Pick One Challenge Top Ten

1. Diana Taurasi Phoenix Mercury 32.1 PRA

2. Candace Parker Los Angeles Sparks 31.8 PRA

3. Cappie Pondexter Phoenix Mercury 30.7 PRA

4. Lauren Jackson Seattle Storm 28.5 PRA

5. Candice Dupree Chicago Sky 27.6 PRA

6. Lisa Leslie Los Angeles Sparks 27.3 PRA

7. Seimone Augustus Minnesota Lynx 26.8 PRA

8. Lindsay Whalen Connecticut Sun 26.6 PRA

9. Sophia Young San Antonio Silver Stars 26.5 PRA

10. Tina Thompson Houston Comets 26.5 PRA

August 4, 2008 - The 2008 WNBA season and the Pick One Challenge are on vacation for the next few weeks due to the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Since we can't make any picks for another few weeks, let's hand out some Pick-One Challenge Awards from the first half (two-thirds?) of the WNBA season.

The First Half Pick-One MVP: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks

In a not-so shocking development, Parker is the choice for the top WNBA Player this year in the Pick One Challenge. Even if she wasn't a rookie and receiving double-points in the Pick One game, Parker would still be one of the top two selections among all 168 players in the WNBA. She led the league in PRA (points+rebounds+assists) for the majority of this season, but ended the first half in second place with a 31.8 PRA, second only to Diana Taurasi in the league. Of course she dominates all rookies in the combined points-rebounds and assists category. Even her worst game so far this year on June 11 (10 points, five rebounds, one assist) would have added 32 points into your Pick One entry.

Top Pick One Game: Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks

Parker has posted plenty of impressive totals this year, but her best game (and the top single-game Pick One total of the year so far) occurred on July 9. Parker scored 40 points, pulled down 16 rebounds, and dished out six assists in an 82-74 win over the Houston Comets. Since she gets double points for being a rookie, any lucky person who chose Parker on July 9 added 124 points to their Pick One total. Parker also started off the season with a total of 108 (34 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists) in the season opener against the Phoenix Mercury, and totaled 90 Pick One points against Phoenix on July 6, scoring 31 points with 10 rebounds and four assists.

Top Pick One Game (Non-Rookie): Betty Lennox, Atlanta Dream

Atlanta's Betty Lennox takes the honors here, posting the top single-day Pick One total by a veteran player on June 27. Lennox scored a career-high 44 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and passed for seven assists leaving anyone who selected her with a total of 60 for the day. Detroit's Deanna Nolan also scored 44 points in a game this season, but fell short of Lennox's total with five rebounds and three assists for a 52 total.

Top Pick One Game By A Rookie Not Named Candace (or Candice): Tasha Humphrey, Detroit Shock

It's not likely that many people chose Tasha Humphrey for the Pick One Challenge as she made her second career start on June 14 against the Phoenix Mercury. However if you did, you were rewarded with 76 points for your entry as Humphrey scored 28 points, pulled down eight boards and added two assists. Humphrey hasn't approached those numbers again this season, but no other member of the rookie class besides Candace Parker has either. Minnesota's Nicky Anosike also tallied an impressive rookie performance on June 3, when she posted a 68 Pick One total after scoring 20 points with 12 rebounds and two assists against the Atlanta Dream.

The Getting It Done Without Scoring Award: Ebony Hoffman, Indiana Fever

Indiana's Ebony Hoffman is ranked 27th in the WNBA with a PRA of 20.2, but her scoring average of 10.3 points is only 50 percent of her total PRA, which is the lowest percentage in the WNBA's top 30 players. Her all-around game of 7.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest means that she doesn't have to score a lot of points to help out your Pick One entry. If you reach lower into the top 50 players, veteran guard Shannon Johnson's 7.5 points account for only 47 percent of her total PRA.

Most Improved Player Award: Ebony Hoffman, Indiana Fever

Indiana's Ebony Hoffman entered the season break ranked 27th in the WNBA with a PRA of 20.2, most of which comes on the strength of a potential career-high 10.3 points and 7.9 rebounds. After doubling both of ther scoring and rebounding totals this year, Hoffman is one of the biggest movers from last season's final rankings, where she checked in at 90th overall with a 9.0 PRA. Other big movers from 2007 to this season include Jia Perkins (42nd to 15th this season), Shannon Johnson (83rd to 47th), Shameka Christon (39th in 2007 to 24th), Janel McCarville (49th to 25th).