Candace Parker has not yet decided if she will return to the WNBA next season, the 36-year-old star said Thursday night.
Following the Chicago Sky’s elimination from the WNBA semifinals, Parker said she will take her time to weigh her options for next season. She enters the offseason as a free agent.
The veteran center nearly walked away from the league after winning a title with the Sky last season. She revealed back in May that she was operating under the assumption that the 2022 season would be her last.
“That is how I’m entering the season,” Parker said on NBA TV’s “WNBA Weekly” show with Kristen Ledlow. “I mean, I don’t know, I don’t know what the future holds. I know my contract is up after this year. And there will be decisions to be made.”
Parker told Ledlow she was “ready and really thinking about” retirement after the 2021 title run, but her daughter Lailaa convinced her to come back for at least one more year.
After the Sky’s 2022 playoff run ended, she remained noncommittal about her future.
"I won't cheat the game" After yet another dominate season for @Candace_Parker, she speaks on what the off-season will look like and talks about always wanting to play at her highest level pic.twitter.com/Q01tKqFJpE— WNBA (@WNBA) September 9, 2022
"I won't cheat the game" After yet another dominate season for @Candace_Parker, she speaks on what the off-season will look like and talks about always wanting to play at her highest level pic.twitter.com/Q01tKqFJpE
“I’m going to go back and reevaluate whether I’m able to continue to play at the level that I hold myself to,” Parker said. “And I think that’s the biggest thing; I don’t ever want to cheat the game. I won’t cheat the game.
“So when I’m not able to go out and play and be the Candace that I want to be, I won’t play. And I think that comes in the offseason.”