WNBA

Las Vegas star remains sidelined


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Candace Parker looks on during the Aces’ playoff game against the Chicago Sky on Sept. 17. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Candace Parker remains sidelined for the Las Vegas Aces ahead of the 2023 WNBA Finals.

The two-time WNBA MVP signed with the Aces as a top free agent in the offseason. But she underwent surgery to repair a foot fracture in July, and while she was not ruled out for the season, there there has been no update on her status during Las Vegas’ playoff run.

The WNBA Finals begin with Game 1 at 3 p.m. ET Sunday, with the defending champion Aces taking on the New York Liberty in the best-of-five series.

Before her surgery, Parker appeared as a starter in the first 18 games of the season for the Aces, averaging 9.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. But she had been playing on the foot fracture throughout the season. After consulting with a doctor, surgery stood as “the only option for her to be healthy again and avoid further injury,” the Aces said in a statement.

The team has provided few updates on Parker since then. A fan posted a video on Sept. 25 showing Parker still in a walking boot and using a scooter to help her get around, but it is unclear when the video was taken.

Back at the end of August and before the end of the regular season, Aces head coach Becky Hammon gave a brief update on Parker, telling WNBA reporter Nekias Duncan that they remained in contact. But Hammon did not provide a timeline for Parker’s return, only saying she was still “in a boot, or [using] some sort of assisted walking apparatus.”

WNBA fans have plenty to say about the Aces’ chances against the Liberty, with or without Parker. Per FanDuel Sportsbook, Las Vegas is favored to win a second consecutive WNBA title at -215 odds.

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