Ogwumike’s jumper lifts Sparks to WNBA crown

MINNEAPOLIS – Candace Parker and the Sparks jumped with joy on the court, joined in celebration by a guy named Magic Johnson who once made basketball championships a habit in Los Angeles.

Parker’s old college coach, the late Pat Summitt, was there in spirit too.

Nneka Ogwumike’s short jumper with 3.1 seconds left, off the rebound of her blocked shot, gave the Sparks a 77-76 victory over the defending champion Minnesota Lynx in the deciding Game 5 of the WNBA Finals on Thursday night for the franchise’s first title in 14 years.

Parker had 28 points and 12 rebounds to earn MVP honors of the Finals and her first WNBA title, capping a trying year marked by the death of the beloved Summitt, with whom she won two NCAA championships at Tennessee. Parker also was left off the US Olympic team after helping them to a gold medal in the previous two Games.

“The journey to get here I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with anybody else,” Parker said. “It’s amazing when you surround yourself with good people how fun it is.”

Sparks coach Brian Agler started his postgame news conference by playing a recording of the Tennessee fight song, “Rocky Top,” from a phone in front of him at the podium. Parker cried as she leaned over to hug her coach.

“I’ve never been around somebody that has been critiqued so hard,” Agler said, “and I’ve never been around anyone I’m happy for than Candace.”

Said Ogwumike: “She’s been through so much. She’s probably the most misunderstood person in the league. I told her I wanted her to get one.”