The Los Angeles Sparks announced they would be retiring the jersey of a basketball legend in Candace Parker during a June 29 matchup against the Chicago Sky in a Thursday tweet.
Parker, a two-time WNBA MVP and seven-time All-Star, has proven to be nothing short of a winner at every level.
She cemented her status as one of the greatest players of all time during her 16 seasons in the WNBA and three with Tennessee. The 10-time All-WNBA selection led Chicago to its first-ever WNBA championship in 2021, where she played a key role in taking a four-game victory over the Phoenix Mercury. The Naperville Central product spent 13 seasons with the Sparks after winning two NCAA titles with Pat Summitt and the Volunteers. She would announce her retirement last April following one season with the Las Vegas Aces, where she won one final title alongside a loaded Aces roster and now-Sky head coach Tyler Marsh.
Parker was inducted into the Chicagoland Sports Hall of Fame in 2021. She would join the likes of a former teammate in guard Allie Quigley, who was also inducted into DePaul's Hall of Fame in January. Parker would continue her broadcasting career into her retirement, which included starring in the studio coverage of Unrivaled for TNT.
Sky taking part in her achievement couldn't make any more sense
The Sparks picked the perfect day to raise Parker's jersey into the Crypto.com Arena rafters.
It's only fitting Los Angeles solidifies her place in Sparks history in a matchup with her hometown squad. The June matchup could be one to look out for should both LA and Chicago's young building blocks for the future improve heading into next season. Sky forward Angel Reese and Sparks forward Rickea Jackson faced off in the inaugural season of Unrivaled. The two 2024 draft selectees will continue competing in the 2025 WNBA season on two squads that have invested in winning now around a few young stars and with two new head coaching hires in Marsh and Lynne Roberts.
Both the Sky and the Sparks made key additions to their rosters before the start of next season. Los Angeles took part in one of the largest moves of the offseason when they added guard Kelsey Plum, a former teammate of Parker's, in a blockbuster trade with the Aces and Seattle Storm. The Sky solidified their starting backcourt for the season with the signing of Courtney Vandersloot and the trade for Ariel Atkins. Both teams will have plenty to learn and look out for from their final regular-season matchup, which could ultimately determine how competitive they are before the postseason.