The Los Angeles Sparks announced today that they will be retiring WNBA legend Candace Parker’s No. 3 jersey on June 29 at Crypto.com Arena, joining the likes of Lisa Leslie and general manager Penny Toler. Parker was drafted as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft after a dominant career at Tennessee, where she won back-to-back NCAA championships and earned two First-Team All-American honors, as well as a Second-Team nod in her freshman year.
In her WNBA debut, Parker broke the league record held by Cynthia Cooper, finishing with 34 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists. The three-time Olympic gold medalist went on to win three WNBA titles, including a Finals MVP award in 2016. The 2020 Defensive Player of the Year is arguably the second most influential player in Sparks history, behind only Lisa Leslie.
Parker officially retired from basketball in 2024 and currently works as a full-time analyst for Turner Sports. With Turner’s NBA media rights deal ending soon, it’ll be interesting to see if Parker finds a new home, potentially at ESPN, where she could expand her coverage of the WNBA and women’s college basketball.
On June 29, Parker will receive the honor of seeing her No. 3 jersey raised to the rafters at Crypto.com Arena—forever cementing her legacy in Los Angeles.
