Tag: Candace Parker

Candace Parker hilariously called Aces teammate A’Ja Wilson on Facetime to celebrate Tennessee right before South Carolina’s epic buzzer-beater

Celebrated too soon!

The South Carolina women’s basketball team refused to lose on Saturday, as Kamilla Cardoso scored her first 3-pointer of the season to top Tennessee at the buzzer.

The heroic bucket from Cardoso kept South Carolina’s undefeated season alive and sent the Lady Vols home with a devastating defeat.

The last-second South Carolina victory also caught Tennessee great and current Las Vegas Aces forward Candace Parker off-guard as she Facetimed with her teammate, a former South Carolina standout.

Wilson posted on Twitter (X) a screenshot of the two talking on Facetime, as she said that Parker called Wilson thinking the game was over only to realize it most certainly was not after Cardoso’s shot.

It’s never a good idea to celebrate until the final buzzer, especially in a sport like basketball where so much can change with one bucket.

Parker probably won’t hear the end of this for quite some time, as Wilson both got a big victory for her alma mater and a good laugh out of Parker’s confident Facetime call.

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Aces’ Candace Parker: Kobe Bryant uplifted the WNBA

Three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker reflects on the impact of Kobe Bryant on the WNBA ahead of his statue unveiling.

Few basketball players in the world had a greater impact on the game of basketball than Kobe Bryant. Not only did he impact the men’s side of the game, but his impact on the women’s side was indelible.

Bryant was an advocate for the WNBA and an ally to the players. Three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker commended Bryant this week for his impact ahead of his statue unveiling on Thursday at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

“We in the WNBA feel like Kobe was the person that uplifted our league,” Parker said on TNT. “I think just in terms of him having his daughters and really teaching the game. I think that’s the biggest thing I learned from him. It’s like always continue — no matter how many championships you have, how many games you win — to want to learn and get better and study the game. I think that’s the biggest thing that I learned from Kobe watching, but also being in L.A. and seeing him win championships at the end of his career.”

In 2020, the WNBA created the Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award, which recognizes “an individual or group who has made significant contributions to the visibility, perception, and advancement of women’s and girls’ basketball at all levels.”

When the award was first announced, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert had this to say about Bryant.

Kobe was an incredible champion of women’s basketball and Gianna shared his passion and dedication to our game. The Kobe & Gigi Bryant WNBA Advocacy Award will honor their legacy and reflect Kobe’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of players, promoting the game and giving back to the community.

The inaugural winner of the award was Chris Paul in 2021 and the 2022 winner was NBA legend Pau Gasol. The award winner is selected together by the WNBA and the Bryant family and announced each year at NBA All-Star Weekend.

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Las Vegas Aces re-sign multiple championship players during free agency

The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces are retaining a solid roster heading into the upcoming season.

The two-time WNBA champion Las Vegas Aces are retaining a solid roster heading into the upcoming season. The most recent re-signing during free agency is three-time champion and two-time MVP Candace Parker.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to play the game I love while competing alongside my teammates and coaches,” said Parker. My family and I are excited to be back in Las Vegas and ready for another great season.”

Parker started the first 18 games of the 2023 season for the Aces and averaged nine points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals a game before undergoing surgery on her left foot and being sidelined the remainder of the season. The Aces won the championship in 2023, and with that, Parker became the first player in WNBA history to win a championship with three different teams: Los Angeles Sparks (2016) and Chicago Sky (2021).

The Aces also re-signed two-time champion Sydney Colson.

“We are excited to have the face of the league, Sydney Colson, back in our Aces camp,” said general manager Natalie Williams. “There is only light and laughter when she is around. Sydney practices and competes with intensity every day, she is a true pro. We look forward to having her leadership and fun back in camp.”

The Aces re-signed another two-time champion in center Kiah Stokes, who averaged 2.1 points and 5.4 rebounds in 86 games over the past 2 1/2 seasons with the Aces.

“I’m really excited to be coming back to Vegas,” said Stokes. “It feels like I’ve found a home here and I like what we’re building. Let’s go Aces!”

Suffice it to say, the Aces are looking to make another championship run in the 2024 season with their roster intact. The Aces’ first game is May 14 against the Phoenix Mercury.

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Candace Parker’s iconic basketball career shouldn’t be discredited to appease Knicks fans

The light on Candace Parker’s basketball career shouldn’t be dimmed to satisfy Knicks fans.

Part of what makes Candace Parker one of the most incredible WNBA talents ever is that she knows the game and has always been unapologetically herself. She shouldn’t have to change that for Knicks fans.

In case you missed it, New York Knicks fans are unhappy with how media personalities have recently portrayed Jalen Brunson. Earlier this season, they took exception to comments made by Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon. As a result, they created a new nickname for Brunson that reflects what they feel is top-tier talent.

Knicks fans are now dissatisfied with WNBA star Candace Parker for comments she made about Jalen Brunson’s stats in last season’s playoffs.

Parker’s comments led to her social media accounts being flooded by vitriol from Knicks fans, and it even got the attention of current Knicks shooting guard Josh Hart.

The backlash prompted Parker to clarify her comments on Wednesday.

But here’s the thing: Like Hammon, Parker shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to validate her opinion simply because Knicks fans disagree. She’s entitled to her opinion just like they are entitled to theirs – even if that opinion is incorrect.

What she’s not entitled to is having her resume and her basketball knowledge questioned. The disrespect is mystifying and incredibly dismissive. If the energy is not the same for other media personalities when they comment on basketball or Jalen Brunson, this is selective outrage, and fans should be ashamed.

3-time WNBA champion Chelsea Gray joins Kings broadcast team

Gray is also a current ACC Network college basketball analyst for the 2023-2024 season.

Three-time WNBA champion Chelsea Gray adds another role to her ever-expanding résumé, joining the Sacramento Kings broadcast team as a pre and postgame analyst. She joins hosts Kyle Draper and Morgan Ragan and analysts Matt Barnes and Mike Bibby on NBC Sports California for the remainder of the 2023-24 NBA season.

Gray won back-to-back WNBA championships with the Las Vegas Aces in 2022 and 2023 while also snagging a championship in 2016 with the Los Angeles Sparks. She is an Olympic gold medalist and five-time WNBA All-Star, among many other accolades.

This will not be her first foray into basketball analysis. She is a current ACC Network (ACCN) college basketball analyst for the 2023-2024 season. Gray isn’t the only Aces team member analyzing the game this season. Candace Parker works for Turner Sports as a basketball analyst and even head coach Becky Hammon is an ESPN analyst.

In addition to her analyst role, it was announced earlier this year that Gray will be a founding member of a new professional basketball league in the United States. Unrivaled was founded by New York Liberty forward Breanna Stewart and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier. The league will run from January through March and “feature 30 of the top professional women’s players on six teams, playing games of 3-on-3 and 1-on-1 at a soundstage in Miami.”

The offseason is shaping up to be quite busy for Gray, but there isn’t a true offseason in women’s basketball. So, instead, she joins numerous other players who head to their secondary or tertiary jobs when the WNBA season ends.

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Candace Parker becomes first player to win WNBA championship with three teams

Former Lady Vol Candace Parker becomes first WNBA player to win WNBA title with three teams.

Las Vegas defeated New York, 70-69, in game No. 4 of the WNBA Finals at Barclays Center in Brooklyn New York, to win the 2023 WNBA championship.

Las Vegas won the best-of-five series, 3-1.

Former Lady Vol Candace Parker became the first WNBA player to win a championship with three teams. She won titles in 2016 with Los Angeles and in 2021 with Chicago.

Parker did not play during the postseason. She last played July 7, before having season-ending foot surgery. In 18 games in 2023, Parker averaged 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

The Aces also won the WNBA championship in 2022. Former Tennessee player and assistant coach Nikki Fargas has won back-to-back WNBA championships as president of Las Vegas.

PHOTOS: Candace Parker through the years

The complete list of every WNBA player with a signature shoe deal

There are only 12 players that have had a signature shoe in WNBA history.

Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson is dominating in the WNBA Finals, but even her unprecedented domination hasn’t garnered her a signature shoe deal. In fact, despite the record-breaking performances and overwhelming increase in viewership, there have only ever been 12 players with their own signature shoes bearing their names.

The WNBA is finishing up its 27th season, which means, on average, there have been .44 shoe deals per season. While the number has been rapidly picking up with three new deals in the past few seasons, shoe deals are not keeping pace with the growth of the WNBA.

The first shoe deal in WNBA history was the Nike Air Swoopes, named after legendary player Sheryl Swoopes. She was the first player to receive her own signature shoe, with the first model coming out in 1995.

The most recent player with a signature shoe? New York Liberty sharpshooter Sabrina Ionescu, which launched in February 2023. Currently, there are three players in the WNBA Finals with a signature shoe deal, including New York’s Breanna Stewart and Ionescu and Aces forward-center Candace Parker.

See the complete list of every WNBA player with a signature shoe deal:

Rhyne Howard hopes to have impact on WNBA like Candace Parker

Howard made Atlanta Dream history on Sunday as the fastest player to reach 1,000 career points.

Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard recently became the fastest player in WNBA history to make 150 career 3-pointers. And in the Dream’s win over the Washington Mystics on Sunday, Howard made franchise history as the fastest player to reach 1,000 points.

Howard was the first pick in the 2022 WNBA draft when the Dream selected her out of Kentucky. She was the first player ever drafted No. 1 overall in the WNBA draft in school history and left the program as the all-time top 3-point shooter and a two-time SEC Player of the Year. Howard was named the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2022.

This season, Howard is averaging 17.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. Although she only had 11 points in Atlanta’s win against Washington, it was all she needed to reach the franchise record. She also recorded five rebounds, five steals and two blocks in the win.

When asked what impact she hopes to leave on the WNBA, Howard said: “Obviously, you see people breaking records every day, and you always see, ‘Since Candace Parker.’ I want to have an impact like that.”

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Aces’ Candace Parker was ‘tolerating the pain’ of a fractured foot this season

Parker was playing on a fractured foot this season and doctors suggested the healthiest route was to undergo surgery.

Las Vegas Aces superstar Candace Parker announced late Monday night that she had undergone successful foot surgery. Parker was playing on a fractured foot this season and doctors suggested the healthiest route was to undergo surgery.

“Earlier today, I underwent surgery on a fracture in my foot,” Parker said. “I’ve been playing on a fracture all season, tolerating the pain, but after consulting with doctors, the only option for me to be healthy again and to avoid further injury was to elect for surgery. I’ll rehab and work my way toward being healthy as soon as possible. For my teammates; for my circle; for my family; for myself.”

The Las Vegas Aces also issued a statement: “She is out indefinitely, and will work her way toward getting healthy as soon as possible.”

The Aces (21-2) are in first place in the WNBA this season. They have a strong roster to pick up the slack while Parker is out. This season, Parker is averaging nine points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, but missed the last five games.

This is the perfect time to elect for surgery; it creates a chance for her to return for the playoffs, which begin in seven weeks (Sept. 13).

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Candace Parker explains the significance of Aces’ first-of-its-kind headquarters

For the first time in WNBA history, a facility was built solely to house a WNBA team.

The Aces brought the first major professional sports championship to the city of Las Vegas in 2022 when they took home the WNBA title. Now the team is doubling down on its efforts to provide a state-of-the-art environment for its players. For the first time in WNBA history, a facility was built solely to house a WNBA team.

The Aces unveiled the facility on Friday and it boasts:

  • Training facility
  • Cold & hot plunge pools
  • HydroWorx
  • Infrared sauna
  • Cryo chamber
  • Nutrition bar
  • Film room

Now this might seem like something standard for professional athletes, but in the world of professional women’s sports, it’s not as common as you would imagine. WNBA superstar Candace Parker explained the significance of the facility to NBA player Draymond Green.

Parker not only now has a dedicated locker room, but a state-of-the-art facility to practice and hone her craft. She finally has a facility that is worthy of her talent, time and experience. As the league continues to grow, hopefully, more teams are able to provide the same level of training facility to their players.

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