Candace Parker
(Born 1986)
Hall of Fame Induction: 2026
Card Shown:
2009 Rittenhouse WNBA
Position: F/C
Height: 6’4″
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Candace Parker is one of the top players in the history of women’s basketball. Her success in college at Tennessee, in the WNBA, and in Olympic basketball are testament to her greatness. Following her illustrious basketball career, Candace has remained active as a businesswoman, broadcaster, author, and podcaster among her other pursuits.
Awards and Honors
- Candace starred with the Tennessee Lady Vols, winning back-to-back NCAA championships in 2007 and 2008 under legendary coach Pat Summitt. She received the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player (MOP) award both years.
- In 2008, Parker was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year and the WNBA Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player to accomplish that feat. At the time of this writing, no other player has duplicated her first-year success.
- During her sixteen-year WNBA career, Candace won three WNBA championships with the Los Angeles Sparks (2016), the Chicago Sky (2021), and the Las Vegas Aces (2023). She is the first WNBA player to win titles with three different teams. Parker retired after her final championship in 2023.
- Parker achieved numerous individual awards during her WNBA career including 2x WNBA MVP (2008, 2013), 7x All-Star, 7x WNBA First Team, and Defensive Player of the Year (2020). She also led the league in blocks twice and in total rebounds three times.
- Candace helped lead USA teams filled with future Hall of Famers to Olympic gold medals in 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London. Both teams went undefeated in the Olympic tournament on the way to the gold. Future Hall of Famers on those teams included Lisa Leslie, Diana Taurasi, Katie Smith, Sue Bird, Seimone Augustus, Sylvia Fowles, Tamika Catchings, and Tina Thompson in 2008 and Taurasi, Augustus, Bird, Fowles, Catchings, Lindsay Whalen, Maya Moore, Swin Cash, and Tina Charles in 2012. It’s no wonder Team USA completely dominated and brought home the gold medals!
Points of Interest
- Candace averaged 16.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists during her storied WNBA career.
- Parker was named to the WNBA’s Top 20@20 team which recognized the top 20 players in the first 20 years of the league. She was also named to the W25 team five years later.
- Candace was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2026.
- Since retiring from the WNBA in 2024, Parker has served as the President of Adidas Women’s Basketball. She also has worked as a sports broadcaster for TNT and Amazon Prime. Candace also has published a book called The Can-Do Mindset and co-hosts the podcast Post Moves with WNBA player Aliyah Boston.
- Candace has been part of an ownership group that is actively trying to bring a WNBA team to Nashville, Tennessee. The proposed franchise was to be named the Tennessee Summitt after the iconic college coach.
Statistics
Candace Parker Statistics
provided by Basketball-Reference.com