After recently flirting with retirement, two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker has announced the next step in her career, saying she will sign with the Las Vegas Aces.
The 36-year-old has spent the past two seasons playing for her hometown Chicago Sky, where she captured her second career championship in 2021.
Parker said proximity to her family played a big role in her decision to leave the Midwest and head to Las Vegas.
«After evaluating the landscape together with my family, we decided that the Las Vegas Aces is the right organization for us at this time in our lives,» he wrote.
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Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker (3) passes the ball over the head of New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu (20) during the first half of a WNBA playoff game on 23 August 2022 in New York.
(AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
«Since I went through free agency this time, of course I’m thinking about where I can compete for my third championship, but the words home and family are what I keep coming back to… I need to be there.» For my daughter, for my son, for my wife,» Parker posted. «I can’t be without them during parts of the season when Lailaa is at school and I won’t miss her volleyball games or school dances just because of the distance. Lailaa starts high school in August and I need to be there for her, just like she’s been there for me.» Parker wrote in an Instagram caption..
Parker and Sky entered last season’s playoffs as the No. 2 seed, but were defeated in the semifinal round by the Connecticut Sun.
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«Candace has done a lot for our franchise during her time here. I understand her reasons for wanting to be closer to her immediate family,» Sky coach and general manager James Wade said in a statement. «We wish him nothing but the best. He will always be a part of the Sky family. We will celebrate his time here as he deserves.»
The Las Vegas Aces won the 2022 WNBA title, and Parker joins a star-studded roster that includes A’ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum and Chelsea Gray.
Chicago Sky forward Candace Parker (3) drives to the basket against New York Liberty forward Natasha Howard (6) during the first half of a WNBA basketball playoff game on August 23, 2022 In New York.
(AP Photo/Noah K. Murray)
Parker has had one of the most successful careers in women’s basketball history. She won two championships with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers and was the first overall pick in the 2008 WNBA draft.
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She is a seven-time All-Star and has been named to 10 All-WNBA teams. She is the first player to win an MVP award as a rookie.
Chicago Sky center Candace Parker (3) moves the ball during the first half of Game 2 of the WNBA Finals against the Phoenix Mercury on October 13, 2021 in Phoenix.
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
Under league rules, Parker and other free agents must wait until February 1 to officially sign contracts.
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Earlier this week, the Aces traded two-time All-Star Dearica Hamby to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Hamby criticized her former team, claiming the organization was «unprofessional» and «unethical» towards her following the announcement of her second pregnancy in September.