The Chicago Sky followed the Los Angeles Sparks’ footsteps and honored its former champion, Candace Parker, by retiring her jersey on August 25. Both franchises made the ‘jersey retirement’ announcement in June. The Missouri-born star spent the early and final years of her career close to her hometown, winning titles in both phases.
Remembering her days in Illinois, the retired forward got emotional and delivered a heartfelt speech to a packed Wintrust Arena.
Candace Parker Shares Emotional Message Following Chicago Sky Jersey Retirement
The Chicago Sky retired Parker’s No. 3 jersey in a halftime ceremony during the team’s match against the Las Vegas Aces. The 39-year-old star played for both franchises during her WNBA career and won a title.
The franchise dedicated a video to the champion player for her performances and contributions to the league. The seven-time All-Star got emotional during her speech and mentioned that ‘all of the love that this city brings is going up into the rafters.’
“When you tally up the championships, the banners, the state championships, the NCAA championships, and now the jersey in the rafters, it’s because of the bar this city set. It’s because of the expectations, the bright lights, the lessons learned. Most importantly, it’s because of the people. My heart will always belong to the state of Illinois, the city of Naperville and the city of Chicago. It’s not just where I’m from, but the core of who I am. That’s what home is,” Candace Parker said in her heartfelt speech.
“To my family, to my coaches, to my trainers, doctors, teachers, mentors, opponents, teammates, the entire Sky organization… all the supporters throughout the years are going up in the rafters.”
— WNBA (@WNBA) August 26, 2025
— Candace Parker during her jersey retirement speech 💙✨ pic.twitter.com/bah9uZqdec
Scroll to continue reading
Trending WNBA News
Many celebrities and former players, including her former teammate, Kahleah Copper, were present at the ceremony. Her high school coach, Andy Nussbaum, was in attendance while Common and Jenifer Hudson also applauded the star player. Chicago’s superstar Derrick Rose sent a tribute video honoring the WNBA superstar.
The star is involved with the WNBA and has expressed a desire to own a franchise one day. She also hosts a podcast, Post Moves, along with the Fever player Aliyah Boston, to share her opinion and views about ongoing events in the league.
Candace Parker Became The Second Player In WNBA History With Multiple Jersey Retirements
With the Chicago Sky retiring Parker’s Jersey, the forward became only the second player in the league with multiple jersey retirements. Lindsay Whalen was the first player to have her jersey retired by two franchises – the Minnesota Lynx and the Connecticut Sun.
Whalen won four championships with the Lynx and was a core member of the Connecticut Sun franchise. Parker, on the other hand, won three titles with three different franchises—the Sky (2021), the Sparks (2016), and the Aces (2023).