ten game improvement. The Los Angeles Sparks defeated the Seattle Storm in the Western Conference Semifinals in three games before losing to the San Antonio Silver Stars in the third game of the Western Conference Finals.

Parker was honored with the inaugural Hanns-G 'Go Beyond' Rookie of the Month award in May; she received the award again in July. For the month of May, she averaged 19.2 points, 11.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists in four games. In the 12 games played in July she averaged 20.8 points, 9.5 rebounds per game and collected eight double-doubles.

Parker, a back-to-back NCAA Champion (2006-07, 2007-08) with the University of Tennessee, excelled on the court with the Lady Vols. She was a two-time WBCA Kodak All-American and was the 2007 State Farm Player of the Year in her three seasons in Knoxville, Tenn.

In honor of being named the Hanns-G 'Go Beyond' 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year, Parker will receive $5,000 and a specially-designed trophy by Tiffany & Co.

Below are the complete results of the Hanns-G 'Go Beyond' 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year voting, followed by a list of previous winners:

2008 ROOKIE OF THE YEAR RESULTS

45 Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2008 Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks

2007 Armintie Price Chicago Sky

2006 Seimone Augustus Minnesota Lynx

2005 Temeka Johnson Washington Mystics

2004 Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury

2003 Cheryl Ford Detroit Shock

2002 Tamika Catchings Indiana Fever

2001 Jackie Stiles Portland Fire

2000 Betty Lennox Minnesota Lynx

1999 Chamique Holdsclaw Washington Mystics

1998 Tracy Reid Charlotte Sting

Women's National Basketball Association Stories from October 3, 2008

• 2008 All-WNBA First and Second Teams announced - WNBA
• Hanns-G ‘Go Beyond' 2008 WNBA All-Rookie Team announced - WNBA
• Los Angeles Sparks' Candace Parker named Hanns-G ‘Go Beyond' 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year - WNBA
• Chicago Sky's Sylvia Fowles named Hanns-G ‘Go Beyond' Rookie of the Month for September - WNBA

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