Golden Girl
Naperville's Candace Parker brings youth, versatility to Olympic-favorite Team USA
SAN FRANCISCO -- Whether it's shooting a 3, driving to the basket, or just scoring inside, the U.S. women's basketball post players have an incredible amount of versatility in their games.
Gone are the days when post players would score only in the paint. This talented group can score anywhere on the court.
Elizabeth Dalziel / The Associated Press
PRELIMINARY ROUND
Saturday
vs. Czech Republic, 7 a.m. CT
Monday vs. China, 7 a.m.
Wednesday vs. Mali, 9:15 a.m.
Aug. 17
vs. New Zealand, 9:15 a.m.
QUARTERFINALS
Aug. 19
SEMIFINALS
Aug. 21
MEDAL MATCHES
Aug. 23
"One through five, this might be the most versatile post team in a long time," center Lisa Leslie said. "Players who can shoot from the outside and the inside. Everyone is going to have an opportunity. It's like an orchestra, everyone plays a different instrument and at some point you will have a solo."
Leslie may be the very reason that some of her young teammates are so versatile.
Candace Parker remembers watching her teammate play in the 1996 Olympics and then the WNBA. She was impressed at how a post player could do more than just score in the paint. Now Parker leads a new breed of posts, who can do just about anything.
"I really remember her in the Olympics scoring from all over," the Naperville Central graduate said. "I emulated her game and wanted to be like that."
At 6-foot-4, Parker is a unique talent who can play all five positions on the floor.
"She's a freak of nature," teammate Tina Thompson said with a smile. "She can be a point forward. She really is the future of the position and the game."
Thompson also has huge versatility in her game. She can step back and shoot 3s or take the ball to the basket as was evident when she led her team to victory in a drill in practice on a last-second drive to the hoop.
"We have the best post players in the world," Olympic coach Anne Donovan said. "They really have so much uniqueness to them that makes their games so tough to play against. Nobody else in the world has as many post threats as we do."
While the versatility and ability to step back and shoot from the outside is relatively new to the women's game, it's been that way for years on the men's side in Europe. Slowly, it's starting to creep into the women's contests.
"If you look at players like Dirk Nowitzki, it's no small part of their game," Thompson said. "Lauren Jackson is one of the best in the world at it. She can score from pretty
much anywhere. There are a few others, but they are scattered around. We have so many talented ones here."
Sylvia Fowles, who might be the Americans' best pure post player, has already shown her incredible young talent on the international stage. The Chicago Sky rookie had a great tournament at the Olympic test event, averaging 17.0 points and 10.5 rebounds as well as blocking 15 shots in only six games.
"I just go out and have fun," Fowles said. "We really have a talented group and I just do whatever is needed."
Fowles, who missed six weeks of the WNBA season with an injured knee, looks fully recovered on the court. She played in a few games for the Sky before coming to training camp.
"Have you seen me out there?" she said with a wide grin. "It feels good and so far there hasn't been any swelling at all."
The other aspect of the game that the American post players bring is the ability to play above the rim. Parker and the 6-foot-5 Fowles both dunked in college, and their teammates would love to watch them repeat the feat at the Olympics.
"It would be something to see if they can do it on the international stage," forward DeLisha Milton-Jones said. "It really would bring a new element to the women's game and would be exciting for all the fans to see."
Parker downplays the dunking talk because she just wants to help the team win.
"If it happens it happens," Parker said. "But winning a gold is the No. 1 and only concern I have."
