WNBA title redeems LA Spark’s Candace Parker & Nneda Ogwumikes

Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus defines redeem as follows: 1. to buy or pay back, recover 2. to pay off a mortgage, etc. 3.to turn in a coupon, etc.for a discount, premium, etc. .4 ransom 5. to deliver from sin 6. to full fill a promise 7. a) to make amends or atone for b) to restore (oneself) to favor—redeemable adj.–redeemer n–redemption n.

I like numbers 1-6-7  to describe what  the WNBA Los Angles Sparks two stars, Candace Parker and Nneda Ogumike did this season in beating the favorite Minnesota Lynx on the road in the deciding game 5 of the WNBA Championship.

The Sparks finished in second place in the Western Conference for the regular season 2 games behind the Minnesota Lynx. The Lynx were 28-6 and the Sparks were 26-8. During the regular season 3 meetings the Lynx took 2 of the games.

This especially true for their two star players for Magic Johnson’s Spark’s team Candace Parker and Nneda Ogumike who were left off the USA OLympic team this past summer.

In the playoffs the Sparks won the odd numbered games 1-3-5 and the Lynx the even numbered games 2 and 4.

Parker a former two time member of the USA team in 2012 and 2008 and her teammate who was the current regular season 2016  MVP were not selected in favor of 4 Minnesota Lynx teams members which represented l/3 of the USA 12 player roster.

Parker was also the WNBA 2013 regular season MVP and regular season 2011 MVP.

So these two players had an opportunity to prove that possibly somebody made a mistake. They did not complain about not being selected, instead they supported the USA Team and then let their actions speak louder then any words as they lead the Sparks to  defeating the defending WNBA champions Lynx 77-76 on Nneda Ogumike’s put back of her missed shot with 2 seconds remaining game.

Parker had 28 points and 12 rebounds and Nneka Ogumike had a pair of dozens with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

It was the Sparks first Championship in 14 years since 2002. season who ended up as the regular MVP, but in fairness to the selection committee the Olympics were held in the middle of the WNBA regular summer season schedule as far as Ogumike’s non-Olympic selection.

The first half of the season was 17 games and the second half after the Olympics also were 17 games for each teams 34 regular season schedules of games.

The WNBA had to take a break in their regular season schedule right in the middle of their season because of the scheduling conflicts with the WNBA’s regular season schedule and the USA Olympics schedule.

However, they certainly have the right to feel redeemed and the right to feel that the WNBA championship is more important to them and the Sparks then the success of USA in their easy dominance for their 49th consecutive win and 6th in a row Olympic champions.

I have always felt when a basketball player plays to prove a point, they many times can take their skill level to another level and it is very evident that may  have been the case for the 2 Spark’s outstanding players and positive role models.

As good as they are as players, they seem by all my observations of their on and off court behavior they are even better human beings and outstanding role models..