Candace Parker had one of the greatest college careers in women's basketball history for the Tennessee Volunteers. Parker led the Lady Vols to two straight national championships in her final two years with the team, then decided to declare for the 2012 WNBA Draft. In her first year in the league she managed to win both the Rookie of the Year award as well as the MVP. She has struggled with injuries since that point, and also gave birth to her now three-year old daughter to miss part of another season.
Parker is playing the best basketball of her career, averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds per game as well as two-plus blocks this season in the WNBA with the Sparks. She'll be most needed in London to help the United States women's team continue their dominance in the international circuit. Parker was instrumental as they play Croatia, Angola, the Czech Republic, Turkey and China from July 28 to August 5 to try and qualify for the elimination rounds.The United States were dominant in 2008 when Parker won her first gold in Beijing.
Click here for a better profile of Parker from NBC Olympics.
Talk about Parker with women's basketball fans at Swish Appeal.