Candace Parker

American basketball player widely regarded as one of the greatest WNBA players of all time, known for her versatility and two-time MVP awards.

Candace Nicole Parker was born on 19 April 1986 in St. Louis, Missouri, and starred at Naperville Central High School in Illinois, becoming the first woman to win the McDonald's All-American Slam Dunk Contest and one of the most hyped women's basketball recruits in history before committing to the University of Tennessee. Parker led Tennessee to back-to-back national championships in 2007 and 2008, winning the Naismith Player of the Year award both seasons, and the Los Angeles Sparks selected her first overall in the 2008 WNBA Draft, where she became the first player to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP honours in the same season. Parker won a second WNBA MVP award in 2013 and helped the Sparks win the 2016 championship, before moving to the Chicago Sky in 2021 and winning a second title in 2021, becoming just the second player in WNBA history to win championships with two different franchises. She added a third championship with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023 before retiring. Parker won two Olympic gold medals with Team USA and became one of the most accomplished players ever to compete in the WNBA, later transitioning into a prominent broadcasting career and taking on an executive role with the league, continuing to shape the sport she dominated for over a decade as a player.

Versatile forward with excellent court vision and rebounding

One of greatest forwards in WNBA history, Olympic champion

• WNBA Champion 2016, 2021
• WNBA MVP 2008, 2013
• Olympic Gold 2008, 2012