Candace Parker looking to return for 16th WNBA season

Candace Parker is planning to play in the upcoming WNBA season.

The 36-year-old said this past May that she was entering the 2022 campaign as if it was her last. Her contract was up at the end of the year, and now, she’s a free agent. Parker had contemplated stepping away after the ’21 title run, until her daughter asked her to play one more season.

The 2022 season was a dominant one for Parker, who broke the league’s triple-double record in late June, averaging 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game.

“Right now, yeah, I’m game,” Parker said. “Let’s see if my body is this way in January and February. But I plan to play. I plan to come back, but at the same time last year it was the reverse. I couldn’t imagine lacing up shoes again or going through game 27 on the schedule. And then a switch flipped in February, and I was ready to go.

“I like to take the offseason and take my time, but right now, I don’t know if I’ve dribbled my last ball.”