Courtney Paris, the seventh pick in the 2009 WNBA Draft, is averaging 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in her rookie season. Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty Images

At the 2009 WNBA Draft, there was one parent in the audience that stood out from the rest. The fact that he stands 6-foot-7 and weighs about 300 pounds was one indicator, the other was the beaming smile on his face throughout the day.

William “Bubba” Paris, a three-time Super Bowl winning offensive lineman with the San Francisco 49ers, watched his twin daughters – Courtney and Ashley – be selected in the first two rounds of the draft by the Sacramento Monarchs and Los Angeles Sparks, respectively.

While Ashley was unable to secure a spot on the loaded Sparks roster, Courtney’s professional basketball career is underway in Sacramento, just 90 miles away from her father’s home in the Bay Area.

With Father’s Day this weekend, WNBA.com's Brian Martin spoke with Courtney about her relationship with her dad, having a professional athlete as a parent, a memorable fishing trip in Oklahoma, her memories of Father’s Day growing up and more.

WNBA.com: How would you describe your relationship with your father?

Paris: "I’ve always kind of been more like my dad than anything. One, I think its awesome that I’m back in Sacramento and that like just yesterday I was up at his house fishing with him and talking to him and just able to spend that time. It’s been a great relationship; I’ve always been close to my dad. At the same time, he played professional football and he went to the highest level at his sport and he’s kind of watched me have the opportunity to do the same thing and he’s always trying to help me and motivate me and keep me positive about different things. I think we have a pretty good relationship."

WNBA.com: You mentioned that you are a lot like you dad, in what ways?

Paris: "One, he’s a big guy and I’m definitely my dad’s daughter if you look at me. It’s just his personality, his bubbliness, and just the way he is, he’s pretty sensitive and I’m pretty sensitive and just our personalities and everything about us. I’ve always been more like my dad than anything and Ashley has been more like my mom. I’ve just always been able to click with him and talk to him about different things."

WNBA.com: I have read that he’s not much of a basketball player though.

Paris: "Don’t let him tell you that. He’ll convince you otherwise (laughs). No he’s not, but he’s really supoortive about the mental aspect of being a professional athlete and competing at the highest level."

WNBA.com: What was it like to have a professional athlete as a father and knowing that that is what your goal as to become, to have that living example so close to you?

Paris: "Just someone understanding there are a million people out there competing for your one position, your one spot, and you have to separate yourself and from an early age my dad told me that, he knew that because he’d gone through it himself in football. He just knew even when you’re in middle school and you’re underage, you still have to put in the extra work you still have to do this and that if you want to have the opportunity to play at the highest level. So just having that kind of insight, and that kind of person to novitiate you and that’s going to be frank with you, like hey you didn’t work hard enough, or hey keep your head up, you’re learning, I think that’s good to have."

WNBA.com: You’re also in an atmosphere of elite athletes, I’m sure some of that has to rub off as well.

Paris: "Definitely. It’s not to say that sports is the only thing in my family, but I think if you have a family of writers, you’re probably going to be exposed to more writing. If you have family of athletes, you’ll be exposed to athletes and the way they carry themselves sand the things they do, even from dealing with media to competing and getting your mind right before games. Definitely I feel like being in that environment my whole life and being around people that pushed athletics has helped me in my sport and in my career."

WNBA.com: Go back to your childhood for me, can you tell me a good story about you and your dad. Any special time that you look back that makes you smile.

Paris: "We’ve had a lot of different moments and a lot of different talks. It’s cool that I can go to his house and hang out with him now. He lives on the bay and he’s a big fisher guy, he probably fishes five hours a day. One time when we were in Oklahoma we went out fishing and I had my pole and I got it stuck in different algae and stuff in the water. My dad was yelling at me like ‘Come on Courtney, you’ve got your pole stuck;’ he thought he was going to have to cut his line. I was like ‘No dad, I’ll just get it out.’ I ended it up catching this 10-pound bass, the biggest bass I’ve ever caught, and to this day – my dad is so competitive out everything, everything is a competition –and to this day every time he catches a fish he takes a picture of it and sends it to me (laughs). Its fun to have that person that is going to push you in every way, but he never likes to lose, especially not at fishing."

WNBA.com: You mentioned early that you are a lot like him, do you have that same ultra competitive trait?

Paris: "I think so. I love to win, I love to compete, but at the same time I feel like even your failures can help you along the way, so I like to look at too maybe a little bit more than he does, but I’m definitely competitively like he is."

WNBA.com: What are some of the things you would do for Father’s Day?

Paris: "Well most times, to be honest, growing up we would have a tournament or something. So most times we spent Father’s Day at some kind of AAU girls basketball tournament. This year we’re playing in LA so I won’t be able to see him. WE would make him dinner. We’d always make him some homemade cards and frames and sign our jerseys for him and different things like that that he has now hanging up in his house."

WNBA.com: What is the best and worst gift that you ever got for him?

Paris: "The worst gift, and this is my brother’s idea, we got a football and we all signed it for him, I think that was the worst gift and he was like “thanks guys”. The best gift – he loves to dress – so probably ties. My brother got all of these pictures of us and cut out like this huge collage and we all spent a few days working on it, and it still hangs up in his house so that’s probably the best one."

WNBA.com: On a side note, how is Ashley doing?

Paris: "She’s doing pretty good. She’s working out in Oklahoma and also working camps and doing individual workouts with different high school kids up there to make money on the side, so she just continues to work so hopefully she’ll get picked up or she’ll be ready to go overseas and play."

WNBA.com: How are you feeling about thing early on this season?

Paris: "I was just talking to Kara [Lawson] how it feels like hurdles. I’m the only rookie on this team and we’ve got a pretty tough system that you have to adjust to, especially on the defensive end. I feel like you jump one hurdle and you take off sprinting and then here comes the next thing. So I feel like I’m learning every day and I’m still staying positive and optimistic and just trying to get better."

WNBA.com: It must be nice to have the family support so close to home too.

Paris: "Oh yeah definitely; it definitely keeps you sane. I have good support from my teammates as well. It’s been a big ajudstment for me but I’m definitely excited about my future."