Is Candace Parker Weighing Retirement? Diving Into WNBA Veteran?s Chances of Return From Injury Woes

The Las Vegas Aces successfully fulfilled their goal of securing back-to-back WNBA championships. They locked horns with another superteam in the league, the New York Liberty in a best-of-five series game. But proving to the world why they are the best team in the league, Aces won three out of four matches and took home the 2023 WNBA title. While the fans were treated to popcorn matches, they were a little disappointed to not be able to see Candace Parker in action.

Parker joined her hands with the Aces in 2023, but in a disheartening turn of events she was sidelined from the season due to her injuries. However, now that the talk surrounding the 2024 season starts, one question has struck the minds of fans worldwide, will Candace Parker make a comeback?

Candace Parker’s Potential Return

In a recent interview with AP News, Parker opened up about her decision to return in the next season: ?I?ll weigh my options. If I feel really, really good, then I?ll play. That?s a big if. I?ve got to get my foot right. My foot was really bad last year. I don?t want to cheat the game or cheat myself.??

?Every day my foot doesn?t feel great walking. I continue to rehab and stuff. I can?t play in pain. It makes the game not fun. I realized on Halloween that I want to take my kids trick or treating. I don?t want to be sitting in the car because I can?t walk. I want to be able to go out to the beach. I love playing beach volleyball. I don?t know if one more season is worth risking that,? she further stated.?

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While her words hint both that she can be making a comeback or she might be retiring from the sport, a new sense of hope has the fans excited.?

Journey of the Aces #3?

Candace Parker is one of the most respected athletes in the league, and with her impeccable skills, she is regarded as one of the greatest players to ever set foot on the court. In her early life, she played soccer, but with a family history of playing the sport of basketball, she ultimately took that path and trained under the guidance of her father.?From her high school, she shocked the world with her basketball prowess, earning two consecutive Gatorade National Girls Basketball Player of the Year awards and leading her team to back-to-back Class AA state titles in 2003 and 2004.

Despite suffering from a knee injury during her time at the University of Tennessee, she led her team to an NCAA championship in 2007 and earned SEC Player of the Year. The basketball community couldn?t deny a talent like hers, as in 2008, Parker was the first overall pick in the draft by the Los Angeles Sparks where she helped the team to secure the championship in 2016.

For a brief period, she even joined Chicago Sky and led them to secure the 2021 WNBA championship. Following her successful years she joined the Las Vegas Aces as a free agent, however after a few appearances it was revealed that Parker was playing with a fracture in her leg.

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She fractured her left foot before the 2023 season started but still played despite being in pain. It wasn?t until she injured her right ankle and Achilles tendon that she decided to get it checked out, and after an MRI she found out that her foot was 89% fractured. Later, it was stated that she had to undergo surgery to be healthy again. Since then she has been sidelined for the whole season. But now, all eyes are on the next season and her possible comeback.