Candace Parker is the OG WNBA Wonderkid. She still remains arguably the best youngster the league has ever seen, despite the impressive rookie show from Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. She was the phenom of her time and went on to have one of the most decorated WNBA careers.  

The star forward is getting her No.3 jersey retired by the Los Angeles Sparks on June 29, where she spent the majority of her WNBA career. Parker has won three WNBA Championships, delivering the Sparks’ third and most recent WNBA Championship in 2016 and earning Finals Most Valuable Player honors. During her Sparks tenure, she was named WNBA MVP twice (2008, 2013), won the 2020 WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, and was chosen as an All-Star five times. The forward holds the franchise’s all-time assists record (1,331), places second in Los Angeles history in rebounds, ranks third in points, and has appeared in the fourth-most games.

It is a well-deserved retirement for the legend, joining Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie (No. 9) and former player and general manager Penny Toler (No. 11) as the third player to have her jersey retired by the franchise. Magic Johnson, the NBA legend, wrote a long tribute to Parker, calling her “the best all-around player to ever play in the WNBA.” The NBA was also quick to join Johnson in giving Parker her flowers, as they wrote,”AN ICONIC PLAYER TO THE RAFTERS IN LA!”

“To see my jersey hanging in the rafters amongst other legends is truly an honor,” Parker said in a statement released March 27 when the Sparks announced they would be retiring her jersey. “This moment is not just about me — it’s about my family, my teammates and the incredible support from the LA Sparks organization and fans.

Candace Parker has been in the spotlight since the age of 13, when she emerged as a basketball prodigy in Naperville, Illinois. While early hype can overwhelm young athletes, Parker embraced the pressure and exceeded expectations. She became a trailblazer in women’s basketball, becoming the first female player to announce her college commitment on national television.

Her professional career soared in 2008 when she made WNBA history by winning both Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season, a feat that remains unmatched. Parker rose to stardom with the Los Angeles Sparks before returning to her hometown to join the Chicago Sky, where she helped lead the team to its first-ever WNBA championship. In recognition of her impact, the Chicago Sky will retire Parker’s No. 3 jersey on August 25 during their game against the Las Vegas Aces. Her jersey will be raised to the rafters of Wintrust Arena alongside the team’s 2021 championship banner.

During her two seasons with the Sky, Parker averaged 13.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 1.1 blocks across 55 starts. She was selected as an All-Star in both seasons and earned All-WNBA First Team honors in 2022, further solidifying her place as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. It was not only Magic Johnson giving a heartfelt message, but one of her former teammates also had kind words for the legend.

Kelsey Plum Reflects on Candace Parker’s Legacy

Parker was a revelation to the LA Sparks and instrumental in forming the legacy of the LA Sparks. However, the franchise has trended down in the past few years, and they have failed to qualify for the playoffs in the last four seasons. Kelsey Plum has been brought in to be the marquee player of the franchise in the offseason, and she is stepping out of the Aces for the first time and getting to lead a team on her own without being in the shadow of the great A’ja Wilson.

Kelsey Plum hopes to revive the championship spirit Candace Parker once brought to Los Angeles. Though their time as teammates was brief, the two shared the court during the 2023 season with the Las Vegas Aces. Parker had joined the team that year, while Plum was already a key contributor. They played in just 18 games together, as Parker’s season was cut short due to injuries, but the impact of her presence left a lasting impression. As a torch bearer of Parker, she spoke on her relationship with Parker and feelings about entering her former teammate’s jersey retirement to the media ahead of Sunday’s ceremony.

“Beyond basketball, [she] has just transformed the game,” Plum said. “This respect she commands … that’s something that always inspired me.”

“She’s just been tremendous for women and just moving and raising the bar,” she added. “Candace as a teammate was awesome … She just brought a level of intensity, wisdom, competitiveness that really just permeated the whole locker room — and so we wanted to send her out on a great note. It’s weird that I didn’t get to play with her in LA — I played with her in Vegas — but I’m super happy for her.”

Plum will definitely be inspired by the fact that she is in the same position Parker was years back, while their career paths may not have been similar. Plum is on her own already, one of the legends of the game, and now she is looking to take that stature eleven further. The team as a whole will be lifted, seeing such a historic figure in their franchise history be honored. As Kelsey Plum steps into the spotlight in LA, she carries both the weight of expectation and the inspiration drawn from Parker’s legacy. Her leadership marks a new era for a franchise eager to return to its former glory.

With Plum embracing her role as the face of the Sparks and reflecting on Parker’s enduring impact, the ceremony becomes more than a celebration of the past; it becomes a rallying moment for the future. If history is any indication, greatness has already walked through those doors, and now it’s up to Plum and the current Sparks to carry that torch forward.