National Sports: BC-BKL-WNBADraft

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^BC-BKL--WNBA Draft,0158<
^Candace Parker taken first by the Los Angeles Sparks<
^Eds: APNewsNow.<
^AP Photos<
^By DOUG FEINBERG=
^AP Sports Writer=

     PALM HARBOR, Fla. (AP) _ Fresh off winning her second straight
NCAA title, Candace Parker was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks
with the first pick in the WNBA draft on Wednesday.

     The Associated Press player of the year joins Lisa Leslie,
instantly turning Los Angeles into one of the top teams in the
league. The Sparks were a franchise-worst 10-24 last season with
Leslie sitting out after giving birth to a daughter in June.

     LSU senior Sylvia Fowles was taken second by the Chicago Sky.
Fowles. The 6-foot-6 center led the Lady Tigers to four straight
Final Fours. Stanford star Candice Wiggins went third to the
Minnesota Lynx.

     

     (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

     AP-NY-04-09-08 1324EDT<