Parker oldest WNBA player to log triple-double

Chicago forward/center Candace Parker has long prided herself in being a playmaker as a post player, and on Sunday, she became the oldest player in WNBA history to record a triple-double.

Parker, who turned 36 in April, had 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists as the defending WNBA champion Sky won at Washington 82-73. The Sky moved to 3-2 overall. Parker became the third player to have more than one triple double in league history. She is now a Sky teammate Courtney Vandersloot (a guard) and Sheryl Swoopes (a guard/forward), a retired Hall of Famer.

Like Parker, Vandersloot, and Swoopes have two triple-doubles. In their cases, one was during the regular season, and one was during the playoffs. For Parker, both have been in the regular season; her first was July 28, 2017, when she was playing for the Los Angeles Sparks.

Swoopes, whose triple-doubles were in 1999 and 2005 with the Houston Comets, was the previous oldest player to record a triple-double in the WNBA, recording her second one when she was 34. Swoopes was three-time MVP and Parker has won the honor twice.

” It means a lot to me,” Parker said. “To be with Sloot, who will end her career probably leading in assists and then Sheryl Swoopes — she was someone I grew to admire.

“I’ve always [been] the person who was like, ‘Posts can dribble, too, and posts can pass, too.’ I hope coaches are watching. I believe that the game is changing. We will see more triple-doubles. “

Vandersloot got her second career triple-double last season in the playoff semifinals as the Sky were on their way to the franchise’s first championship. Her first was in 2018.

On Sunday Vandersloot knew that Parker was only one assist away of the milestone. Vandersloot called her own number to make the basket that would give Parker that 10th assist, which came with just 21.2 seconds left.

“She said to me that she was going to make a layup, and she had her own number,” said Parker, who arrived in Chicago last season as a free agent. “She was adamant about me getting my 10th assist. This is why I love this group. We support one another, we cheer for each other’s successes, and we celebrate them. “

Coach James Wade said, “It’s just a special moment. It’s amazing to see the chemistry between these two. Courtney had to make a difficult layup. … I just love coaching them both. “

Parker’s triple-double was the big story of the day for the Sky, but they also celebrated the return of guard/forward Kahleah Copper, who played her first game of the WNBA season after recently winning the Spanish League championship.

Copper, the WNBA Finals MVP last season, had 12 points and four rebounds Sunday.