Chicago Sky franchise legend and WNBA Champion Candace Parker speaks during her jersey retainment ceremony during a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces at Wintrust Arena.
Candace Parker is one of the biggest icons in women’s basketball, and now the three-time WNBA champion will be forever honored in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
Parker was named one of four members of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 2026 on Tuesday, according to a report by ESPN’s Shams Charania. She joins Elena Delle Donne, Amar’e Stoudemire and Doc Rivers in the class.
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The formal ceremony for the Hall of Fame is set to take place in August in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Parkers’ Legacy in Basketball
Parker won three WNBA championships with three different franchises: the Los Angeles Sparks (2016), Chicago Sky (2021) and Las Vegas Aces (2023). Two of those franchises, the Sparks and Sky, retired Parker’s No. 3 jersey in the summer of 2025.
Chicago Sky franchise legend and WNBA Champion Candace Parker speaks during her jersey retainment ceremony during a WNBA game between the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces at Wintrust Arena.
She was also named the WNBA’s Most Valuable Player twice in 2008 and 2013 while playing for the Sparks. In 2008, she became the first WNBA player to win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same season.
Additionally, Parker helped Team USA win two Olympic gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics.
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Parker spent the first 13 seasons of her WNBA career with the Sparks after the franchise drafted her with the No. 1 overall pick in 2008. Before entering the WNBA, Parker had a successful collegiate career with Tennessee. She won two national championships, two NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player Awards and two National Player of the Year Awards.
Since her retirement, Parker has served as a broadcaster for TNT Sports and the president of Adidas women’s basketball.
Photo Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
