Candace Parker named the best in the West for July

Candace Parker currently sits atop many people's MVP list, as she did for much of last season. Therefore, Thursday's announcement that she had won Western Conference Player of the Month for July was just another indication that she has become arguably the best player in the WNBA, despite her failure to reclaim the MVP award since her rookie season of 2008.

Parker's July was highlighted by her record-setting 23 points in an MVP performance at the All-Star Game. She also averaged nearly a double-double with 19.8 points and nine rebounds per game during the month, as the Sparks went 7-2. She had previously been named Player of the Month three times in her career.

At age 27 Parker is in her prime and figures to be a top candidate for MVP every year for the foreseeable future. The "Three to See" entered the league this year, but back in 2008, Parker was the "one to see" and now is her time to dominate before Griner and Delle Donne reach their prime.

But what is really driving Candace more than the desire for more MVPs is her hunger to win her first WNBA championship. There are a handful of teams that are going to contend for the title this year, but Candace alone gives the Sparks an edge that perhaps no other team has.