May 13, 2009

MEDIA ADVISORY

Candace Parker Welcomes Baby Girl

Candace Parker gave birth to a baby girl today at 11:29am.  It is the first child for the WNBA MVP/ROY and husband Shelden Williams of the Minnesota Timberwolves.  The baby girl weighed in at 7 pounds, 6 ounces and 20 inches in length. 

“Shelden and I are thrilled,” said Parker.  “This is such a life changing moment for us, we feel blessed to have a healthy and beautiful baby girl.”

Parker plans to rejoin the Los Angeles Sparks once she has received clearance from her physician.

Parker nearly averaged a double-double her rookie season (18.5 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and she led the WNBA in rebounds.  She earned the 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year award and the Most Valuable Player award marking the first time in the WNBA’s 12 seasons that a rookie has won MVP. Parker captured her first Olympic Gold Medal at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. She won back-to-back NCAA championships with the Lady Vols in 2007 and 2008 leading the team in scoring (20.6 ppg) and rebounding (8.8 rpg) her final season at Tennessee.  Parker was named the 2007 and 2008 Collegiate Female John R. Wooden Player of the Year, State Farm Player of the Year, Basketball Writers Association National Player of the Year and Kodak All-American.  She earned the NCAA Final Four MVP award in 2007 and 2008.