Candace comes home

Ask just about anyone and they'll tell you Candace Parker is the face of women's basketball - and with good reason. The Naperville native, who will be honored in her hometown today, has won almost every title, award and honor her sport has to offer. Hyperbole? Here's a sampling:

2009

• ESPY Award for best WNBA player; nominee for best female athlete

• Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Female Athlete

2008

• WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year; second woman to dunk in a WNBA game; first pick in 2008 WNBA draft

• Olympic gold medal

• Second national championship with University of Tennessee; Final Four MVP

• ESPY Awards for Best Female Athlete; Naismith Women's College Player of the Year; Honda Sports Award; Honda Broderick Cup winner; John R. Wooden Player Award; Associated Press Player of the Year; ESPN.com National Player of the Year; State Farm All-America; U.S. Basketball Writers' Association National Player of the Year; ESPN the Magazine All-American of the Year and first-team Academic All-America; SEC Tournament MVP

2007

• National championship with University of Tennessee

• NCAA Final Four MVP

• Honda Sports Award; Youngest female to win the John R. Wooden Award; State Farm Wade Trophy Player of the Year; Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year; Associated Press All-American; WBCA/Kodak All-American; ESPN.com All-American; SEC Player of the Year; SEC All-Academic team

• People Magazine 100 Most Beautiful People

2006

• First female to dunk in an NCAA tournament game

• First female college player to dunk twice in one game

• Kodak/WBCA All-American; Associated Press second team All-American; SEC Tournament MVP; SEC Freshman of the Year; SEC All-Academic honors

• Nominated for GMC Professional Grade Play ESPY Award

• Selected to USA Women's Senior National Team

2005

• SEC All-Academic Freshman Team

2004

• Second straight state championship with Naperville Central High School

• McDonald's High School All-American slam dunk competition winner against boys

• Naismith Player of the Year; Gatorade National Player of the Year; Women's Basketball Coaches Association High School All-American; Nike All-American; Illinois Miss Basketball; Women's Sports Foundation High School Athlete of the Year; Daily Herald All-Area Team captain

• Naperville Central jersey retired

• Scored 2,768 points in her high school career

• USA Junior World Championship Qualifying Team

2003

• First state championship with Naperville Central High School

• Commits to University of Tennessee on national TV

• Naismith Player of Year; Gatorade National Player of Year; Nike All-American; Illinois Miss Basketball

2002

• Sixth player in Naperville Central history to reach 1,000 points

• Nike All-American; Illinois Miss Basketball

2001

• First female high school basketball player from Illinois to dunk in a game; youngest in the nation to do so

Source: WNBA, University of Tennessee, Daily Herald archives

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Stories</h2> <ul class="links"> <li><a href="/story/?id=309972">Naperville preparing to dedicate basketball court in Parker's honor </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=310121">A love letter to sport comes down to one thing: opportunity </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=310120">Full Circle: Candace Parker believes there's always another goal </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=310119">Competitive on the court, Candace is compassionate off it </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=310118">'I hold Naperville very close to my heart' </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=310117">Candace comes home </a></li> <li><a href="/story/?id=310027">Sleep-deprived Parker wakes up WNBA </a></li> </ul> <h2>Photo Galleries</h2> <ul class="gallery"> <li><a href="/story/?id=309244">Candace Parker </a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>