For years, Candace Parker was the face of the WNBA ending her career as one of the greatest players in league history. Spending most of her career playing for the Los Angeles Sparks, she became an icon in the city despite women’s basketball not being as popular. Now that she is officially retired and has earned legend status, the Sparks will honor Parker with the highest honor possible as they will retire her jersey on June 29.
A core player for Los Angeles for years, helping the franchise win its first championship in 2016, she created a legacy for herself that some may compare to Kobe Bryant. Parker was a major pioneer in shaping women’s basketball into what it is today. Despite leaving the Sparks after the 2020 season, her impact was never forgotten.
Taking a Look At Parker’s Career
A superstar for the Tennessee Volunteers, where she won two consecutive national championships, Parker was the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Sparks. Wasting no time in becoming one of the league’s top players, she won both the WNBA Rookie of the Year Award and the league MVP award for the 2008 season. She put together one of the best seasons of her career. In her 13 seasons with the Sparks, Parker was a five-time All-Star selection, a two-time league MVP, a finals MVP, and a Defensive Player of the Year Award.
After becoming a free agent following the 2020 season, she announced her intention to leave the Sparks and signed a contract with her hometown team, the Chicago Sky. Her tenure with the Sky saw even more success come her way. Not only was she named an All-Star in both seasons with the franchise, but also won her second championship when the team defeated the Phoenix Mercury in the 2021 WNBA Finals. In her final season in Chicago, she averaged 13.2 points in 32 games and helped guide the team to the second seed in the playoffs before falling to the Connecticut Sun in the semifinals.
Later Career and Retirement
After her two-season stint with the Sky, Parker once again became a free agent. This time, she signed a one-year deal with the league’s top team, the Las Vegas Aces. Just like in Chicago, Parker experienced success immediately upon her arrival in Las Vegas, helping the franchise win the 2023 title, the third of her career. Despite suffering a foot injury in July that required surgery, keeping her out for an indefinite period, Parker still played a big role for the team and averaged 9.0 points in 18 games played.
After the season, she contemplated retirement but ultimately returned to the Aces on another one-year deal in February of 2024. However, shortly after signing her contract, she ended up opting to retire announcing her decision to end her career in April. Since retiring from professional basketball, Parker has gone on to do a plethora of other endeavors, including being named the president of women’s basketball for the Adidas brand as well as becoming a basketball analyst for TNT, where she remains to this day.
Final Thoughts
Parker getting her jersey retired is the perfect way to honor a Los Angeles legend. While she played in the WNBA before it reached the popularity that it has today, she was a major figure in turning some attention onto the women’s game. Since she departed from LA, the franchise has been unable to replicate the success that it had while she played there. They last made the playoffs in Parker’s final season with the team in 2020. Now, Parker will have her jersey hanging in the Crypto.com Arena rafters forever and join the long list of Los Angeles basketball legends.
