Rookie Rankings: June 30, 2008

By Chris Bubeck

June 30, 2008 -- Throughout the 2008 WNBA season, WNBA.com will run its completely unofficial Rookie Rankings, highlighting the play of the top five rookies to this point. Here's a look at our fourth installment.

No. 1: Candace Parker, L.A. Sparks (1st pick)
GP	MPG	PPG	FG%	3PM-A	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG
14	33.4	17.1	.471	6-12	9.4	4.0	1.6	2.4

Skinny: Just when you thought Parker had done it all, the top pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft turned in another special moment. She joined Lisa Leslie as the only players in WNBA history to dunk in a game with this slam against the Fever and then followed it up with another jam against the Storm. She has also picked up her scoring with two games of at least 22 points in her last four and has notched two double-doubles over that span. She is second in the league in rebounding and third in blocks.

No. 2: Candice Wiggins, Minnesota Lynx (3rd pick)
GP	MPG	PPG	FG%	3PM-A	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG
15	29.5	17.1	.392	19-65	3.5	3.9	2.1	0.3
Skinny: Wiggins stepped into the starting lineup for the first time on Saturday and missed her first eight shots before bouncing back to finish with 15 points and six steals. She has reached double figures in scoring in every game except one this season and has netted at least 15 points in 11 of her last 12 contests. She also leads the league in free throw shooting at 92 percent.

No. 3: Tamera Young, Atlanta Dream (8th pick)
GP	MPG	PPG	FG%	3PM-A	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG
14	28.4	9.1	.366	10-22	5.5	3.6	1.0	0.4
Skinny: Young has been one of the biggest bright spots for the expansion Dream, who have still yet to win a game. The 6-foot-2 guard has started 11 of 14 games and poured in a season-high 26 points in Sunday's loss to the Shock. She has scored in double figures in five of her last nine games and also has had three double-digit rebounding games over that stretch.

No. 4: Matee Ajavon, Houston Comets (5th pick)
GP	MPG	PPG	FG%	3PM-A	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG
15	19.5	9.3	.341	3-20	2.3	1.7	1.2	0.1
Skinny: Ajavon is finally starting to show the point production she teased Comets fans with by averaging just under 20 points a game in the preseason. She poured in a season-high 24 points in 27 minutes off the bench in Saturday's win over the Fever. Ajavon tied the Houston rookie record for points in game set by Tina Thompson against Cleveland on July 29, 1997.

No. 5: Nicky Anosike, Minnesota Lynx (16th pick)
GP	MPG	PPG	FG%	3PM-A	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG
15	26.3	8.8	.415	0-1	6.5	1.3	2.3	1.4
Skinny: Anosike picked up her shooting from the floor in Saturday's loss to the Silver Stars, scoring 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting while also pulling down eight rebounds. She has averaged more than nine points a game over her last five and has started every game this season for the Lynx.

Honorable Mention: