Skip navigation
Site powered by
Latest news:
msnbc.com: Top msnbc.com headlines: 9 die in Kosovo avalanche; child survives

First female wins
slam dunk competition

Future Tennessee freshman
follows footsteps of LeBron, Carter

Image: ParkerAP
McDonald's All-American Candace Parker, of Naperville, Ill., dunks her way to winning the POWERAde Jam Fest slam dunk competition Wednesday.

MIDWEST CITY, Okla. - Candace Parker can dunk, too.

The 6-foot-3 senior from Naperville, Ill., dunked three times and beat five male competitors Monday night to become the first female winner of the slam dunk competition at the McDonald’s All-American boys and girls games.

Parker, who is headed to Tennessee next season, punctuated the competition with a one-handed jam while covering her eyes with her forearm.

The crowd roared, and seven of the eight judges gave her 10s. Parker finished with 223 points, well ahead of runner-up Joe Crawford, who had 148 points.

“I’ve been dunking the ball since I was 15,” she said. “I just wanted to get my first one down and knew I’d be all right.”

Parker is the second female participant in the dunk contest. Last year, Brittany Hunter, who now plays at Duke, competed but failed to dunk.

Previous winners of the dunk contest include Vince Carter, Baron Davis, Carmelo Anthony and LeBron James.

Parker is a two-time winner of the Naismith prep basketball player of the year award. She averaged 24.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.3 steals and 3.5 blocks and finished her high school career with 2,758 points.

© 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement
More news
Image: Pekingese Palacegarden Malachy trots in ring at the 135th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show in New York
Reuters
Pekingese favored to be top dog

Robins: It’s the Year of the Dragon on the Lunar calendar, and this Chinese influence could extend to it also being the year of the Pekingese on the green carpet at the 136th Westminster Dog Show on Tuesday.

NY cable dispute blacks out Knicks, 4 NHL teams

NEW YORK (AP) - As the glow fades from the Giants' Super Bowl triumph, some New York sports fans are tuning in to basketball and hockey, with the Rangers in first place and the Knicks' overnight sensation, Jeremy Lin, sparking "Lin-sanity.''

Image:
AP
Six new breeds will join show at Westminster

Robins: This year, six new breeds will be making their debut on the green carpet for the Westminster Dog Show, which begins Monday.

Slide show
Image: Snee, 8, son of New York Giants player Chris Snee and head coach Coughlin's grandson plays in the confetti after the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in the NFL Super Bowl XLVI football game in Indianapolis
  The Week in Sports Pictures
The Giants on top of the football world, getting ready for the London Olympics and more.

more photos

Slideshow
Boston Celtics v Indiana Pacers
  Who's hot on Twitter?
Check out which of your favorite athletes have the best pages and most followers!

NBCSports.com

Special feature
"American Woman: Fashioning A National Identity" Met Gala - Arrivals
When athletes and celebs get together
A look at the many links between sports and Hollywood stars.

NBCSports.com

Slideshow
Image: To match Special Report CAMPAIGN/ROMNEY-OLYMPICS
  Presidential candidates and sports
How do President Obama and his Republican rivals stack up when it comes to their sports backgrounds?