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Candace Parker Announces Retirement

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3x WNBA Champion, 2x MVP, 7x WNBA All-Star, and 2008 Rookie of the Year, Candace Parker, has announced her retirement from the WNBA after 16 seasons. Thank you, Candace!

The 6-4 forward/center signed with the Aces prior to the 2023 season, and started the first 18 games of the year leading Las Vegas to a 16-2 record. She was averaging 9.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.5 steals per game before having surgery on her left foot which sidelined her for the remainder of the season. With the 2023 WNBA crown, the No. 1 pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft became the first player in league history to win a championship with three different teams, having also done so with Los Angeles (2016) and Chicago (2021).

A two-time Olympic gold medalist, Parker led LA to 11 playoff appearances, including the 2016 WNBA Championship. She earned her second MVP award in 2013 when she averaged 17.9 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.8 assists.

The Tennessee grad signed as a free agent with Chicago on February 1, 2021, and led the Sky to their first-ever WNBA Championship that same year.

As a collegian, Parker led the Lady Vols to the 2007 and 2008 NCAA Championships, earning Final Four Most Outstanding Player accolades both years.

Since 2018, Parker has worked as an analyst and commentator for NBA on TNT, during the WNBA offseason. In 2019, she worked as an analyst for the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship Game, and began serving as an analyst and commentator for NBA TV and NCAA Tournament coverage on CBS Sports.

PARKER’S CAREER HONORS
WNBA Champion32016 (LA), 2021 (CHI), 2023 (LV)
WNBA Most Valuable Player22008, 2013
All-WNBA First Team72008, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2022
All-WNBA Second Team32009, 2015, 2018
WNBA All-Star72011, 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022
WNBA Defensive Player of the Year12020
WNBA All-Defensive Second Team22009, 2012
WNBA Finals Most Valuable Player12016
WNBA Rookie of the Year12008
WNBA All-Star Most Valuable Player12013
Olympic Gold Medalist22008, 2012
NCAA Championship22007, 2008
Naismith Women’s College Player of the Year12007-08
John R. Wooden Award22006-07, 2007-08
AP Player of the Year22006-07, 2007-08
Final Four Most Outstanding Player22007, 2008

PARKER’S CAREER WNBA RANKINGS
Points6,5749th
Field Goals2,4717th
Field Goal Attempts5,1639th
Free Throws1,29013th
Free Throw Attempts1,68212th
Rebounds3,4673rd
Rebounds Per Game8.58th
Defensive Rebounds2,8462nd
Defensive Rebounds Per Game6.93rd
Assists1,6347th
Steals52116th
Blocks6195th
Blocks Per Game1.5111th

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Valkyries Hold Off Dream’s Comeback 67-62 in Game 4 to Tie WNBA Finals 2-2

Gabby Williams scored 17 points, Kiah Stokes set a Finals blocks record, and the Golden State Valkyries held off a furious Atlanta comeback to beat the Dream 67-62 in Game 4, tying the WNBA Finals at 2-2.

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Tiffany Hayes shoots over Rhyne Howard during Game 4 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena

Gabby Williams scored 17 points and the Golden State Valkyries survived a furious second-half comeback to beat the Atlanta Dream 67-62 in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals on Saturday at State Farm Arena, tying the best-of-seven series at 2-2.

Golden State took control early and never trailed after the first quarter. The Valkyries led 16-11 after one and blew the game open in the second quarter, outscoring Atlanta 26-15 to take a 42-26 halftime lead — the largest halftime margin of the series. It was the lowest-scoring half of the season for the Dream, who committed 14 turnovers before the break, more than their eight made field goals.

Foul trouble haunted Atlanta from the opening minutes. Allisha Gray picked up three fouls in the first quarter — two of them seven seconds apart — and Angel Reese went to halftime with three fouls and five turnovers. Reese, who had recorded a double-double in each of the first three Finals games, was held to eight points on 2-of-12 shooting, though she added nine rebounds and three blocks.

Naz Hillmon and the Atlanta Dream fell 67-62 to the Golden State Valkyries in Game 4 of the WNBA Finals at State Farm Arena. (Atlanta Dream)

Atlanta refused to fold. The Dream won the third quarter 19-12, cutting the deficit on a 14-4 run fueled by Rhyne Howard, whose three-point play drew a technical foul on Golden State coach Natalie Nakase. Isobel Borlase’s three-pointer trimmed the lead to six and brought the State Farm Arena crowd to its feet.

The Dream kept coming in the fourth. After Veronica Burton’s fadeaway pushed the margin to 66-59 with 34 seconds left, Howard scored on a driving layup and completed the three-point play at the line to make it 66-62 with 28 seconds remaining. Burton split a pair of free throws, and Williams sealed the win by stealing Reese’s pass with nine seconds left.

Williams finished with 17 points, five rebounds and three steals for Golden State. Veronica Burton and Tiffany Hayes scored 13 points apiece, and Cecilia Zandalasini added 10 off the bench. Kiah Stokes grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked three shots, setting a WNBA Finals record for blocks in a series with 13 and becoming the first player in Finals history with more than two blocks in four consecutive games.

“Finally they decided to fight,” Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase said of her team’s response after the Game 3 loss. “They’re playing their hearts out and that’s what I love.” On Golden State’s defense against Reese, she added: “It’s just team defense, the same thing. It’s the same game plan, it’s just now that we’re executing it.”

Howard led Atlanta with 19 points and eight rebounds. Jordin Canada and Isobel Borlase scored 10 points each. The Dream outrebounded the Valkyries 51-42 but shot just 33.3 percent and committed 18 turnovers to Golden State’s nine, while the Valkyries owned the paint 38-28.

The series now shifts back to San Francisco for Game 5 on Monday, October 26 at 8 p.m. ET at Chase Center. Game 6, if necessary, is Thursday, October 29 in Atlanta, and a deciding Game 7 would be played Saturday, October 31 at Golden State. Both franchises are still chasing the first championship in their history.

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