Candace Parker

Candace Parker is a retired American professional basketball player who played for the WNBA teams such as Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, and Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA. She is a 7-time All-WNBA First Team selection (2008, 2012–2014, 2017, 2020, 2022), a 3-time All-WNBA Second Team honoree (2009, 2015, 2018), and has earned 2 selections to the WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012).

Parker was chosen for an All-Star game seven times and was the first player to win the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year accolades in the same year. She was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks as the first overall choice in the 2008 NBA Draft. She has been one of the most decorated players in WNBA history.

Early life

She enrolled in Naperville Central High School at the age of 15, and when her team won back-to-back state championships in 2003 and 2004. As a sophomore, Candace became an overnight star in the country. Candace won the slam dunk contest at the 2004 McDonald's All-American Game, made history as the first woman to do so, and defeated several future NBA stars, including J.R. Smith, Rudy Gay, and Josh Smith.

After becoming an important player and leading her high school team to win consecutive Class AA state championships, she made basketball history by being the first woman to slam the dunk in Illinois state history. She also consecutively won both the Naismith and Gatorade Prep Player of the Year twice.

Then, she entered the University of Tennessee where she made history by becoming the first woman to slam dunk in an NCAA game and the first woman to do so twice in a single NCAA game. In her final season, she scored an average of (20.6 ppg) and rebounds (8.8) leading the club.

WNBA Journey

When Parker was selected by the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA Draft in 2008, she immediately broke the rookie record for the first game played by scoring 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists against the Phoenix Mercury. She was named the Hanns-G "Go Beyond" rookie of the month in May and July of 2008. Additionally, Parker received the Hann's-G Rookie of the Year and MVP awards for the 2008 campaign.

With the American National Women's Basketball team, she competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics and took home the gold. Parker missed the remainder of the season in 2011 due to a knee injury. She has been chosen by the U.S.A. Basketball Women's National Team Player Selection Committee to represent the United States at the 2012 London Olympics along with 20 other women.

In 2016 Parker saw her first WNBA Championship where she averaged 15.3 points per game over the season and won the MVP award that year. During the 2021 season, Parker was named to The W25 for excelling and having the greatest impact during the league's 25 seasons.

Candace Parker’s Education

Candace went to Naperville Central High School and she made his first dunk in a competition when she was a sophomore at Naperville Central High School, at the age of 15. Parker instantly gained national attention when her team won back-to-back state titles in 2003 and 2004. At the 2004 McDonald's All-American Game, Candace became the first woman to win the slam dunk competition.

She enrolled at the University of Tennessee, where she made history as the first female slam dunker in an NCAA contest. Parker reached 1,000 career points for the Lady Vols, the quickest in franchise history during her sophomore year. Moreover, She was also voted the NCAA tournament's Most Outstanding Player for the second time in a row.

Candace Parker’s Awards and Achievements

Candace Parker’s Records

• While playing her professional debut against the Phoenix Mercury, she had 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 8 assists on May 17, 2008. Her 34 points set a new mark for a rookie in their first game.

• She slam-dunked against the Indiana Fever to become the second woman in WNBA history, behind her teammate Lisa Leslie. Again, she became the first WNBA player to slam dunk twice in a single regulation game.

• Parker became the fifth player in WNBA history to win multiple MVP honors.

• Parker set a record for the most steals in a finals game in Game 3 of the 2017 WNBA Finals, Parker scored 13 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 blocks leading the Sparks to a 75-64 victory.

• Parker became the first player in WNBA history to record a stat line of 21 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds, 4 steals, and 2 blocks on July 10, 2018, in a 77-75 overtime victory over the Seattle Storm.

• Parker was the first player to win the Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year accolades in the same year.

Candace Parker’s Championships

The 6-foot-4 and 184-pound Power Forward was initially selected first overall by the LA Sparks in 2008. Throughout her 13-year career with the Sparks, Parker won a WNBA championship and the MVP of the WNBA Finals in 2016. In 2021, she joined the Chicago Sky, where she earned her second WNBA title. She has also won the Russian Cup four times and the Russian National League five times.

Candace Parker’s Net worth

American professional basketball player Candace Parker has a $5 million net worth. Parker makes about $200,000 a year from her WNBA deal alone, claims Spotrac. She has other endorsements besides basketball. She recently signed agreements for new business with her other companies, like working as an analyst for TNT. Additionally, she serves as a brand ambassador for several well-known companies and goods, including NBA 2K, Adidas, Gatorade, and JBL Audio. These endorsement deals give her about $3 million each year.

Candace Parker’s Contract

She is one of the most popular and successful WNBA stars and one of the most well-respected women's basketball players. She reportedly has a worth of $5 million, according to reports. Parker makes about $200,000 a year from her WNBA contract alone, claims Spotrac. She recently signed agreements for new business with her other companies, like working as an analyst for TNT. Candace Parker's contract with Turner Sports has been extended, and she will remain a member of TNT for the foreseeable future.

Candace Parker’s Endorsements

Candace Parker played in the WNBA for 16 years and she is a three-time WNBA champion. Such success brought her several endorsements from big brands. She serves as a brand ambassador for some well-known companies and goods, including NBA 2K, Adidas, Gatorade, and JBL Audio. Her yearly income from these endorsement contracts is about $3 million. Plus, Angel City FC, a women's professional soccer team in Los Angeles, is owned by Parker and her daughter.

Candace Parker’s Family

Parker was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 19, 1986. In 2008, Shelden Williams, a Duke University and NBA player who played basketball in college, with Parker. They both married in 2008 and gave birth to their daughter, Lailaa Nicole Williams, in 2009. After eight years of marriage, Williams filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences," and the couple divorced in 2016. Parker announced her marriage to Anna Petrakova in 2019 and in 2022 she gave birth to a son. In October 2020, Parker and her daughter joined the ownership group of Angel City FC. Beginning in 2022, this Los Angeles-based squad will play in the National Women's Soccer League.

Candace Parker’s Tattoos

Parker doesn’t have much work done on her body and has written some phrases on both forearms. These include the Summitt proverb "Left foot, right foot, breathe" that is inked on her right forearm. On her left wrist is the phrase "To whom much is given, much is demanded."

Candace Parker’s Shoes

Candace Parker, a basketball star, is maintaining her collaboration with German sportswear giant Adidas. The two-time WNBA Champion and a two-time Olympic winner got her second Signature Sneaker. The first time Adidas gave him her first signature shoe was 13 years earlier. And after a decade the WNBA player got her Second Signature Shoe in 2022. The shoe, called Exhibit B, features a lightstrike cushion at the sole to highlight dynamic handling and was designed with the upcoming generation of female athletes in mind. After Candace Parker's retirement, Adidas made her president of women's basketball.

Candace Parker’s House

The WNBA star has recently bought a new luxurious house and she paid about $4 million for this bigger, fresher, and overall more stunning property in the nearby Tarzana enclave of the San Fernando Valley. The property has a spacious motor court in which at least six cars can fit. Additionally, there are terraces for outdoor eating, a big area, a beautiful saltwater pool with an integrated spa, and, of course, an adjacent pool house and a half-court basketball court.