Lady Vols basketball legend Candace Parker will be inducted to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility, according to a report from ESPN on March 31.
Parker will be joined by WNBA great Elena Delle Donne, Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers and former NBA player Amar’e Stoudemire in the 2026 class, according to ESPN.
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The Naismith Hall of Fame has not yet announced its 2026 class, which will be enshrined on Aug. 15 in Springfield, Massachusetts. The class will be officially revealed April 4.
Parker will also be inducted to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame on June 27 in her first year of eligibility.
Parker retired in April 2024 after 16 seasons in the WNBA. The 6-foot-4 forward was a two-time WNBA MVP, a three-time WNBA champion and a 10-time All-WNBA selection.
The Naperville, Illinois, native is the only player in league history to win a WNBA title with three different teams, the first player to record multiple triple-doubles in a single season and the first player to eclipse 6,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 1,500 assists in their career.
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Parker had her No. 3 jersey retired by both the Los Angeles Sparks and Chicago Sky last summer. Her jersey has been retired at Tennessee, where she starred for the Lady Vols from 2004-08, since 2014.
Parker is the only player in league history to win WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season in 2008, the same summer she won her first of two Olympic gold medals and went No. 1 overall in the draft. She retired as the only player in league history to rank in the top 10 all-time in points, assists, rebounds and blocks.
Her years in the WNBA were preceded by an illustrious career at Tennessee playing for legendary coach Pat Summitt. Parker led the Lady Vols to back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008, winning Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four both years.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks: subscribe.knoxnews.com/offers
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Candace Parker to enter Naismith Hall of Fame in 2026 class, per report
