Sky’s Candace Parker to miss her third straight game with ankle injury

Candace Parker will miss her third straight game of the 2021 WNBA season tonight as the Sky host the Atlanta Dream at Wintrust Arena at 7 p.m.

Parker suffered a minor ankle sprain during shootaround ahead of the team’s game against the Dream last week and has been rehabbing it ever since.

Coach and general manager James Wade said that he’s not overly concerned.

“She’s rehabbing two or three times a day,” Wade said. “We just want her to be back at 100% before she’s back on the floor.”

Parker has been at team practices but has not participated in any team activities. She’s been solely working with team trainers on different movements to rehab her ankle.

She posted a picture to Instagram ahead of the team’s home opener against the New York Liberty on Sunday that showed severe bruising on her left ankle. In her post, she said how painful it was for her to sit out of the home opener. She added that if she were even remotely able to play she would.

Wade said he doesn’t have a timeline on when Parker will be ready for game action. He said she’s working around the clock to get back on the court.

“I don’t suspect it will be long,” Wade said. “I just can’t put a date on it.”

In her lone game of the season, the Sky’s 70-56 win over the Washington Mystics in the season opener, Parker had 16 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.

Ruthy Hebard has been starting in Parker’s place and recorded two double-doubles in two starts. In the team’s first game against the Dream, Hebard had 18 points and 10 rebounds. Against the Liberty she finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Hebard said after shootaround today that Parker pushes her in practice which has allowed her to approach any game situation with confidence.

Allie Quigley will also miss her third straight game tonight due to a hamstring injury. Quigley has been practicing and shooting with the team, but will not be ready to take the court against the Dream.

Courtney Vandersloot, Kahleah Copper, Diamond DeShields, Hebard and Astou Ndour-Fall are the expected starters against the Dream.