Candace Parker remains sidelined for the Las Vegas Aces ahead of the 2023 WNBA Finals.

The two-time WNBA MVP signed with the Aces as a top free agent in the offseason. But she underwent surgery to repair a foot fracture in July, and while she was not ruled out for the season, there there has been no update on her status during Las Vegas’ playoff run.

The WNBA Finals begin with Game 1 at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, with the defending champion Aces taking on the New York Liberty in the best-of-five series.

Before her surgery, Parker appeared as a starter in the first 18 games of the season for the Aces, averaging 9.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. But she had been playing on the foot fracture throughout the season. After consulting with a doctor, surgery stood as “the only option for her to be healthy again and avoid further injury,” the Aces said in a statement.

The team has provided few updates on Parker since then. A fan posted a video on Sept. 25 showing Parker still in a walking boot and using a scooter to help her get around, but it is unclear when the video was taken.

i never have anything interesting to say on here anymore so enjoy this video of candace parker rolling away . pic.twitter.com/ro8Q6ev3jj

— a. (@newcompIaint) September 25, 2023

Back at the end of August and before the end of the regular season, Aces head coach Becky Hammon gave a brief update on Parker, telling WNBA reporter Nekias Duncan that they remained in contact. But Hammon did not provide a timeline for Parker’s return, only saying she was still “in a boot, or [using] some sort of assisted walking apparatus.”

WNBA fans have plenty to say about the Aces’ chances against the Liberty, with or without Parker. Per FanDuel Sportsbook, Las Vegas is favored to win a second consecutive WNBA title at -215 odds.

Oh if Candace Parker returns during the finals then Aces in four but if she remains out for the series then Liberty in five.

— Victor Monjaras (@Journeyman15) October 1, 2023

Aces/Liberty is going to be a good as WNBA Final. Wish Candace Parker was healthy enough to play though

— Jason (@JasonC23) October 1, 2023

Candace Parker ain’t suiting up so Vegas ain’t winning. It is what it is. We saw what happened the last month of the season when they played like 5 times.

— QB Truther (@thmpsnii) October 1, 2023

the Aces are gonna do it even without Candace Parker, my god, what a team

— The Troys Are Back In Town (@pdlmma) September 30, 2023

The LA Sparks will retire the No. 3 jersey of WNBA icon Candace Parker in 2025, the team announced on Thursday.

The ceremony will take place during the team’s June 29th game against the Chicago Sky.

"To see my jersey hanging in the rafters amongst other legends is truly an honor.  This moment is not just about me — it’s about my family, my teammates, and the incredible support from the LA Sparks organization and fans,” said Candace Parker in a statement.

"This jersey represents all the moments, all the connections, and all the love that got me here.”

Spending her first 13 seasons in LA, the 2024 retiree won WNBA MVP twice with the Sparks. She additionally led the Sparks to a WNBA championship in 2016.

Moreover, she was named 2008 Rookie of the Year, 2020 Defensive Player of the Year, and 2016 Finals MVP.

Parker still leads the storied organization in total assists, ranking second all-time in rebounds and third in points scored.

The Sparks will also help launch Parker's book, The Can-Do Mindset: How to Cultivate Resilience, Follow Your Heart, and Fight for Your Passions.

As part of the ceremony, LA will integrate book-themed activations. This will allow fans to "engage with Candace’s story both on and off the court."

Basketball great praises Parker ahead of jersey retirement

Among those singing Parker's praises was Sparks co-owner and retired Lakers legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson.

“Candace is the best all-around player that has ever played in the WNBA. Her legacy is immeasurable — she redefined excellence, was a champion on the court and for the Los Angeles community and inspired countless fans and future generations of athletes," said Johnson.

"Very few champions get to see their jersey hanging from the rafters in this city. Retiring Candace’s No. 3 jersey is not just a celebration of her extraordinary career, but a tribute to the enduring mark she's left on this organization, the WNBA, and the city of Los Angeles. She will forever be a part of the Sparks family."

Just two matchdays into 2025, six of the 14 NWSL teams remain unbeaten. And while Washington has faltered, only Orlando and Kansas City have yet to drop any points ahead of this weekend’s lineup.

A few top-tier squads like the Washington Spirit are already eyeing bounce-back performances. Elsewhere, others — namely Orlando — will aim to prove their dominance with another three-point result.

Short-staffed Washington Spirit looks to bounce back

Roster availability continues to be an ongoing issue. However, this weekend’s lineup promises a couple of consequential matchups.

The Spirit attempt to shake off last week’s frustrating 2-0 loss to Kansas City against a surging Bay FC on Friday. Though Bay FC is fresh off their first win of the season against Racing Louisville.

Washington’s comeback aspirations will be tested tonight. The 2024 runners-up are staring down a lengthy injury list with nine players unavailable.

As such, expect them to lean even harder on star forward Trinity Rodman. Still recovering from a lingering back issue, Rodman told Pro Soccer Wire this week, “The mental part's been hard, but I think it’s been managed really well."

As for Orlando, the 2024 champs look as dangerous as ever. Wave will have a chance to prove that last week’s goal-fest win over Utah wasn’t a fluke when they face off on Saturday.

How to watch Washington and Orlando NWSL games this weekend

The Washington Spirit kicks off against Bay FC on Friday at 8 PM ET, with live coverage on Prime.

Afterwards, the Orlando Pride takes on San Diego Wave at Saturday at 12 PM ET, live on ESPN.

The Madness returns today, as the NCAA tournament’s Sweet 16 putsthe season’s most prolific performers to the test in a series of top-seeded showdowns.

This year’s third round is all Top 5 seeds, with blockbuster matchups expected to bring the heat well before the Final Four.

NCAA tournament history sets teams up for success

With the Cinderellas now silenced, many teams still in contention enter the Sweet 16 armed with a history of NCAA tournament success.

No. 1 seed South Carolina tips off against No. 4 seed Maryland today, as the Gamecocks vie for their fifth straight Elite Eight after winning two national titles in the last four years.

Up-and-down No. 3 seed LSU makes a play for their third straight Elite Eight berth tonight — not to mention an attempted repeat of their 2023 championship win.

No. 1 seed Texas looks to advance to their fourth Elite Eight in the five years tomorrow, hunting a return to the Final Four for the first time since 2003.

Later, No. 2 seed UConn aims for their fourth Final Four bid in the last five seasons, coming as close as 2022’s title game before reaching the semis last year.

Both rookies and vets feel the Sweet 16 heat

Experience can go a long way when the spotlight gets a little brighter, but pressure also mounts as blue-chip programs face the chopping board.

One notable first-time Sweet 16 matchup is this afternoon’s clash between in-state rivals No. 2 seed Duke and No. 3 seed North Carolina, with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line.

Tomorrow, No. 3 seed Notre Dame meets No. 2 seed TCU, as the Irish fight to regain their regular-season dominance while the Horned Frogs try to extend their underdog campaign with their first-ever Sweet 16 appearance.

And with razor-thin margins across the board, confidence will play a key role in making it to the competition’s coveted fourth round. “We're a bunch of fighters, and we respond when we’re challenged,” Notre Dame senior Sonia Citron said after last Sunday’s 76-55 win over Michigan.

Sizing up Elite Eight contenders

While not exactly upset territory, Sunday’s Elite Eight will likely feature tense battles between teams looking to hang onto late-season consistency and those running on turnaround momentum.

After losing to eventual conference champion Duke in the ACC semifinal, a refreshed No. 3 seed Notre Dame heads into tomorrow’s Sweet 16 hot off of winning their first two NCAA tournament games by an average of 36.5 points.

After injuries derailed their SEC tournament dreams, No. 3 seed LSU has similarly picked up the pace, putting together two consecutive 100+ point games in the NCAA tournament’s first two rounds.

No. 5 seed Kansas State wouldn’t normally be an issue for No. 1 seed USC, but after losing superstar JuJu Watkins to an ACL tear on Monday, the Trojans might have to rally to get the job done.

And while “underdog” is a stretch, the greatest momentum shift might belong to No. 2 seed UConn, with Bueckers and co. firing on all cylinders despite dropping several ranked matchups this season.

Where to watch NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games this weekend

The Sweet 16 tips off today at 2:30 PM ET, with all games airing across ESPN platforms.

After Saturday’s Sweet 16 finale determines the field, the Elite Eight tips off on Sunday at 1 PM ET, with live coverage across ESPN platforms.

Wild card entrant Alexandra Eala of the Philippines continued her epic 2025 Miami Open run on Wednesday, as the world No. 140 took down No. 2 Iga Świątek in a 6-2, 7-5 straight-set stunner.

Without massive power as part of her game, the 19-year-old leaned hard on her fast feet and intelligent shot-making, earning 43 of her 77 points from serve returns.

"My coach told me to run, to go for every ball, to take all the opportunities I can because a five-time [Grand] Slam champion is not going to give you the win," said Eala.

At the same time that Eala was disrupting Świątek's rhythm, the tournament's defending champion struggled with her serve and ultimately committed 32 unforced errors in the loss.

"She was really aggressive and she kept her focus, and some of these shots were pretty out of nowhere," commented Świątek after the match, as she joined a growing list of big-name departures from the Florida competition.

Eala emblazons her name into Filipina sports history

As one of the sport's top junior prospects, Eala won the girls' doubles title at both the 2020 Australian Open and 2021 French Open, before taking the girls' singles championship at the 2022 US Open.

Even so, "being a successful junior doesn’t mean you are going to be a successful professional," Eala acknowledged.

Her dramatic Miami Open run begs to differ, as Eala dismissed two other Grand Slam winners from the tournament en route to her Wednesday’s quarterfinal date with Świątek.

First, she sent Latvia's No. 25 Jeļena Ostapenko — the 2017 French Open winner packing in Friday's Round of 64, then dispatched 2025 Australian Open champ No. 5 Madison Keys in Sunday's Round of 32 — both in just two sets.

Her trio of Miami Open wins over Top 30 players now counts as the total tally for her entire country, with Eala also becoming the first-ever Filipina to advance to a WTA semifinal.

With the WTA's next rankings updates, she will also become the first player from the Philippines to crack into the Top 100 — a mark Eala will launch past as her victory over Świątek already guarantees her at least a No. 75 ranking.

"I'm just in disbelief right now," Eala said in her on-court interview. "I'm so happy, and so blessed to be able to compete with such a player on this stage."

How to watch Alexandra Eala in the 2025 Miami Open semifinals

The Filipina teen's next hurdle in her historic run is US star No. 4 Jessica Pegula, who she'll face at 8:30 PM ET on Thursday, with a Saturday championship date against world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka guaranteed for the victor.

Thursday's semifinal between Eala and Pegula will air live on The Tennis Channel.