Candace Parker
Candace is an American professional basketball player for the Chicago Sky of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). She was selected as the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks.
BET ON CANDACE BECAUSE:
She was the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game, first to dunk twice in a college game & second player to dunk in a WNBA game
HEIGHT
6.4 ft (1.95 m)
BIRTHDAY
April 19, 1986
SPORT LEAGUE
WNBA
TEAM
Chicago Sky
POSITION
Power Forward
HEIGHT
6.4 ft (1.95 m)
BIRTHDAY
April 19, 1986
SPORT LEAGUE
WNBA
TEAM
Chicago Sky
POSITION
Power Forward
Awards
- College – 2× NCAA champion (2007, 2008), 2× AP Female Athlete of the Year (2008, 2021), 2× USBWA College Player of the Year (2007, 2008), Naismith College Player 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), Kodak All-America team (2006), SEC Rookie of the Year (Coaches and AP, 2006), SEC tournament MVP (2006), Only college player named to the USA squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women (3rd place finish), SEC Player of the Year (2007), Most Outstanding Player NCAA tournament (2007, 2008)
- WNBA – First overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, 2x WNBA Champion (Sparks, 2016; Sky, 2021), WNBA Finals MVP (2016), 2x WNBA MVP (2008, 2013), 4x WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2017), WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2008), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2008), 5x All- WNBA First Team (2008, 2012-2014, 2017), 2x All-WNBA Second Team (2009, 2015), 2x WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012), 2x WNBA rebounding leader (2008, 2009), 2x WNBA peak performer (2008, 2009), WNBA Top [email protected] (2016), 3× WNBA peak performer (2008, 2009, 2020), WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016), WNBA 25th Anniversary Team (2021)
- Overseas – 5x Russian National League Champion (2011-2015), 4x Russian Cup Winner (2011-2014), EuroLeague Champion (2013)
- National – 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, Member of the USA Women’s U18 team (Gold, 2004), USA Basketball Women’s National Team (2009)
Awards
- College – 2× NCAA champion (2007, 2008), 2× AP Female Athlete of the Year (2008, 2021), 2× USBWA College Player of the Year (2007, 2008), Naismith College Player 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), Kodak All-America team (2006), SEC Rookie of the Year (Coaches and AP, 2006), SEC tournament MVP (2006), Only college player named to the USA squad for the 2006 FIBA World Championship for Women (3rd place finish), SEC Player of the Year (2007), Most Outstanding Player NCAA tournament (2007, 2008)
- WNBA – First overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, 2x WNBA Champion (Sparks, 2016; Sky, 2021), WNBA Finals MVP (2016), 2x WNBA MVP (2008, 2013), 4x WNBA All-Star (2011, 2013, 2014, 2017), WNBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), WNBA Rookie of the Year (2008), WNBA All-Rookie Team (2008), 5x All- WNBA First Team (2008, 2012-2014, 2017), 2x All-
- WNBA Second Team (2009, 2015), 2x WNBA All-Defensive Second Team (2009, 2012), 2x WNBA rebounding leader (2008, 2009), 2x WNBA peak performer (2008, 2009), WNBA Top [email protected] (2016), 3× WNBA peak performer (2008, 2009, 2020), WNBA 20th Anniversary Team (2016), WNBA 25th Anniversary Team (2021)
- Overseas – 5x Russian National League Champion (2011-2015), 4x Russian Cup Winner (2011-2014), EuroLeague Champion (2013)
- National – 2x Olympic Gold Medalist, Member of the USA Women’s U18 team (Gold, 2004), USA Basketball Women’s National Team (2009)
Fun Facts
- First woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game, first to dunk twice in a college game & second player to dunk in a WNBA game
- Analyst and commentator for Turner on NBA on TNT, NBA TV, and NCAA Tournament coverage & she co-hosts a podcast called “Ledlow & Parker” with Kristen Ledlow
- Her all-time favorite player is Ron Harper
- She didn’t start playing basketball until 8th grade
- Beat Josh Smith and J.R. Smith to become the first-ever woman to win the slam dunk contest at the McDonald’s All-American Game in 2004
- Left the Sparks after 13 seasons and return home to Chicago to lead the Sky to the franchise’s first-ever championship in 2021
- Wears the number 3 on her jersey to honor NBA legend Allen Iverson
- One of People Magazine’s 100 World’s Most Beautiful people
- Shares ownership stake in Angel City FC, an NWSL expansion team in Los Angeles, with her daughter, Lailaa
- First-ever woman cover athlete of NBA 2K22
- Tennessee initially recruited her for volleyball
- Her favorite Russian dish is Borscht, a beet-tomato based soup
- Volunteered and supported D.A.R.E, Loaves & Fishes, PETA, the March of Dimes and the Ronald McDonald House
Married to Russian Olympian [Anna Petrakova](https://www.instagram.com/petrarulove/) (Played together in Russia at UMMC Ekaterinburg)
Social
EMBED SOCIAL SCRIPT HERE
Articles
3 chaotic WNBA free agency predictions
Will these happen? Idk! But here are some guesses, with odds they’ll happen.
3 reasons the Mercury are poised for a Finals comeback
Few expected the No. 5 Mercury to reach the WNBA Finals, and even fewer thought they’d own home court advantage. But that run was wiped away in a 91-77 Sky blowout win in Phoenix.
3 reasons the Sky are unbreakable in the Finals
The Chicago Sky dismantled the Phoenix Mercury on their own court in a Game 1 blowout win, 91-77. They now hold a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 WNBA Finals. Every part of the Sky’s machine worked in tandem while the absences of the Mercury’s Kia Nurse (torn ACL) and Sophie Cunningham (calf strain) were evident.
Media
Favorite Song
Blinding Lights – The Weekend
Favorite Movie
Coco by Disney Pixar
Power Playlist
Chill Mix
Follow Chloe on Spotify 😉
Comfort Food
Grandma’s Spinach Soup
