Lady Vols legend Candace Parker honored by Los Angeles Sparks with jersey retirement
The Lakers legend who won five NBA titles was the coach of the Los Angeles Sparks, who had just drafted Parker as the No. 1 overall pick the day after she won her second NCAA Championship at Tennessee. The Sparks had two WNBA championships, but they hadn't won one in six years.
Parker wanted the lottery to fall in the Sparks' favor over her hometown Chicago Sky. LA was all about basketball to Parker, who grew up watching duos like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Lisa Leslie and Delisha Milton-Jones and Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.
"I wanted the balls to fall in LA's court. I wanted to be out west. I wanted to be here, where all the eyeballs, all the lights, where there's ginormous shoes to fill," Parker said June 29 during her jersey retirement speech. "When I landed here, Michael Cooper said to me, 'Silk – that was my nickname – if you win here, you're a champion forever.' So there was one thing on my mind, and we got that. We got that championship."
Parker led the Sparks to the 2016 WNBA Championship, the first of three during her 16-year WNBA career, and won WNBA Finals MVP. On June 29, her No. 3 jersey was retired, and her banner now hangs below the 2016 championship banner at Crypto.com Arena.
Parker arrived with her family to an explosion of applause, wearing an orange vest and pants for her alma mater. Leslie, a Sparks legend, introduced Parker for her speech.
Parker's jersey was retired at halftime of the Sparks' game against the Chicago Sky, which will also retire Parker's jersey on Aug. 25. She's only the second player in league history to have her jersey retired by two franchises. Parker's No. 3 jersey has been retired at Tennessee since 2014.
It was fitting that three of the four active Lady Vols in the WNBA this season play for the Sparks – Rickea Jackson, Rae Burrell and Mercedes Russell.
The seats in Crypto.com Arena all had yellow Adidas shirts laid on them for fans that read, "That's our Ace." The phrase was the theme for Adidas' celebration for the two-time WNBA MVP, who was signed with the brand for her entire professional career and now serves as its president for women's basketball. Parker made history in 2010 when she became the first woman to receive an Adidas signature shoe.
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Leslie and Penny Toler are the only other players whose jerseys have been retired by the Sparks. Parker can remember standing in the tunnel with Leslie, with whom Parker played for two seasons, after the last game of her career in 2009.
"You looked at me and you told me, 'Hey, yo, it goes fast. Enjoy it.' I remember you back there in that tunnel telling me that," Parker said. "Now, fast forward almost 20 years, and we're here."
Parker retired in April 2024 as one of the most decorated players in WNBA history. She's the only player in league history to rank in the top 10 all-time in points, assists, rebounds and blocks. She's the only player to win WNBA Rookie of the year and MVP in the same season. Parker was a nine-time All-WNBA selection and a five-time All-Star with the Sparks.
"I think the thing that I've learned through all the ups and downs, wins and losses, injuries, difficulties, highlights, records – it's about enjoying the process, enjoying the journey," Parker said. "I'm extremely humbled to have No. 3 up there amongst the greats, and I don't take that for granted. I do not take that for granted at all. I say thank you for this celebration. It means the world to me."
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women's athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on X @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora's coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Los Angeles Sparks honor Lady Vols legend Candace Parker with jersey retirement
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