On Sunday, the Los Angeles Sparks raised Candace Parker‘s jersey quantity (No. 3) to the rafters of Crypto.com Area in recognition of her contributions to the franchise and affect on ladies’s basketball.
Parker Pens Emotional Speech at Retirement Ceremony
The jersey retirement ceremony occurred at halftime between the Sparks and the Chicago Sky, two of the three groups Parker performed for all through her 16-year skilled profession. One in every of her former teammates, Corridor of Famer Lisa Leslie, spoke about spending the final two years of her legendary profession with Parker, who was chosen first total within the 2008 WNBA Draft by the crew.
When Leslie retired from skilled basketball in 2009, she acknowledged, “I knew once I handed the keys over the Candace Parker, the Sparks had been in good fingers.”
The guts & soul of the Sparks. 🥹 @Candace_Parker x @LisaLeslie pic.twitter.com/kYJftVdq40
— Los Angeles Sparks (@LASparks) June 29, 2025
“In 2008 when the lottery was between Chicago and LA, a child from the Chicago land Midwest, I used to be a bit partial,” Parker mentioned within the halftime ceremony Sunday. “I wished the balls to fall in LA’s courtroom. I wished to be out west. I wished to be right here, the place all of the eyeballs, all of the lights, the place there’s ginormous footwear to fill. After I landed right here, (head coach) Michael Cooper, he mentioned to me, ‘silt,’ that was my nickname. ‘When you win right here, you’re a champion eternally.’ So there’s one factor on my thoughts, and we obtained that championship.”
Earlier than the ceremony concluded, Parker shared appreciation in the direction of the Sparks’ fanbase and the group and gratitude for having her jersey quantity retired by Los Angeles. She joins Leslie and Penny Toler because the three gamers in franchise historical past to have their jersey quantity retired.
Parker’s WNBA Profession Accomplishments
Parker performed for the Sparks within the first 13 years of her WNBA profession, attaining quite a few accolades throughout her tenure with the crew. In her rookie yr, she grew to become the primary and solely participant in WNBA historical past to win Rookie of the Yr and Most Useful Participant in the identical season.
Parker additionally received her second MVP award in 2013, was named the league’s peak performer thrice, led the league in blocks twice, and took part in seven WNBA All-Star video games.
One in every of Parker’s favourite moments as a member of the Sparks was when she led Los Angeles to a WNBA Championship in 2016. That yr, she devoted the championship to Pat Summitt, who was Parker’s head coach on the College of Tennessee after looking at Naperville Central (Ailing.)
“It’s nice,” Las Vegas Aces guard Chelsea Grey advised Ballislife about Parker. “Each time you concentrate on Candace Parker, you assume first L.A. Sparks. The one phrase I’d use to explain her is famous. She’s been a pillar on this league and the way it helped remodel what it sort of appears like. One in every of her largest issues she wished to seek out or she wished to go away the league higher than she discovered it, and she or he’s completed that. I’m a testomony to that. Simply the years that we performed collectively, the kind of participant and person who I’m.”
Parker grew to become the primary participant in WNBA historical past to win three WNBA championships with three totally different groups. After the L.A. championship in 2016, she received with the Chicago Sky in 2021 and the Las Vegas Aces in 2023.
Aces ahead A’ja Wilson spent just one season enjoying alongside Parker for the crew in 2023. It was Parker’s final season within the WNBA earlier than asserting her retirement simply final yr.
“That is enormous,” Wilson advised Ballislife pregame. “Candace has been a staple piece of this league for a very long time. She was somebody that quite a lot of the league didn’t actually see earlier than she did the whole lot that I might dream to do. So to have the ability to name her my teammate is unquestionably only a blessing, and I’m so excited that she’s getting her flowers. They’re due, she deserves all of them, and I’m excited simply to see how her jersey retirement goes.”
Gamers and Aces’ Coach Becky Hammon Share Fond Candace Parker Recollections
Becky Hammon talked about Parker’s legacy and in contrast it to how Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry modified the identification of basketball. She additionally performed in opposition to Parker throughout her skilled profession with the San Antonio Stars, each within the common season and playoffs.
“She’s a participant who modified the league with regard to type of play,” Hammon advised Ballislife. “A degree ahead, multi-dimensional, offensive and defensive participant, equally to how Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors modified how individuals seen the three-ball. They reworked the sport.
“Candace had the same impact on the ladies’s recreation, as far as bigs with the ability to deal with bigs, with the ability to shoot, choose and roll and all that stuff, Hammon advised Ballislife. “So nicely deserved, she’s among the best opponents this league has ever seen. I’m tremendous completely satisfied for her. She deserves her jersey in each place that she performed, and she or he’s simply that good.”
Candace Parker Set the Normal for Future Generations
Candace Parker was the primary and solely WNBA participant to win ROOKIE OF THE YEAR & MVP in the identical season!!
She led rookies in scoring (18.5), blocks (2.3) & minutes and led the league in rebounds (9.5) & double-doubles.
pic.twitter.com/tFdakwiGC3 https://t.co/bZfLFJmXfv
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) June 29, 2025
Grey spent six seasons enjoying alongside Parker as teammates on the Sparks and Aces, successful two championships collectively and forming a friendship on and off the courtroom.
“Profitable two championships along with her was enormous,” Grey advised Ballislife. “One in every of them, she wasn’t in a position to play as a lot as she would have preferred (in 2023). But it surely’s the truth that it goes down the historical past books that we had been teammates collectively. After which simply us hanging out and being collectively, like off the courtroom, she’s my son’s godmom. I’m her son’s godmom. So we’ve shaped a family-type of relationship.”
Parker may also have her No. 3 retired by the Chicago Sky once they welcome the Las Vegas Aces to Wintrust Area on August 25. She additionally would be the first participant in league historical past to have a jersey retired by two totally different groups.
“Having her jersey retired in each Los Angeles and Chicago – two WNBA cities the place she formed the tradition and identification of their groups – is a robust and becoming tribute to all Candace has completed,” WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert mentioned in a press release. “On behalf of the WNBA, I wish to thank Candace for being a unprecedented ambassador for the game, and have admired her skill to stability her enjoying profession, her household and her broadcast profession. Her legacy will reside on – within the rafters and within the hearts of followers all over the place.”
Parker arguably had as a lot affect on the W as anybody, alongside names comparable to Leslie, Cynthia Cooper, Sue Chook, Maya Moore and Diana Taurasi, plus a number of others. It’s a choose group.
“We’re seeing it develop in its due time,” Wilson advised Ballislife. “When you may have greats like that which have laid the inspiration down for me and all of the youthful generations to simply comply with that path. It’s actually one thing particular. So I’m grateful to have the ability to have these goats, these Corridor of Famers, to look as much as once I first entered the league, and now it’s my alternative. and others which might be in my technology proper now to proceed to put the inspiration for the following gamers to return up.”
Parker deserves all of the flowers and respect from followers worldwide, gamers, and coaches throughout the WNBA due to her lasting affect on ladies’s basketball.
