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."

Candace Parker #3 hugs Los Angeles Sparks owner Magic Johnson after defeating the Minnesota Lynx in Game Five of the 2016 WNBA Finals.
Magic Johnson came out to support Candace Parker ahead of her jersey retirement. (Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

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."

South Carolina’s MiLaysia Fulwiley and Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo were playing in their first college basketball game Monday.

Not only that, but they were playing their first college basketball game all the way across the Atlantic Ocean in Paris. And they were doing so in front of a national audience on ESPN.

None of that slowed down the freshmen phenoms, who received praise from NBA legend Magic Johnson, Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant and Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston.

Fulwiley and the No. 6 Gamecocks won the day, claiming a 100-71 win over the No. 10 Irish at Halles Georges Arena to open the season. A guard out of Columbia, South Carolina, Fulwiley contributed 17 points, six assists and six steals off the bench in her debut. She also made what Johnson described as “the best move in all of basketball.”

“I’m watching the women’s basketball game between South Carolina and Notre Dame right now and I just saw the best move in all of basketball, including the pros like LeBron, Steph, KD, Victor, and Jokic,” Johnson wrote on social media. “Everyone must see the coast-to-coast, behind-the-back move by freshman guard MiLaysia Fulwiley from South Carolina. WOW!!”

Fulwiley discussed the move with ESPN’s Holly Rowe after the game, saying: “That was my favorite move when I was in high school. So I just did it.”

Hidalgo, who hails from Haddonfield, New Jersey, scored a game-high 31 points. She became just the third guard since 2009 to score 30 or more points against the Gamecocks, joining Chennedy Carter and Paige Bueckers, per Her Hoops Stats.

“Hidalgo and Fulwiley moving DIFFERENT out here,” Durant wrote on social media.