Paris Overcomes Every Challenge

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) - By the time her first practice with Courtney Paris was over, Oklahoma coach Sherri Coale already knew exactly how to push the highly touted freshman's buttons.

If she wanted to see Paris at her very best, all Coale had to do was give her a challenge and tell her she couldn't do it.

There's been little that Paris hasn't been able to do in her first year of college. She has reeled off a string of 21 straight double-doubles to lead all Division I players, leading the ninth-ranked Sooners (25-4) to the first 15-0 start in Big 12 history.

For a player who believes she can do anything she puts her mind to, Paris isn't surprised at the Sooners' impressive Big 12 run.

OU at Texas Tech | Big 12 Championship Tickets

``I'm not a loser. I'm not used to losing,'' said Paris, the national high school player of the year last year. ``I don't like to lose and I feel like we have a really good team. If we're playing well, we don't have to lose.''

With Paris at the helm, the Sooners have done little of that lately. They've won 13 straight games and have an average margin of victory of 16.3 points in Big 12 play.

The 6-foot-3 center enters this week leading the nation with 14.9 rebounds per game and in the top 10 in scoring (21.0) and blocks (3.1). She's the only player in the top 10 in all three categories.

``I'm a confident player, and definitely I don't try to be arrogant. It's confidence,'' Paris said. ``When I've got a jersey on and I'm out there with my team, I feel a little bit invincible.''

That confidence has been honed through hours and hours of practice, and a look in the mirror.

``It's just because I've put a lot of time into it and I know that I'm bigger than everybody else,'' Paris said.

It runs in the family. She is the daughter of former San Francisco 49ers lineman William ``Bubba'' Paris and the niece of former Seattle SuperSonics forward Leonard Gray. But she didn't start playing basketball until about age 10.

``I played in this Boys and Girls Club league with a bunch of kids,'' she said. ``I was horrible and then I started thinking `I really like this,' and I started working at it every day and playing with my brothers and I just got better.''

By sixth grade, she was better than the other kids her age.

By high school, she was simply dominant. She averaged 27.4 points, 18.9 rebounds and five blocks as a senior at Piedmont High School in California and was the MVP of the McDonald's All-American game.

Then she started hearing doubts about her ability.

``My biggest thing was everyone was thinking like, `Courtney, you're going to have to adjust to college,''' she said. ``Well, those girls are going to have to adjust to me, too.''

Paris quickly broke just about every freshman record at Oklahoma, then went on to set school records for rebounds and blocks in a season. She's 11 rebounds away from breaking the NCAA freshman record.

Opponents have dreamed up all kinds of schemes to try to stop her, including Baylor's ``Hack-a-Shaq'' strategy that sent Paris to the free-throw line in the final minute of overtime on Feb. 12.

Before Paris stepped up to shoot, teammate Krista Sanchez stepped over and said, ``You know they fouled you on purpose, right?''

In other words: They don't think you can do this.

Less than a 50 percent foul shooter, she made both free throws to cap a 31-point, 19-rebound performance and secure an 81-77 win.

``It's amazing,'' Sanchez said. ``When you put a little bit of pressure on her, then she's OK. Like it makes it easier.''

What's been equally impressive to Sanchez, though, is how Paris and her twin sister, Ashley, have fit in since arriving at Oklahoma. The two McDonald's All-Americans have been ballyhooed like superstars, but certainly don't act that way.

``They're always like, 'What can I do for you,' not, 'What can you do for me,''' Sanchez said. ``That's why everybody loves them.''

University of Oklahoma Athletics

Related News

Related Videos

Sponsors