Sky's Candace Parker becomes first WNBA player with 3 triple -doubles
Nneka Ogwumike could have been focused on her routine prior to the game.
Instead, the veteran of 11 years was teaching rookie Olivia Nelson-Ododa prior to playing in the Sparks match against the Chicago Sky at Crypto.com Arena on Thursday.
Candace Parker waited in the locker room. Ogwumike coached the rookie on the low post and honed her footwork.
"That's why she's an All-Star," said interim coach Fred Williams with a smile.
The Sparks forward was named an All-Star player this week for the first time during her
career of 11 years and was awarded the seventh All-Star award overall.
However, Parker was dominant in the contest of seven-time All-Stars and scored
a 10-point and 10-assist triple-double over three-quarters of an blowout 82-59 for
her very first match in L.A. since leaving as an unrestricted free agent in 2021
Parker became the first woman in WNBA history to score three triple-doubles.
She was also the first player with two consecutive triple-doubles during the same season, after achieving the milestone on the 22nd of May.
Ogwumike scored 15 points and four rebounds , and three assists in The Sparks (6-10) lost their fifth loss in their last five games.