Sky’s Candace Parker becomes first in WNBA history with 6,000 points, 3,000 rebounds, 1,500 assists

Candace Parker began June in a shooting slump.

In games May 31 and June 3, she shot a combined 5-for-15, scoring in single digits in consecutive games for the first time since 2020.

But in the last eight games, Parker not only snapped her slump, she made history multiple times over.

On Wednesday, she became the first player in the WNBA to eclipse 6,000 points, 3,000 rebounds and 1,500 assists. Her season-high 25 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists led the Sky to a 91-83 victory over the Connecticut Sun.

“It’s amazing to play this style of basketball,” said Parker, who last Thursday also became the first player in league history with three career triple-doubles. “I love playing fast, playing reads, playing off of different plays and being able to have multiple players to feed the ball to. It’s fun. That’s why I came here.”

Parker’s career, which began at Naperville Central, has been marked by historic feats and championships.

She won two state titles in high school before winning NCAA championships at Tennessee in 2007 and 2008. The Los Angeles Sparks drafted her first overall the day after she won her second title with the Lady Vols.

Parker is the only player in the WNBA to win Rookie of the Year and league MVP in the same season and the third pro basketball player to do so, along with Wilt Chamberlain and Wes Unseld. She was named MVP again in 2013, won her first WNBA championship in 2016, amassed five All-Star selections and was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 before signing with the Sky in 2021.

The Sky (14-5), who have won four in a row, are the team they expected to be last year during the regular season had an ankle injury not plagued Parker early in the year.

The Sky began June last in the league in three-point percentage and are ending it third at 35.9%. They also are leading the league in field-goal percentage at 47%. On Wednesday, they shot 83.3% in the first half, the highest field-goal percentage in a half in WNBA history. Parker shot 64%, including 4-for-5 from three-point range.

The Sky went 11-2 in June, propelling them to second in the league standings, a game behind the Las Vegas Aces.

Parker will headline the WNBA’s first All-Star Game in Chicago next weekend after receiving her seventh selection.

After leading the Sky to their first title last year, Parker returned to her home in Los Angeles. Since coming back for the season, she has basked in the love she missed after leaving. She threw out the first pitch and sang “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. In her reflections on the way Chicago has embraced her and the Sky over the last year, she recalled where her future Hall of Fame career began.

“Last year, when we were on the brink [of winning a championship], I knew what [Chicago embracing us] could be,” Parker said. “In Naperville, our basketball team was completely embraced, especially my senior year. The gyms were full, home and away. We were able to play at UIC, to go down state, and we filled out Redbird Arena. It’s super special to play here, and I know from being a Bulls fan, if you win here, it’s super cool.”