Candace Parker facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids
Candace Parker

Parker in 2017

No. 3

Power forward

Personal information

Born

April 19, 1986 (age 39)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.

High school

Naperville Central
(Naperville, Illinois)

Listed height

6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)

Listed weight

184 lb (83 kg)

Career information

College

Tennessee (2004–2008)

NBA Draft

2008 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall

Selected by the Los Angeles Sparks

Pro career

2008–2023

Career history

2008–2020

Los Angeles Sparks

2010–2015

UMMC Ekaterinburg

2016

Guangdong Dolphins

2017

Fenerbahçe

2017–2018

Xinjiang Tianshan Deers

2021–2022

Chicago Sky

2023

Las Vegas Aces

Career highlights and awards

3× WNBA champion (2016, 2021, 2023)
WNBA Finals MVP (2016)
2× WNBA MVP (2008, 2013)
7× WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022)
WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2013)
7× All-WNBA First Team (2008, 2012–2014, 2017, 2020, 2022)
3× All-WNBA Second Team (2009, 2015, 2018)
2× WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012)
WNBA Rookie of the Year (2008)
WNBA All-Rookie Team (2008)
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020)
WNBA assists leader (2015)
3× WNBA rebounding leader (2008, 2009, 2020)
2× WNBA blocks leader (2009, 2012)
3× WNBA peak performer (2008, 2009, 2020)
WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016)
WNBA 25th Anniversary Team (2021)
5× Russian National League champion (2011–2015)
4× Russian Cup winner (2011–2014)
EuroLeague champion (2013)
2× NCAA champion (2007, 2008)
2× NCAA Tournament MOP (2007, 2008)
2× AP Female Athlete of the Year (2008, 2021)
AP Player of the Year (2008)
2× USBWA Player of the Year (2007, 2008)
Naismith College Player of the Year (2008)
Women's Basketball Academic All-American of the Year (2008)
2× John R. Wooden Award (2007, 2008)
Wade Trophy (2007)
2× Honda Sports Award for basketball (2007, 2008)
Honda-Broderick Cup (2008)
3x All-American – Kodak/State Farm Coaches', USBWA (2006–2008)
2x First-team All-American – AP (2007, 2008)
Second-team All-American – AP (2006)
SEC Female Athlete of the Year (2008)
SEC Player of the Year (2007)
2x SEC Tournament MVP (2006, 2008)
3x First-team All-SEC (2006–2008)
SEC Freshman of the Year (2006)
SEC All-Freshman Team (2006)
Gatorade National Player of the Year (2004)
McDonald's All-American (2004)

Medals

Women's basketball

Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Gold	2008 Beijing	Team
Gold	2012 London	Team
U18 and U19
Gold	2004 U18 Mayagüez	Team

Candace Nicole Parker (born April 19, 1986), also known as "Ace", is a retired American professional basketball player. Many people think she is one of the best WNBA players ever. She was the very first player picked in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.

Candace played for the Sparks for 13 seasons. She also played for the Chicago Sky for two seasons and the Las Vegas Aces for one season. She won a championship with each of these teams! Candace was a very flexible player, often playing as a forward or center.

In high school, Candace won the Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year award twice. This was a huge achievement! In college, she led the Tennessee Lady Vols to two national championships in a row (2007, 2008). She was also named the best player in the Final Four both times. She even became the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game. After college, she signed big deals with Adidas and Gatorade.

In 2016, Candace helped the Sparks win their first WNBA Finals title since 2002. She was named the Finals MVP. In 2021, she helped the Sky win their first championship. Candace won many awards, including two WNBA Most Valuable Player Awards (2008, 2013) and two Olympic gold medals (2008, 2012). She was the first player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. She also became the second player to dunk in a WNBA game.

After retiring in 2024, Candace became the president of Adidas women's basketball. She also works as a basketball analyst and commentator for TNT Sports.

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Candace Parker was born on April 19, 1986, in St. Louis, Missouri. She has two older brothers, including Anthony Parker, who also played in the NBA. When she was two, her family moved to Naperville, Illinois, where she grew up.

Her family loved basketball. Her father, Larry, played basketball in college. Candace was a bit worried about playing basketball at first. She feared she wouldn't be as good as her dad or brother. So, she focused on playing soccer instead. But in eighth grade, her family convinced her to try basketball. Her dad helped coach her and pushed her to be her best.

High School Success

Candace went to Naperville Central High School in Naperville, Illinois. She led her high school basketball team to two state championships in 2003 and 2004. She scored a school record of 2,768 points and grabbed 1,592 rebounds during her high school career.

She won many awards, including the USA Today High School Player of the Year twice. She also won the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award and Gatorade Female Basketball Player of the Year. In 2004, she was named Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year.

A cool fact: On December 27, 2001, when she was just 15, Candace dunked for the first time in a game! This was a big deal in Illinois. On March 29, 2004, she won the slam dunk contest at the McDonald's All-American Game. She was the first woman to win this contest, beating male players like Josh Smith.

Candace chose to play college basketball at the University of Tennessee. She wears the number 3 on her jersey to honor former NBA player Allen Iverson. He encouraged her during her high school years.

College Career Highlights

Candace started at the University of Tennessee in 2004. She had to sit out her first season because of a knee injury.

In the 2005–06 season, Candace played for the Tennessee Lady Vols. On March 19, 2006, she made history. In an NCAA tournament game, she became the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament. Then, she became the first woman to dunk twice in the same NCAA tournament game! She was named the SEC Rookie of the Year. She also helped the Lady Vols win the 2006 SEC tournament championship. She hit the game-winning shot with only 17 seconds left!

In her sophomore year, Candace became the fastest player in Lady Vols history to score 1,000 points. She reached this milestone in just 56 games. On April 3, 2007, she led the Lady Vols to their first national championship since 1998. They beat Rutgers 59–46, and Candace was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

Parker (left) gets ready for the jump ball against Sylvia Fowles (right)

On April 8, 2008, Candace led the Lady Vols to their second straight NCAA title. This was the eighth championship for Tennessee and the last for their legendary coach, Pat Summitt. Candace was named the Most Outstanding Player for the second year in a row. Only a few other female players have done this.

She graduated from college in May 2008. She was a great student, too, with a high grade-point average. During her time at Tennessee, she helped her team win 100 games and only lose 10.

WNBA Career

Los Angeles Sparks (2008–2020)

Rookie of the Year and MVP Season (2008)

Candace Parker was the first player picked in the 2008 WNBA draft by the Los Angeles Sparks. This happened just one day after she won her second NCAA title. She joined Olympic teammates Lisa Leslie and DeLisha Milton-Jones on the team.

In her very first game on May 17, 2008, she scored 34 points, had 12 rebounds, and 8 assists. Her 34 points broke the record for a rookie's debut game! On May 28, 2008, she made history again. She became the only woman in WNBA history to get a "5x5" stat line. This means she had at least 5 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, and 5 blocks in one game.

On June 22, 2008, she became the second woman in WNBA history to dunk during a game. Two days later, she became the first player to dunk twice in her WNBA career.

In October 2008, Candace became the first WNBA player to win both the Rookie of the Year and the Most Valuable Player awards in the same season. This was a huge achievement!

Comeback and Second MVP (2012–2013)

After missing some games due to pregnancy and injuries, Candace came back strong. In 2012, she signed a new deal with the Sparks. She played a full season and helped her team get a great record. They made it to the Western Conference Finals but lost to the Minnesota Lynx.

Parker in 2012

On July 27, 2013, Candace played in her first WNBA All-Star game. She scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, earning the WNBA All-Star MVP award. On September 19, she was named the 2013 WNBA Most Valuable Player. She became one of only a few players to win multiple WNBA MVP awards.

First WNBA Championship (2016)

In 2016, Candace re-signed with the Sparks. She helped lead the team, alongside Nneka Ogwumike, to a fantastic season. During the season, her college coach and mentor, Pat Summitt, passed away. Candace dedicated the season to her.

The Sparks made it to the WNBA Finals, facing the defending champions, the Minnesota Lynx. It was a very exciting series! In Game 5, Candace scored 28 points and had 12 rebounds. Her teammate, Nneka Ogwumike, made a game-winning shot with just 3.1 seconds left. The Sparks won their first championship since 2002! An emotional Candace said, "this is for Pat," honoring her late coach. Candace won her first championship and was named Finals MVP.

Later Years with Sparks (2017–2020)

Candace continued to play at a high level for the Sparks. In 2017, she recorded a triple-double (double-digits in points, rebounds, and assists) in a game. The Sparks made it to the WNBA Finals again, but they lost to the Minnesota Lynx in five games.

In 2018, Candace made history again with a stat line of 21 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. She was the first WNBA player to achieve such a stat line. In the 2020 season, which was shorter due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Candace led the league in rebounding. She was also named Defensive Player of the Year for the first time.

Chicago Sky (2021–2022)

Second Championship (2021)

In 2021, Candace decided to leave the Sparks after 13 seasons. She signed a two-year deal with the Chicago Sky. This move allowed her to play closer to her hometown. She said, "Chicago is where my family raised me; where I first learned the game of basketball... I'm home."

During this season, Candace was named to The W25, a list of the 25 best and most important players in the league's 25-year history. The Sky made it to the playoffs as the #6 seed. They won two single-elimination games and then upset the Connecticut Sun. In the 2021 WNBA Finals, they beat the Phoenix Mercury to win their first championship! This was Candace's second WNBA title.

Las Vegas Aces (2023)

In 2023, Candace signed with the Las Vegas Aces. She had surgery for a foot injury in July. Even though she was out, she still won her third championship when the Aces won the 2023 WNBA Finals against the New York Liberty.

Retirement

On April 28, 2024, Candace Parker announced she was retiring from professional basketball. Soon after, Adidas announced that Candace would become the president of women's basketball for their brand. She has had a long partnership with Adidas since 2008.

National Team Career

Candace Parker has proudly represented the United States in basketball. She was part of the USA Women's U18 team that won a gold medal in 2004.

She played for Team USA in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The US team won the gold medal, beating Australia. Candace helped lead the team in rebounds and blocks. She also played for Team USA at the 2012 London Olympics. They won another gold medal, defeating France in the final game.

Overseas Career

During the WNBA off-seasons, Candace played for teams in other countries. From 2010 to 2015, she played for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian League. She won five championships with them! She also played in China and Turkey for short periods.

Broadcasting Career

In 2018, Candace Parker started working as a basketball analyst and commentator for TNT Sports. She provides coverage for NBA games on TNT and NBA TV. She also covers the NCAA men's basketball tournament. In 2023, she made history again by becoming the first woman to be a color commentator for an NBA All-Star Game.

Personal Life

Candace Parker was named one of People magazine's 100 World's Most Beautiful people in 2007.

She has a daughter named Lailaa Nicole Williams, born in 2009. In 2020, Candace and her daughter became part of the ownership group for Angel City FC. This is a women's soccer team in Los Angeles.

In 2021, Candace announced that she had married Anna Petrakova in 2019. They have two sons, Airr Larry Petrakov Parker, born in 2022, and Hartt Summitt Petrakov Parker, born in 2024.

Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game	RPG	Rebounds per game
APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game	BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game
TO	Turnovers per game	FG%	Field-goal percentage	3P%	3-point field-goal percentage	FT%	Free-throw percentage
Bold	Career high	°	League leader

College Statistics

Year	Team	GP	Points	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2005–06	Tennessee	36	622	55.2	25.0	72.9	8.3	2.8	1.6	2.4	17.3
2006–07	Tennessee	36	706	52.9	33.3	71.6	9.8	2.4	1.8	2.6	19.6
2007–08	Tennessee	38	809	53.6	26.7	69.8	8.5	2.5	2.3	2.4	21.3
Career	Tennessee	110	2137	53.8	28.3	71.3	8.8	2.6	1.9	2.4	19.4

WNBA Regular Season Statistics

†	Denotes seasons in which Parker won a WNBA championship

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008	Los Angeles	33	33	33.6	.523	.423	.733	9.5°	3.4	1.3	2.3	18.5
2009	Los Angeles	25	24	32.6	.485	.208	.763	9.8°	2.6	0.6	2.1	13.1
2010	Los Angeles	10	10	33.5	.500	.250	.732	10.1	2.2	1.0	2.2	20.6
2011	Los Angeles	17	16	32.6	.511	.419	.736	8.6	2.8	1.2	1.6	18.5
2012	Los Angeles	33	33	30.7	.481	.322	.710	9.7	3.3	1.5	2.3°	17.4
2013	Los Angeles	31	31	134.25	.493	.257	.762	8.7	3.8	1.2	1.8	17.9
2014	Los Angeles	30	29	33.2	.469	.306	.846	7.1	4.3	1.8	1.4	19.4
2015	Los Angeles	16	16	34.4	.489	.279	.815	10.1°	6.3°	1.9	1.8	19.4
2016^†	Los Angeles	34	34	30.8	.442	.382	.707	7.4	4.9	1.3	1.0	15.3
2017	Los Angeles	33	33	30.5	.478	.354	.756	8.4	4.3	1.4	1.7	16.9
2018	Los Angeles	31	30	30.6	.471	.345	.808	8.2	4.7	1.2	1.0	17.9
2019	Los Angeles	22	22	26.0	.422	.267	.791	6.4	3.5	1.0	0.7	11.2
2020	Los Angeles	22	22	30.0	.510	.396	.731	9.7°	4.6	1.2	1.2	14.7
2021^†	Chicago	23	23	26.7	.458	.329	.794	8.4	4.0	0.8	1.2	13.3
2022	Chicago	32	32	28.3	.458	.311	.816	8.6	4.5	1.0	1.2	13.2
2023^†	Las Vegas	18	18	23.6	.465	.333	.893	5.4	3.7	1.5	0.9	9.0
Career	16 years, 3 teams	410	406	30.4	.479	.333	.767	8.5	4.0	1.3	1.5	16.0

WNBA Playoff Statistics

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2008	Los Angeles	6	6	36.5	.459	.000	.759	9.8°	3.8	1.5	2.2	15.0
2009	Los Angeles	6	6	35.2	.535	.250	.705	10.7°	1.7	0.8	1.8	18.0
2012	Los Angeles	4	4	36.0	.573	.500	.875	11.0°	4.3	1.0	1.8	28.8°
2013	Los Angeles	3	3	37.3	.542	.000	.684	8.7	1.3	1.0	1.0	25.7°
2014	Los Angeles	2	2	36.5	.543	.250	.444	6.0	3.5	1.5	2.5	21.5
2015	Los Angeles	3	3	38.3	.418	.389	.842	10.7°	4.7	2.3	1.3	23.0
2016^†	Los Angeles	9	9	33.0	.469	.313	.778	8.7	3.2	1.7	1.9	19.3
2017	Los Angeles	8	8	34.1	.426	.243	.895	9.1	5.1	2.5	2.0	16.9
2018	Los Angeles	2	2	30.5	.364	.250	1.000	7.0	3.0	2.5°	0.0	9.0
2019	Los Angeles	4	4	23.6	.545	.333	.333	6.0	3.5	1.0	2.0	10.5
2020	Los Angeles	1	1	40.0°	.462	.500	.900	14.0°	5.0	1.0	2.0	22.0
2021^†	Chicago	10	10	32.4	.491	.333	.895	8.4	4.4	2.1	1.0	13.8
2022	Chicago	8	8	29.4	.438	.333	.759	10.8°	4.6	1.4	2.6	14.8
Career	14 years, 3 teams	66	66	33.3	.481	.304	.777	9.2	3.8	1.6	1.8	17.4

Awards and Honors

Candace Parker has won many awards throughout her amazing career:

WNBA Awards

WNBA Champion: 2016, 2021, 2023
WNBA Finals MVP (Most Valuable Player): 2016
2× WNBA Most Valuable Player: 2008, 2013
7× WNBA All-Star
WNBA All-Star Game MVP: 2013
WNBA Rookie of the Year: 2008
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year: 2020
3× WNBA Rebounding Leader: 2008, 2009, 2020
Named to WNBA's 20th and 25th Anniversary Teams (best players in league history)

College Awards

2× NCAA Champion: 2007, 2008
2× NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player: 2007, 2008
Naismith College Player of the Year: 2008
USBWA Women's National Player of the Year: 2007, 2008
AP Women's College Basketball Player of the Year: 2007, 2008
John R. Wooden Award: 2007, 2008
SEC Player of the Year: 2007
SEC Freshman of the Year: 2006

High School Awards

Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year: 2003, 2004
Naismith Prep Player of the Year: 2003, 2004
USA Today High School Player of the Year: 2003, 2004
Won the McDonald's All-American Game Slam Dunk Contest: 2004

USA Basketball Awards

2× Olympic Gold Medalist: 2008 (Beijing), 2012 (London)
FIBA Americas U18 Championship Gold Medal: 2004

Overseas Awards

5× Russian National League Champion: 2011–2015
EuroLeague Women Champion: 2013

Images for kids

Parker in 2017
Parker (left) gets ready for the jump ball against Sylvia Fowles (right)
Parker in 2012