Las Vegas (April 28, 2024)-Three-time WNBA champion and two-time league MVP Candace Parker announced her retirement today after a 16-year-long career.
Please visit Candace’s Instagram page for her official announcement.
Please click here for a statement from Aces.
The 6-4 forward/center signed with the Aces ahead of the 2023 season, starting the first 18 games of the year while leading Las Vegas to a 16-2 record. She was averaging 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game before surgery on her left foot sidelined her for the remainder of the season. With the 2023 WNBA crown, the No. 1 pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft became the first player in league history to win championships with three different teams, having also done so with Los Angeles (2016) and Chicago (2021).
Named to the WNBA Top 20 Under 20 and W25 teams, Parker is a 10-time All-WNBA honoree who played her first 13 seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Sparks. She became the first player in WNBA history to be named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season when she averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists while helping the Sparks to a 10-win improvement in 2008. .
A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Parker led LA to 11 playoff appearances, including the 2016 WNBA Championship. He earned his second MVP award in 2013 when he averaged 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists.
The Tennessee grad signed with Chicago as a free agent on February 1, 2021 and led the Sky to its first-ever WNBA championship that same year.
As a collegian, Parker led the Lady Vols to the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Championships, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player accolades both years.
Since 2018, Parker has served as an analyst and commentator for the NBA on TNT during the WNBA offseason. In 2019, he served as an analyst for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Game, and began working as an analyst and commentator for NBA TV and NCAA Tournament coverage on CBS Sports.
| Parker’s career honors | ||
| wnba champion | 3 | 2016 (LA), 2021 (CHI), 2023 (LV) |
| WNBA Most Valuable Player | 2 | 2008, 2013 |
| All-WNBA First Team | 7 | 2008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2022 |
| All-WNBA Second Team | 3 | 2009, 2015, 2018 |
| WNBA All-Star | 7 | 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022 |
| WNBA Defensive Player of the Year | 1 | 2020 |
| WNBA All-Defensive Second Team | 2 | 2009, 2012 |
| WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player | 1 | 2016 |
| WNBA Rookie of the Year | 1 | 2008 |
| WNBA All-Star Most Valuable Player | 1 | 2013 |
| Olympic gold medalist | 2 | 2008, 2012 |
| NCAA Championship | 2 | 2007, 2008 |
| Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year | 1 | 2007-08 |
| John R. wooden award | 2 | 2006-07, 2007-08 |
| AP Player of the Year | 2 | 2006-07, 2007-08 |
| last four most outstanding players | 2 | 2007, 2008 |
| Parker’s career WNBA rankings | ||
| score | 6,574 | 9 |
| field goals | 2,471 | 7th |
| field goal attempt | 5,163 | 9 |
| free throw | 1,290 | 13th |
| free throw attempts | 1,682 | 12th |
| Rebounds | 3,467 | 3third |
| rebounds per game | 8.5 | 8th |
| defensive rebound | 2,846 | 2Ra |
| defensive rebounds per game | 6.9 | 3 |
| Help | 1,634 | 7th |
| stole | 521 | 16th |
| blocks | 619 | 5th |
| blocks per game | 1.51 | 11th |
