WNBA champ and Naperville native Candace Parker to compete Thursday on ‘Celebrity Jeopardy!’

The lessons Candace Parker learned off the basketball court at Naperville Central High School will come in handy as she competes in the quarterfinals of “Celebrity Jeopardy!” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 12, on ABC.

[ Why is ‘Jeopardy!’ on so early in Chicago? ]

The two-time MVP, seven-time All-Star WNBA champion and returning forward for the Chicago Sky basketball team will take on Patton Oswalt and Torrey DeVitto for a spot in the final of three semifinal games and a shot at the $1 million grand prize.

Parker led Naperville Central to a pair of state basketball championships, starred at the University of Tennessee, was the top draft choice for the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008 and helped guide the U.S. Women’s Basketball Team to the gold medal in last summer’s Olympic Games.

During the “Jeopardy” game, she’ll be playing on behalf of the Mamba & Mambacita Sports Foundation, a nonprofit founded in memory of Kobe and Gianna Byrant to help underserved athletes and allow boys and girls an equal opportunity to pursue their sports dreams.

The third semifinalist will be chosen Jan. 19, when B.J. Novak (“The Office”), Brendan Hunt (“Ted Lasso”) and Cari Champion (“Pickled”) compete.

Michael Cera (“Arrested Development”) won the first semifinalist spot in a game that aired Jan. 5.

The semifinalist round featuring the three winners facing off will be shown Jan. 26. The winner from that game will move on the finals competion.

Last fall, Ike Barinholtz (“The Afterparty”) and Wil Wheaton (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) earned the first two spots in the Celebrity Jeopardy! finals.

In other “Jeopardy!” news, ABC said it is bringing back the six highest-ranked contestants to go head to head in another spinoff this year titled “Jeopardy! Masters.” Among the contestants will be Naperville native James Holzhauer.

No date for when the program will air has been announced.

subaker@tribpub.com