Parker had been vocal in her disappointment with the lack of Sparks championships in the last several yearsNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Longtime L.A. Sparks F Candace Parker is signing with the Chicago Sky, and her addition to the team will be a "driver for momentum" both on the court and in getting the city of Chicago "excited for the return of the WNBA," according to Chantel Jennings of THE ATHLETIC. Parker, a Chicago-area native, "brings a level of excitement" to a Sky team that "felt like it underachieved during the bubble season and is eager to return to full health." Parker had stated her intention of ending her career in L.A., and many "assumed she would have a Sue Bird-like career in which she had a lengthy career in a single city." But the last several years of the Sparks' legacy has been of "underachievement," and Parker "had been vocal in her disappointment with the lack of championships" (THEATHLETIC.com, 1/27). In Chicago, Jamal Collier writes the addition of Parker "has the potential to be a franchise-altering move" for the Sky, who "instantly catapult into the mix as one of the favorites to win the WNBA championship next season." It is the "kind of signing that can transform an emerging team into a championship-caliber one" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 1/28).
FAREWELL TO A LEGEND: In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes Parker leaving is "shattering" for the Sparks. Plaschke: "This is Clayton Kershaw leaving the Dodgers. This is Mike Trout departing the Angels." Parker is "revered for more than her on-court accomplishments, even though she has a bunch." She was cheered for her "quiet resilience," and for her "personal evolution, from a shy superstar to an engaging personality who has recently shined as a television analyst" (L.A. TIMES, 1/28).
