Candace Parker, a 3-time WNBA champion and 2-time league MVP, announces retirement

Three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker announced Sunday she’s retiring.

Parker, a two-time league MVP, announced in a social media post on Sunday she’s ending her career after 16 seasons.

Parker played her first 13 seasons in the league with the Los Angeles Sparks.

She became the first player in WNBA history to be named Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season when she averaged 18.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists while helping the Sparks to a 10-win improvement in 2008.

After winning a title last season with the Las Vegas Aces, Parker became the first player in league history to win a championship with three different teams. She had previously won titles with the Sparks (2016) and Chicago Sky (2021).

“I promised I’d never cheat the game & that I’d leave it in a better place than I came into it,” Parker said in her social media post. “The competitor in me always wants 1 more, but it’s time. My HEART & body knew, but I needed to give my mind time to accept it.”