- Candace Parker scored a ridiculous bucket during the Chicago Sky's playoff matchup vs the NY Liberty.
- In the third quarter, Parker lost her handle and seemed poised to send the ball out of bounds.
BROOKLYN, NEW YORK — From dunks to three-pointers and everything in between, Candace Parker has gotten buckets in just about every way imaginable over the course of her illustrious 15-year WNBA career.
But during her Chicago Sky's playoff elimination game against the New York Liberty Tuesday night, the two-time WNBA MVP found an entirely new — and incredibly bizarre — way to score.
With just a few minutes remaining in the third quarter, Parker caught the ball at the top of the key, faked a three, then drove past New York's Natasha Howard into the paint. But the seven-time WNBA All-Star seemed to lose her handle on the way in, and what appeared to be a last-ditch effort at a pass looked like it was headed straight out of bounds.
That's when, at the last possible moment, Liberty star Betnijah Laney stuck out her right hand and sent the ball on a different course. It ricocheted off her hand, dribbled around the rim, then dropped through the net.
Laney and Parker both looked up at the basket in disbelief, with the Sky superstar jogging back down the court sporting a knowing smile. She then thrust her right arm into the air and jokingly gazed at her hand in reverence.
Parker — who finished the night just shy of a triple-double, with 14 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists — was credited with a driving layup on the play that stretched Chicago's lead to 13 points. Though New York went on a big run shortly thereafter to pull within three, Parker and company halted the late-game rally and ultimately secured an 18-point victory and a spot in the upcoming semifinals.
Check out the improbable play below:
—WNBA (@WNBA) August 24, 2022