Candace Parker
A generational talent who dominated women's basketball with graceful power, winning championships with three different franchises.
Born 1986 (age 40)·American basketball player·Birthday: April 19·Millennials
Biography
Candace Parker didn't just play basketball; she elevated it. From winning back-to-back NCAA titles at Tennessee under Pat Summitt to being the WNBA's number one draft pick, her arrival was a seismic event. At 6'4", she possessed a guard's handle and vision with a forward's strength, making her the most versatile force the league had seen. Her career was a study in sustained excellence and transformative impact, winning MVP honors as a rookie and later leading three different teams—the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, and Las Vegas Aces—to championships. Beyond the stats, Parker became a face of the sport, a savvy broadcaster, and a role model whose influence stretched far beyond the hardwood.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Candace was born in 1986, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Candace Was Born
The biggest hits of 1986
#1 Movie
Top Gun
Best Picture
Platoon
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Candace's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1986Born
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1991Started school
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1999Became a teenager
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2002Could drive
Euro currency enters circulation
Gas: $1.36/galHome: $137,800Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"How You Remind Me" — NickelbackBest Picture: Chicago
2004Could vote
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Turned 21
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2016Turned 30
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 40
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the first WNBA player to win Rookie of the Year and the league's MVP award in the same season (2008).
- Won WNBA championships with three different franchises: the Los Angeles Sparks (2016), Chicago Sky (2021), and Las Vegas Aces (2023).
- Earned two Olympic gold medals as a member of the U.S. women's basketball team in 2008 and 2012.
- Is one of only a handful of WNBA players to record a triple-double in a game, achieving the feat multiple times.
Did You Know?
She won the 2004 Naismith Prep Player of the Year award while still in high school in Naperville, Illinois.
She is the mother of a daughter, born in 2009, and has often spoken about balancing motherhood with her professional career.
She is a part-owner of the NWSL club Angel City FC in Los Angeles.
“I want little girls to grow up knowing they can be athletic and feminine, strong and beautiful.”
