CHICAGO — Chicago’s own now has a place of her own in Chicago.
The Chicago Sky retired Candace Parker’s jersey Monday night in a halftime ceremony attended by her family, former teammates, even her high school coach. Fellow Chicago natives Common and Jennifer Hudson were in the audience, and Derrick Rose sent a video tribute.
‘My heart will always belong to the state of Illinois, the city of Naperville and the city of Chicago,’ Parker said. ‘It’s not just where I’m from, it’s the core of who I am.’
Parker, who grew up in suburban Naperville, only played two years with the Sky, spending most of her Hall of Fame career with the Los Angeles Sparks. She was a two-time WNBA MVP with the Sparks — she’s still the only player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in the same year — and won the first of her three WNBA titles in Los Angeles.
But her brief time in Chicago left a deep impact. She led the Sky to its only championship in 2021, and remains close with those teammates. The jeans she wore Monday night had images of her teammates on them, and Kahleah Copper flew in from Phoenix for the ceremony.
‘I wouldn’t have missed this day for anything. For real, for real,’ said Copper, who left as soon as she’d finished her tribute, needing to get back for the Mercury’s game in Los Angeles on Tuesday night.
The Sky’s 2021 title is the only championship by a Chicago sports team since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series in 2016. Parker led the Sky in rebounds that year, and was second to Copper in scoring.
“I grew up in the ‘90s … and it was like eat at Portillo’s, eat at Giordano’s, go to Grant Park in June because the Bulls were going to win the championship. Those three things were for sure,” Parker said. “Living in the city, it was like winning was the bar. If you didn’t win, there was nothing else.
“So to see the Stanley Cups, to see the Chicago Bulls, to then be a part of bringing a championship to Chicago, is surreal,” she said. “To be from here to win a championship here, it’s nothing like it.”
Parker left the Sky following the 2022 season, signing with the Las Vegas Aces, Chicago’s opponent Monday night. She’d spend one year with the Aces, winning a third WNBA title, before being forced to retire because of injuries.
Parker had already begun her broadcasting career before she retired. She is also president of women’s basketball for adidas, her longtime sponsor.
But no matter what she’s doing, or where she is, Parker is always going to be Chicago’s own.
‘The city is so special to me,” Parker said. “I wasn’t drafted here … but somehow I found my way back here, and to play here was an honor. And so to see (the jersey) go into the rafters, it means so much. It really does.
“I’m super grateful.”