Candace Parker still WNBA’s top star with success, ESPY nominations

She’s 36 years old and was deemed past her prime six years ago when being passed over in the Olympics. Nonetheless, Tennessee Lady Vols legend Candace Parker continues to prove she’s not going anywhere, and her recent success and recognition codify that fact.

Parker, who is fresh off the second championship of her career and is in her second season with the Chicago Sky, was nominated for two ESPY awards. The ESPN Press Room revealed Tuesday that she’s up for best athlete in women’s sports and best WNBA player.

In typical Candace Parker fashion, she responded to that honor by going out Wednesday and making history. She had 25 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and an amazing four blocks as she led the Sky to a 91-83 win over the Connecticut Sun and became the first WNBA player ever with 6,000+ points, 3,000+ rebounds and 1,500+ assists.

This is fresh off the news that Parker will start in another all-star game. She is a defending WNBA champion, has won two WNBA MVPs and a Finals MVP and was WNBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2020, at age 34. Simply put, she has continued to dominate as she got older.

Given the fact that Parker is the only WNBA player up for best athlete in women’s sports, you have to think she’ll end up winning the best WNBA player. Similar to LeBron James, her ability as an all-around player allows her to continue to stay relevant and a major factor into her late 30s.

There’s a reason analysts and TV personalities love having Parker on to talk basketball. She knows the sport, she’s entertaining, and yes, she can still play at a high level. Despite all the other stars, many of whom have technically accomplished more than Parker, nobody carries the league like she does.

Simply put, Candace Parker is still the WNBA’s biggest star. When she was drafted by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008, she joined with the original biggest star of the league, Lisa Leslie. Parker clearly took that torch, and she has run with it for years now.

Actually, it seems like her star power grows as she gets older. Although her last regular season MVP was 2013, some of her most successful moments on the court have come since then and in particular since she turned 30 years old. The history she made Wednesday is part of that.

You can debate whether or not Parker should be up for either of those ESPY awards. It’s also fair to question if she’s still a top five player in the league. Being this effective this late in her career combined with her accolades, though, is what’s so impressive.

It’s pretty clear now that you have to put Candace Parker up there with the Peyton Mannings of the world when you’re talking about best professional ambassadors of Rocky Top. She’s a transcendent legend in the sport, and based on this year, she’s not going anywhere.