The Las Vegas Aces recently won their second WNBA championship in a row, led by a star-studded roster that included previously two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker. The 2x WNBA MVP just won her third Championship with the Aces, as the Vegas side defeated the New York Liberty 3-1 in the Finals series.
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Winning a third Championship makes Parker part of a rare club of basketball players who have won at least three Championships with three different teams. According to ESPN, Candace Parker is the only player in the WNBA to have achieved this feat to date. Conversely, in the NBA, only four players, including LeBron James, have had the rare opportunity to be a part of this elite club.
Candace Parker joins a rare club of basketball players after winning her third WNBA chip with the Las Vegas Aces
Candace Parker’s presence was crucial in guiding the Las Vegas Aces to their second Championship in a row. The 2x MVP joined the franchise in February this year. However, she didn’t play any minutes during the Aces’ historic playoff run. The 37-year-old guard has been sidelined since picking up a foot injury in July.
However, she kept supporting and guiding her teammates from the bench despite the injury being a hindrance. Previously, Parker had won two WNBA championships during her stints with the Los Angeles Sparks and the Chicago Sky. With this third chip, the Aces guard finds herself uniquely positioned in basketball history.
With this title, Candace Parker becomes the only player in WNBA history to win a title with three different teams 🏆🏆🏆 pic.twitter.com/VNO6gIiXcW
— ESPN (@espn) October 19, 2023
Parker has successfully inducted herself into a rare club, which only features four players from the men’s league. The 3x rebounding leader is the only WNBA player to have won three rings with three different teams, which makes her part of the elite club of players that includes LeBron James, Danny Green, John Salley, and Robert Horry.
NBA legends like Magic Johnson have inspired Candace Parker
LeBron James’ 2018 move to the Los Angeles Lakers greatly inspired WNBA legend Candace Parker’s move to the Aces. The veteran guard also drew inspiration from $600 million worth Magic Johnson, who had laid out the stepping stones for several current NBA stars to shine in the league. The WNBA star aspires to become the female Magic Johnson and put in efforts to make the women’s league equivalent in standards to the NBA.
When it comes to the WNBA players, one may notice great disparities compared to their counterparts in the men’s league. Surprisingly, WNBA stars do not have their own locker rooms and are worth way less than an average NBA player. Speaking to Draymond Green on his podcast a while ago, Parker promised to make things better, aspiring to do something big to make basketball mainstream as a women’s sport in today’s era.
