Parker homecoming fails to land - for now

Posted May 05, 2008 11:00 pm

By Patricia Babcock McGraw

The WNBA is coming to the suburbs for a preseason clash between the Los Angeles Sparks and the Chicago Sky on Thursday, but Naperville basketball star Candace Parker won't be in uniform. She has a 9 a.m. Friday date with a cap and gown instead.

Sky officials had hoped the 6-foot-4 Parker, who led Tennessee to two straight NCAA championships, would make her Chicago debut Thursday night at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates in the last exhibition game of the preseason. It had been billed as the first professional matchup pitting Parker against the Sky's 6-5 rookie, Sylvia Fowles, who lost to Parker in the NCAA title game.

But because Parker is scheduled to graduate at Tennessee at 9 a.m. Friday, she has to bypass the preseason clash to get there on time. Parker made her WNBA debut Saturday with 14 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists in 19 minutes. Leslie Leslie will lead the Sparks against the Sky on Thursday, and tickets are still available at (866) SKY-WNBA or www.chicagosky.net. The Sparks will play the Sky in a regular season game on June 3 at UIC Pavilion.

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