The Los Angeles Sparks made sure to give one of the WNBA’s greatest her well-deserved flowers!
During halftime of their game against the Chicago Sky over the weekend, the Sparks officially retired Candace Parker’s No. 3 jersey, cementing her legacy in the rafters, NBC Los Angeles reports.
Parker’s jersey now joins those of fellow WNBA legends Lisa Leslie and Penny Toler as the only retired numbers in Sparks history. Fittingly, Leslie, Parker’s former teammate, took part in the ceremony, celebrating the mark Parker left on the city and the league.
Parker spent 13 seasons with the Sparks after being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft. In that time, she became a two-time league MVP, Rookie of the Year, WNBA champion, and the undeniable face of the franchise.
“It’s super important to see this jersey in the rafters before any others because my 13 years here were super special,” Parker reflected at Sunday’s press conference. “It was ups, downs, wins, losses, heartaches and rewards, but it’s super special to share that with my teammates and coaches, with an organization that bet on me from day one.”
Though she left L.A. in 2021 to sign with her hometown Chicago Sky, where she added another championship to her résumé, Parker’s impact in Los Angeles remains undeniable. And the celebration isn’t over. Later this summer, the Chicago Sky will retire her jersey as well, giving the hometown hero another moment of honor.
Cover photo: Los Angeles Sparks Retire Candace Parker’s No. 3 Jersey in Emotional Ceremony / Photo Credit: ESPN