One of many biggest, ever.
Candace Parker formally introduced on Sunday that she is retiring from the sport after greater than a decade. Parker is undeniably some of the influential, and iconic, gamers within the historical past of girls’s basketball.
A champion and seven-time WNBA All-Star, Parker can also be a mentor, a mom and an inspiration to many. As we rejoice CP3’s legacy, right here’s a glance again at a number of the legendary moments all through her profession:
FIRST WOMAN TO DUNK IN COLLEGE GAME
Parker set the tone from the soar. Again in ’06 as a freshman at Tennessee, she defied the notion that girls can’t dunk and confirmed the world that she will be able to by changing into the primary lady, ever, to dunk within the NCAA Event.
TOTAL DOMINANCE AT TENNESSEE
Enjoying for the late and nice Pat Summitt, Parker dominated whereas suiting up for the Volunteers. Her faculty resume contains:
- Profitable ’06 SEC Rookie of the 12 months.
- Being the quickest participant in Girl Vols historical past to attain 1,000 profession factors.
- Profitable ’07 SEC Participant of the 12 months.
- Main the Girl Vols to back-to-back nationwide championships.
- Averaging 19.4 factors, 8.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and a couple of.4 blocks per recreation.
THE ARRIVAL
Simply someday after main the Girl Vols to one more NCAA nationwide championship, the Los Angeles Sparks drafted Candace Parker as the general No. 1 choose within the ’08 draft. Actually, that was just the start for Parker, who was set to group up with Lisa Leslie.
THE ROOKIE’S REIGN
In her WNBA debut towards the Phoenix Mercury, Parker dropped 34 factors, 12 rebounds, and eight assists—breaking Cynthia Cooper’s earlier rookie file in a debut recreation.
Her dominance and skillset was plain. Parker turned the primary WNBA participant to win each Rookie of the 12 months and Most Useful Participant in the identical yr. She was additionally pregnant along with her oldest daughter on the finish of the season.
“I used to be truly pregnant with [Lailaa] on the finish of the yr, my rookie yr,” Candace informed WSLAM for the quilt of SLAM 233. “I accepted the MVP and Rookie of the 12 months trophy with my daughter after which from there it’s simply been our journey.”
THE 2016 ‘CHIP
Throughout a season that was devoted to Summitt, Parker confirmed up and confirmed out through the 2016 season. After beating the Chicago Sky, 3-1, they superior to the Finals for the primary time since ’03 and went on to defeat the Lynx and convey franchise’s third-ever title again to LA. Parker was named Finals MVP.
“I keep in mind lots about that sequence. Simply the grind, the main focus, the vitality that it took to even get by that sequence,” the 2016 Finals MVP informed WSLAM. “I believe it additionally speaks to my innocence, as a result of in 2008, we had an opportunity to go to the Finals and we misplaced on a last-second shot. I had numerous baskets that rolled off the rim. And I believe that recognizing that, like, we received off of a rebound putback…And all people after that’s telling us that we’re the very best factor ever off of 1 second. I believe it simply sort of speaks to the way you gotta keep the course.”
RETURN TO THE CHI
It was the free company announcement that shocked the world. After an illustrious profession in LA, Parker introduced she was taking her skills to the Chi, a call that was as a lot about household and her life off the court docket because it was about her profession.
“I consider quite a lot of issues come full circle,” Parker informed us. “I believe simply over the course of my profession I spotted how a lot vital individuals have meant to my profession. Coming again dwelling, I imply, my dad fastened my blinds the opposite day, we went over to his home for Father’s Day, my mother cooks me pregame, picks up my daughter on a regular basis. Dad brings doughnuts over generally for my daughter, like, it’s simply, I can go see my grandma. I actually respect the time that I moved away from dwelling as a result of I wanted it. I wanted to determine myself in my dwelling and get away from that, however to return again, who I’m now, to essentially admire it.”
In our SLAM 233 cowl story, CP3 opened up about her choice to affix the Sky, returning dwelling to Chicago and extra.
THE 2021 ‘CHIP
Historical past. Not solely did Parker play a key function in serving to lead the Sky to the 2021 WNBA championship, the franchise’s first, however she was famend for her management—within the SLAM 236 cowl story, even former teammate Kahleah Copper praised her for it (learn right here).
TO VEGAS
But once more, Parker’s choice to take her skills elsewhere, this time Vegas, was centered round household. Regardless of damage, Parker’s presence added to Aces’s star studded roster because the group went on to win their second title as a franchise.
THANK YOU, CANDACE!
