Two Sky Legends Join Basketball Hall of Fame
This year, the Basketball Hall of Fame accepted one of the Chicago Sky's former players, center Sylvia Fowles. In 2026, two more Sky legends join the next class.
Three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker and former WNBA champion Elena Della Donne will enjoy the same honor bestowed onto Fowles soon. The two athletes have been named to the 2026 Basketball Hall of Fame class.
Alissa Hirsh of the Chicago Sun-Times was one of the first to report the news on Parker and Della Donne in regards to Basketball Hall Fame announcements.
Candace Parker, Elena Delle Donne lead Women's Basketball Hall of Fame class https://t.co/wZX7OEqL8o
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) October 30, 2025
In addition to Parker and Della Donne, well-established head coach Cheryl Reeve has also been added to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Reeve was a part of all four WNBA titles with the Minnesota Lynx.
That makes three former Sky players for Chicago to be included in the Basketball Hall of Fame in the past two years. Della Donne, just like Fowles, was originally drafted by the Sky. Parker came to Chicago in 2021 during free agency after 13 seasons with the Los Angeles Sparks.
Candace Parker
The first and only player in the WNBA to win Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player in the same season, Parker suited up for the Sky in 2021 and 2022. A graduate of Naperville Central High School, she is no stranger to the Windy City and the Midwest.
Born in St. Louis, Parker played the University of Tennessee under former head coach Pat Summitt. There, the former Sky legend won two titles during her four years with the Lady Volunteers.
Prior to the 2025 WNBA Playoffs, Parker owned the postseason record for most rebounds. DeWanna Bonner recently broke that mark, among others. Parker is also in the top ten for most playoff blocks, steals, and points.
In her first year playing for Chicago, Parker won her second WNBA title. It was the Sky's first and only championship. She later joined the Las Vegas Aces, where Sky head coach Tyler Marsh was an assistant, and won a third WNBA title in 2023 before retiring.
This past season, Parker had her jersey number (#3) retired. Her banner hangs alongside former teammate and fellow 2021 WNBA champion Allie Quigley.
Elena Della Donne
The same season that Quigley joined the Sky, Della Donne also was added to Chicago's roster. With the second overall pick in the 2013 WNBA Draft, the Sky selected the former University of Delaware standout.
During Della Donne's rookie season, the Sky made the WNBA playoffs for the first time in franchise history. She won the MVP Award two seasons later in 2015.
Just like Parker, Della Donne also won Rookie of the Year. After playing for the Sky, the former Blue Hen athlete won a WNBA championship with the Washington Mystics. She played there with Sky guard Ariel Atkins, who is one of several free agents for Chicago this offseason.
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.