What is Candace Parker’s net worth and salary?
Candace Parker is an American basketball player who has a net worth of $8 million. Candace Parker stands as one of basketball’s most transformative figures, whose unprecedented versatility and skill revolutionized women’s basketball in the 21st century. A two-time WNBA champion, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game, Parker’s athletic brilliance has consistently broken barriers throughout her career. Beyond her statistical dominance as a 6’4″ forward who can play all five positions, Parker has leveraged her platform as a respected sports analyst, outspoken advocate for women’s sports, devoted mother, and cultural icon. Her crossover appeal has helped elevate the WNBA’s visibility while challenging gender norms in professional sports. With her combination of basketball IQ, multifaceted skillset, business acumen, and commitment to social justice, Parker has defined an era of women’s basketball while creating a blueprint for future generations of female athletes to achieve both professional excellence and cultural impact.
Career Earnings & Endorsements
From 2008 to 2016, Candace was married to former NBA player Shelden Williams. They have a daughter. During his NBA career, Shelden earned $12 million in total salary. During her WNBA career, Candace earned around $1 million. She earned significantly more playing overseas for teams like UMMC Ekaterinburg of Russia and continues to earn large paychecks as a broadcaster.
Candace Parker’s on-court earnings in the WNBA have been relatively modest due to the league’s salary cap, even as she became a superstar. Early in her career, the WNBA maximum salary barely reached six figures – Parker earned roughly $115,000 per year in her prime with the Los Angeles Sparks – and after the 2020 collective bargaining agreement, her salary rose to around $190,000 annually with the Chicago Sky. Over 15 WNBA seasons (2008–2022), her total league salary amounted to just over $1 million in sum. By contrast, playing overseas was far more lucrative: Parker has noted that her contracts in Russia, China, and Turkey paid “10–20 times” what she made in the WNBA, with top players like her earning well into the seven figures per season abroad. These overseas stints effectively became her primary income source, dwarfing her WNBA pay.
Off the court, Parker has become one of the WNBA’s most marketable figures, securing major endorsement deals throughout her career. As soon as she turned pro in 2008, she landed a multi-year Gatorade sponsorship and a multi-million-dollar shoe contract with Adidas – reflecting her broad appeal beyond the court. Her partnership with Adidas has been especially significant: Parker eventually earned her own “Ace” signature sneaker line with the brand, a rare honor for a female athlete and a testament to her stature in the game. Over the years, her endorsement portfolio expanded to include a wide range of big-name companies – from CarMax and Capital One to a partnership with 2K Sports that made her the first woman ever featured on an NBA 2K video game cover – underscoring her crossover appeal. Thanks to these sponsorships, Parker’s off-court earnings have often dwarfed her WNBA salary; in fact, one report noted that her annual endorsement income alone even surpassed her entire 15-year WNBA career salary total.
Real Estate
In October 2013, Candace and Shelden paid $3.56 million for a 7,000-square-foot mansion in Encino, California. They sold this home in November 2015 for $3.56 million, their exact purchase price two years earlier.
In January 2021, Candace paid $4 million for a newly built 6,300-square-foot modern farmhouse mansion in Tarzana, California. The home has five bedrooms, a large basement with a home theater pool, and much more. Today this home is likely worth around $5 million.
Early Life and College Stardom
Born on April 19, 1986, in St. Louis, Missouri, and raised in Naperville, Illinois, Parker’s basketball lineage runs deep. Her father Larry played basketball at the University of Iowa, and her older brother Anthony played in the NBA. From an early age, Parker displayed extraordinary athletic gifts, developing her skills playing against boys and her older brother. At Naperville Central High School, she emerged as a phenomenon, winning the Illinois State Championship and being named USA Today High School Player of the Year twice.
Parker’s collegiate career at the University of Tennessee under legendary coach Pat Summitt cemented her status as a generational talent. During her three seasons with the Lady Vols (2005-2008), Parker led the team to consecutive NCAA championships in 2007 and 2008. Her dominance was recognized with two John R. Wooden Awards as the most outstanding college basketball player. Most memorably, Parker became the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game, showcasing the athleticism that would define her professional career.
WNBA Dominance and Championships
Selected as the first overall pick by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2008 WNBA Draft, Parker made an immediate impact, becoming the first player to win both Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season. Her 14-year WNBA career has been characterized by excellence and adaptability as she evolved from a dominant interior force to a versatile player capable of excelling in the modern, spacing-oriented game.
With the Sparks, Parker established herself as a franchise cornerstone, eventually leading the team to the 2016 WNBA Championship and earning Finals MVP honors. After 13 seasons in Los Angeles, Parker made an emotional return to her home region, signing with the Chicago Sky in 2021. In storybook fashion, she led the Sky to the franchise’s first WNBA championship that same year.
In 2023, Parker joined the Las Vegas Aces, further adding to her legacy with another championship contender before announcing her retirement in 2024. Throughout her WNBA career, Parker accumulated an impressive list of accolades: two MVP awards, seven All-Star selections, and multiple All-WNBA First Team honors, establishing herself as one of the most accomplished players in league history.
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International Career and Olympic Glory
Parker’s basketball excellence extended to the international stage, where she represented the United States in multiple competitions. Most notably, she was a key contributor to the U.S. women’s Olympic teams that captured gold medals in Beijing 2008 and London 2012. Her versatility, basketball IQ, and ability to perform under pressure made her an invaluable asset to the national team.
Her international experience also included playing overseas during WNBA off-seasons, competing in leagues in Russia and China, where she continued to develop her game while serving as an ambassador for women’s basketball globally.
Media Career and Business Ventures
Parker has successfully leveraged her basketball knowledge and charismatic personality into a thriving media career. She has earned acclaim as an NBA analyst for TNT and NBA TV, providing insightful commentary and breaking barriers as a woman analyzing men’s professional basketball at the highest level. Her articulate analysis and willingness to challenge conventional wisdom have made her one of the most respected voices in basketball broadcasting.
Beyond basketball and broadcasting, Parker has built a diverse portfolio of business ventures and endorsements. She has had longstanding relationships with major brands like Adidas and has invested in various business opportunities, demonstrating savvy entrepreneurship that extends her influence beyond the court.
(Photo by Michael Buckner/Getty Images For KCSports2015)
Personal Life and Advocacy
In 2008, Parker married former NBA player Sheldon Williams. They had one daughter together before divorcing in 2016. In 2021, Parker married Russian former women’s basketball player Anna Petrakova. They have two children together.
Throughout her career, Parker has been an outspoken advocate for gender equality in sports, using her platform to address disparities in pay, media coverage, and resources between men’s and women’s sports. She has also been involved in community initiatives focused on youth development and education, particularly encouraging young girls to pursue sports and develop confidence through athletic participation.
Legacy and Cultural Impact
As one of the most recognizable and accomplished figures in women’s basketball history, Parker’s legacy extends far beyond her statistical achievements. She helped redefine positional versatility in women’s basketball, showcasing a skill set that blends traditional post play with perimeter skills, ball-handling, and playmaking.
Perhaps most significantly, Parker has played a crucial role in elevating the visibility and popularity of women’s basketball. Her crossover appeal, media presence, and willingness to speak candidly about important social issues have helped bring new audiences to the WNBA and women’s sports more broadly.
As she transitions into the next phase of her career, Parker’s influence on basketball and women’s sports continues to grow. Her combination of athletic excellence, business acumen, and passionate advocacy has established her not just as a basketball legend but as a cultural icon whose impact will resonate for generations to come.
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