As WNBA teams around the country came to order on Sunday for the first day of training camp, one big name was noticeably absent. By mid-afternoon, it all became clear from an Instagram post: Candace Parker was retiring. After two NCAA titles, two Olympic gold medals and three WNBA titles—the only player to win championships with three different WNBA teams—Parker was drawing this part of her basketball life to a close.
“The competitor in me always wants one more, but it’s time,” wrote Parker. “My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it.”
Parker admitted that her body has finally had it. She’s had 10 surgeries during her basketball career, and the foot injury that took her out in 2023 has continued to plague her. No one, including her, knew her final game was actually her last, having quietly walked off the court with daughter Lailaa, with whom she’s shared her basketball journey since giving birth in 2009.
“On & off the court I’m proud I’ve always been true & stayed true to ME, even when it wasn’t popular,” wrote Parker. “I’m grateful for family, friends, teammates, coaches, doctors, trainers & fans who made this journey so special.”
Marie Ferdinand-Harris played alongside Parker on the Los Angeles Sparks from 2008 to 2010 when both were young mothers. “We were in a big playoff game and at halftime she was pumping [breastmilk] in the locker room,” Ferdinand-Harris said. “She was dedicated to her job, which was professional basketball, and to being a mom. I thought, ‘Wow, the life of a female athlete.’”
As the spotlight now focuses on rookie phenom Caitlin Clark, let’s remember that Parker is the only player to win WNBA Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same year. While her contracts might not have been as lucrative as Clark’s, the attention was no less. “Candace is one of the reasons why we have this great momentum,” said Ferdinand-Harris.
In recent years, Parker has built a standout career as a television broadcaster. She promises to remain involved in the business of sports, someday owning both NBA and WNBA teams. Being a wife and mother remain her top priority—in addition to Lailaa, she and wife Anna Petrakova are parents to son Airr and are expecting another child.
Parker leaves with a promise: “Forgive me as I mourn a bit, but I’ll be back loving the game differently in a while.”