Sky Legend Candace Parker's Playoff Rebound Record In Jeopardy
Candace Parker has made history ever since her first season in the WNBA. The first-overall selection in the 2008 WNBA Draft, she joined the Los Angeles Sparks. She still this day is the only player in the league to ever win the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the Year Awards at the same time.
Parker's 9.5 rebounds per game in 2008 was the highest average in the league during her rookie season. A year later, she had the top marks again in the WNBA with 9.8 rebounds per game.
In her first two WNBA seasons, Parker led the league in postseason rebounding, as well. In 2008, the former Tennessee Lady Volunteer recorded 9.8 rebounds in a span of six playoff games. In 2009, Parker bested herself and had more with 10.7 rebounds per game during the playoffs.
A’ja Wilson 🤝 breaking records
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 15, 2025
Wilson has officially passed Sylvia Fowles for 8th on the all-time WNBA Playoffs rebounds list with 427 and counting!
SEA-LVA | ESPN | WNBA Playoffs | @Google#WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/RkAY6dTvjE
After a three-season absence from the WNBA Playoffs, Parker came back strong in the 2012 season. The former Sparks and Sky forward logged 11.0 rebounds per game that postseason. Parker would add to her rebound total in the playoffs for eight more years while playing for Los Angeles.
By the 2021 WNBA season, the Naperville Central High School graduate left the Sparks to join the Chicago Sky. That year in the playoffs, not only did Parker average 8.4 rebounds a game, but she played in 10 postseason games that year. That's because Parker and the Sky captured the WNBA title that year together.
In eight more postseason games in 2022, Parker posted a 10.8 rebounds per game average in what would be her final year active in the playoffs. She joined the Las Vegas Aces in 2023 before retiring but her season was cut early. Still, Parker has the most postseason rebounds in WNBA history with 610.
Playoffs. Day 1. Delivered. 🔥
— WNBA (@WNBA) September 15, 2025
All the final scores from an electric opening night of the 2025 WNBA Playoffs presented by @Google! #WelcometotheW pic.twitter.com/KZQ5CaZsO2
A few challengers are closing in on Parker's record.
Though the Chicago Sky aren't in the playoffs, another former player is on the Top 10 Playoff Rebounds list. Former Sky center Sylvia Fowles ended her WNBA career with 426 postseason rebounds. Fowles racked up several boards while playing in the playoffs for Chicago and the Minnesota Lynx.
A'ja Wilson, the Aces' starting center, broke Fowles' mark on Sunday. Sky head coach Tyler Marsh had both Wilson and Parker during his tenure as an assistant coach for Las Vegas. Wilson posted 29 points and eight rebounds against the Seattle Storm in Game 1.
That game helped propel Wilson over Fowles as the Aces' All-Star now ranks eighth overall on the WNBA Postseason Rebounds list. Three other players in this year's WNBA playoffs are on the list, including a pair of Phoenix Mercury members.
DeWanna Bonner is tied for second with 598 playoff rebounds. With a deep playoff run in 2025, Bonner could break Parker's mark. Her teammate, Alyssa Thomas, is currently tenth on the list. That puts her one spot behind Fowles.
Jonquel Jones, who plays for the defending WNBA champions, ranks on this list, too. The New York Liberty star and former teammate of Courtney Vandersloot last year is sixth on the list. Jones is behind Hall of Famer Lisa Leslie's mark of 471 by eight rebounds. Leslie was Parker's long-time teammate on the Sparks for most of her career.
Parker's record could be broken, this year or next. For now, the Sky legend's mark of 610 rebounds stands as the most in any WNBA player's postseason career.
feed
My name is Scott Conrad and I am a Contributor for the Chicago Sky with Sports Illustrated.com. I am also a Contributor with FanSided on NinerNoise, as well as Da Windy City. In addition, I am the Site Editor/Expert for The View from Avalon. I spent two seasons (2015 & 2016) with the Tampa Bay Times as a Correspondent covering high school football. I am a two-time published author with more work to come. In my teenage years, I started watching both MLS and WNBA start in 1996 and grow to be the juggernauts they are in their respective sports. Much love to the career on and off the court for fellow-Napervillian and former Sky forward Candace Parker. Outside of the sports journalism world, I am a travel volleyball coach. I accepted the Head Coach position with Greater Cincinnati Volleyball Club for their U13-2 team. In terms of active sports, I play volleyball, soccer, softball, kickball and train in mixed martial arts.