Wiedmer: Is Candace Parker raising a future Laker?

On the face of it, the following three news stories from Wednesday would appear to have little in common:

A) Former Tennessee Lady Vols All-American Candace Parker returned to practice with the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks 49 days after giving birth to daughter Lailaa.

B) Kobe Bryant will not terminate the final two years of his contract with the NBA champion LA Lakers and will negotiate a contract extension, reportedly for three more years.

C) Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski put to rest any rumors he might depart Dookieville to coach the Lakers, saying, "I will never leave Duke until I leave coaching."

OK, so maybe the Coach K and Kobe stories have something in common, since it was reportedly Bryant who strongly encouraged the Lakers brass to go after Krzyzewski in 2004, though Coach K ultimately turned Player K down.

There is also the little matter of Krzyzewski feeling the need to end this week's rumor that he might replace current Lakers coach Phil Jackson if health issues force the Zen Master to resign.

There's even the fact that Coach K may stick around to direct Kobe in the 2012 Olympics in an attempt to duplicate the 2008 gold medal he won coaching Bryant and Co.

One might even guess that Krzyzewski officially turning his back on the Lakers job -- if such a job becomes open due to Jackson's health -- is a sign that he'll also forego another shot at Olympic gold.

After all, revered as Coach K is, he hasn't made a Final Four since 2004, which was also the last time the Dookies got past the Sweet 16.

But that still doesn't explain where Parker possibly fits into this. Does it?

Well, some would say that Parker is the female Bryant in LA, having earned both WNBA rookie of the year and league MVP last season for the Sparks. And if that's not enough, her husband Shelden Williams -- who plays for the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves -- starred for Krzyzewski at Duke.

In fact, in a recent interview with Time Magazine, Parker through water on the notion that Lailaa would definitely become a Lady Vol by saying, "When I first told Coach (Pat) Summitt that I was pregnant, she was like, 'Where can we send the (scholarship) papers?' I had to remind her that my husband went to Duke, so he's pushing for her to go there."

That wasn't thunder you just heard. That was the collective groan of Lady Vols Nation as it rumbles and grumbles its way through the Tennessee Valley.

So what is this? Six degrees of Coach K? Small World Syndrome? Mere coincidence? (Though that certainly takes the fun out of it.)

Hey, we're just getting started. Forget the way Candace and Shelden spell Lailaa. Focus, instead, on the fact that new UT football coach Lane Kiffin's wife is named Layla. And much as Kobe and Candace both play in LA, Kiffin used to coach at Southern Cal.

Hmmmm.

But it's inside the same Time interview with Parker that one can see where these three seemingly separate stories might ultimately convene.

Asked if she would ever consider signing to play in the NBA, Parker answered, "Sure."

That probably won't happen. But given her father's size (6-8) and mother's talent, Lailaa might make the Lakers roster one day, where her coach would surely be the new Coach K -- Kobe.

E-mail Mark Wiedmer at mwiedmer@timesfreepress.com