The Los Angeles Sparks made a major announcement on Thursday when it was revealed that the organization had plans for Candace Parker’s jersey retirement. Parker has been retired from the WNBA for two seasons now, and the Sparks were where she began her career.
Candace Parker is currently providing commentary for Turner Sports during their coverage of the NCAA Tournament, but during Thursday’s March Madness broadcast, she gave her reaction to the Sparks’ announcement of her jersey retirement.
“Often times when you’re playing in what I played in, the Staples Center, you look up and you see the Kareems, you see the Magics, you see the Kobes,” Parker said. “To picture Parker next to that, it’s surreal. I’m super humbled by this experience and I’m just super grateful.”
“I played with Lisa Leslie and I was at her jersey retirement and at her court-naming,” Parker continued. “I can’t lie, to be one of the legends in LA is definitely a goal for somebody. But championship banners hanging next to that. . .I’m most proud of that.”
After the Sparks selected Parker with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft, she played 13 seasons for the franchise, racking up several WNBA records in the process. She was a five-time All-Star with the Sparks, and helped lead the team to the 2016 WNBA championship. During her rookie season with the Sparks, she was named the league MVP and the Rookie of the Year jointly.
Parker’s career averages with the Sparks are 16.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.3 steals and 1.5 blocked shots with splits of 47.9 percent shooting from the field, 33.3 percent shooting from the three-point line and 89.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.
During Parker’s final season with the Sparks in 2020, she was named the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year. In addition to Parker’s Turner Sports duties, she was also named the head of the Adidas women’s basketball division.
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