Candace Parker has helped her hometownChicago Sky to a strong start in the 2021WNBA Finals .- The star was mic'd up for Game 1 as she dropped 17 points and eight rebounds vs the Phoenix Mercury.
Candace Parker is dominating the 2021
The 6-foot-4 WNBA superstar and two-time league MVP joined her hometown Chicago Sky in free agency earlier this year. In just one season with the team, she's helped Chicago to its first WNBA Finals appearance since 2014, and so far, the Sky are looking poised to win their first title as a franchise.
Parker was mic'd up early as she and her teammates took on the Phoenix Mercury in Game 1 of the Finals Sunday afternoon. Midway through the first quarter, she took a huge charge against Mercury sharpshooter and newly-minted WNBA GOAT Diana Taurasi as the league's all-time leading scorer recklessly forced her way into the paint.
Parker shouted "Yeah!" from the floor with her fists clenched in celebration after the referee confirmed the call in her favor. Then, as her Sky teammates helped her to her feet, the six-time WNBA All-Star looked over her shoulder to locate league legend and former teammate Lisa Leslie.
"Where's Smooth at?!" she asked, looking along the baseline. "[I'm] takin' charges now!"
-WNBA (@WNBA) October 10, 2021
Parker went on to drop 17 points - including three from a second-quarter and-one also featured on her "WIRED" segment - as well as eight rebounds and three assists in Chicago's 91-77 road victory. Now, she and her Chicago teammates will gear up for Game 2, which is set to tip off at Footprint Center Wednesday night at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can tune in on ESPN.
Should the Sky win that game, they'll have a chance to clinch the championship in front of a home crowd. The best-of-five series shifts over to the Windy City for Game 3, which is scheduled for Friday at 9 p.m. ET and will air on ESPN2.