Candace Parker: March 2008 Archives

What if Candace Parker never beat the guys in the 2004 Powerade Jam Fest dunk contest? What if Parker didn't even compete?

What if Parker didn't win and didn't compete but Louisiana State's Sylvia Fowles did?

That nearly happened, and history nearly looked a lot different.

Both Parker and Fowles received invites to dunk with the male All-Americans but first had to prove to the judges that they could.

Parker got her dunk down, Fowles didn't.

Up until that point, the two prep standouts were known as the only female high school players to dunk in high school competition. After that point, Parker became a national celebrity.

How would Parker and Fowles -- the two players expected to be selected first and second in the WNBA Draft next month -- be known now had they flip-flopped roles four years ago?

"...I was excited because I dunked before my brothers did."

-- Candace Parker in an interview posted on cbsnews.com on Tuesday.

This video posted on Wednesday shows Madisun Bailey shooting hoops in her driveway on a 10-foot basket. Before she starts shooting, she turns to the camera and says this:

"My name is Madisun Bailey. I'm five, but you can call me Candace Parker."

Then she sinks the first five shots she takes, a mixture of baseline jumpers mainly, before missing her sixth shot, which barely rims out. But showing the all-around game of her basketball role model, Bailey follows her own shot, gets the rebound and makes her next shot.

File this under the category of "How you know you're really famous."