Parker memorabilia not overly hot with collectors - yet

A majority of the hundreds of fans waiting in line for Candace Parker's autograph Thursday said they intend to keep it in their personal collections.

That may be a good call, according to some area memorabilia and sports card experts; at least until she becomes a household name outside of the suburbs and her new home in Los Angeles.

Dan Verven, owner of Pro Jersey in Downers Grove, said his store sells Parker's Los Angeles Sparks jersey for $50 but demand hasn't peaked.

"She's got a great story and maybe that needs to grow out of Naperville first," Verven said Thursday. "But at $50, the jerseys aren't flying off the shelves and I've never had a request for her autograph, at least not yet."

Closer to home, just blocks from the new Candace Parker Court at Spring-Field Park, Dean Bapes, the owner of Dean's Dugout, had a different take. Bapes said anything relating to Parker in the Naperville area is nearly priceless.

"Her family has done so many great things for the community and all of them are great people, so local collectors want that piece of local history," Bapes said. "I've had several requests to get her in the store for a signing but her schedule's been so busy between the baby and the season that it just hasn't worked out."

Bapes suggested an autographed pair of Parker's sneakers that were raffled at the dedication may bring between $300 and $500 from local collectors while autographed basketballs signed by Parker are in the $150 range on eBay.

"Her popularity and fan base is only beginning to grow as people learn what a great young lady she is," Bapes said.