FanHouse WNBA

I've made WNBA jokes.

You've made WNBA jokes.

But Candace Parker is no joke.

Anyone that plays through a dislocated shoulder is pretty hoss in my book, so I was kind of intrigued by what Parker would do on a professional scale, even if it is the WNBA.

Now I might actually have to follow a WNBA Players.

In her professional debut on Saturday, Parker scored 34 points on 12 of 19 shooting for the Los Angeles Sparks in a 99-94 win over the Phoenix Mercury . She also added, and try and follow along, folks, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals, and a block. That's Josh-Smith-like stat filling right there, only with more points. Did I mention she's still wearing a brace on her shoulder?

Of course the criticism is going to come. "But she did it against girls." However, let me pose this quandry for you. Who would you rather have on your squad? Stephon Marbury or Candace Parker? A group of players with little or no work ethic, unrealized potential, and an inability to fight through injuries, or a core of players that are dedicated to playing the game and play through injuries? Okay, you'd still probably rather watch Eddy Curry. But still, with so many NBA players that never live up to their potential and are often questioned about their work ethic, it's refreshing to see a star player in a league that prides itself on hard work that not only makes a commitment that matches her talent, but lives up to expectations. It's just one game, and it's not likely that there will be any swarm of interest flowing to the WNBA, but it definitely raises the profile of the struggling league.

It's startling to come to this realization, but I have to admit. If I'm flipping through the channels in the long dreary days of the offseason and stumble upon Parker, I'm going to be compelled to watch. And that's definitely a first. Maybe it's time to quit with the punchlines and actually take a look at the WNBA.

As half the league starts preparing for the NBA draft in June, it's worth noting that despite all the talent we'll see wear bad suits and ballcaps, none have near the commercial potential as last year's crop led by Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. A few weeks ago, on occasion of the WNBA draft, Seattle Times scribe Percy Allen offered the hypothesis new L.A. Sparks star Candace Parker might be more profitable away from the hardwood than any NBA prospects coming out this season.

"She'll add value to the endemic sponsors who want to leverage her professional career for the sale of sport-inspired shoes and apparel," said Paul Swangard, managing director of Oregon's Warsaw Sports Marketing Center. "She's a potential once-in-a-generation type of player.

"This is a gal who beat men in a slam-dunk contest when she was in high school," he continued. "She's got an urban-legend appeal ... and she may have the ability to transcend her sport. She has the opportunity to be relevant to people whether they are WNBA fans or not."

Allen also notes NBA uber-agent Aaron Goodwin (the champion of last year's Durant battle royale) might skip courting any NBA prospects this year in order to focus on Parker, whom is his client.

Parker may well be the LeBron of the WNBA. But her bigger starring role could come in doing for women's sports (not just basketball) what Tiger Woods has done for golf: legitimizing it for the everyman. It's a near-impossible project, but Parker's the best candidate we'll ever have.

Previously on Fanhouse:
Candace Parker to Bolt Early for the WNBA

Olympic athletes often don't get paid to do anything other than look good. In that vein, Attractive Olympians handicaps which athletes may rake in endorsement deals after the Olympics.

It hardly seems possible that Lisa Leslie is still playing at the Olympic level, but she is. This summer in Beijing, Leslie will look to earn her fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal with the U.S. women's basketball team.

A charter member of the WNBA, Leslie won back-to-back championships with the L.A. Sparks in '01 and '02, was the first WNBA player to dunk in a game, and at the age of 35 she will return to the Sparks a year after giving birth to her first child, a daughter named Lauren.

But the question remains: is she hot? Wilhelmina Models thought so -- they gave her a contract that put her in Armani and Tommy Hilfiger campaigns. But Wilhelmina Models doesn't have nearly the power of an anonymous Internet poll.

After the jump, vote in said poll and scroll through the gazillions of photos of attractive athletes we've amassed and published solely for your enjoyment and critique.

A storyline (understandably) forgotten amid the Sonics-to-Oklahoma hysteria is the fate of the WNBA's Seattle Storm. The 'Oklahoma City Storm' would seem to be on shaky ground from the start; a key WNBA demographic is the gay/lesbian, and gay/lesbian culture does not exactly thrive in Oklahoma. (Evidence: An initiative making it a crime to issue a marriage certificate in said state passed 75%-25% in 2004. Note: Two members of the Storm's new ownership group bankrolled the initiative.)

But there are problems beyond that obvious problem: The Storm's two superstars, Sue Bird and Lauren Jackson, aren't exactly enthusiastic about a move to the Dust Bowl, as reported by the Seattle Times' Jayda Evans.

Jackson, who was drafted No. 1 overall by the Storm in 2001, has remained firm that she will not play in Oklahoma City. She has one more season left on her contract while guard Sue Bird, who, like Jackson owns property in Seattle, becomes a free agent at the end of this season. She signed a one-year deal because of the uncertainty.

LJ (the blonde one, a favorite to win her second MVP award this year) has suggested to the media she could sit out 2008 if the Storm moves by then (which is Clay Bennett's plan). Bird would've signed a three-year deal with the Storm last summer, but specifically did not do so because of OKC, according to reports. Mind you, Seattle is a middling team with two of the league's best players. Also, Bird and LJ are probably the best-looking players in the WNBA -- so any slight, remote chance at pulling the male 18-34 demo from Spike or G4TV for a few minutes ends with them. Take those stars away, plunk the losing franchise in a hostile environment -- smells like success.

You know exactly what will happen? Bennett will let the franchise suffer for one season in OKC, throw up his hands and tell David Stern the team is longer viable. We'll all be so shocked, I'm sure. (And it's too bad, because I gather Seattle actually does support its WNBA team strongly.)