The Candace Curse struck early.
On a day the Sparks retired the jersey of the celebrity whose departure has coincided with their five-year funk, Candace Parker almost missed her pregame information convention.
With a room stuffed with media varieties keen to jot down that uncommon optimistic Sparks story, Parker bought caught in conference site visitors and was so late that the sport was beginning and she or he took simply 5 minutes’ value of questions.
The Candace Curse struck late.
Within the fourth quarter in opposition to the Chicago Sky at Crypto.com Enviornment, in entrance of a crowd waving yellow Candace Parker T-shirts, the Sparks did one thing they’ve been doing in bunches since Parker skipped city after the 2020 season.
A dreary Sky staff lacking star Kamilla Cardoso nonetheless managed to beat a Sparks staff stuffed with Parker inspiration, successful 92-85 with a fourth-quarter rally and turning what ought to have been the most effective day of the 12 months into the worst lack of the season.
“It’s powerful,” stated the Sparks’ Emma Cannon.
Robust to play, more durable to look at, this being the Sparks’ twelfth loss in 17 video games as they spiral towards their acquainted spot within the backside of the WNBA standings.
This was as soon as a particular franchise, as the stylish halftime jersey retirement ceremony for Parker reminded everybody, with Lisa Leslie introducing and Parker embracing and the standing crowd a bit teary.
That is now a blight of a franchise, as the encircling 40 minutes of basketball reminded everybody, the Sparks enjoying arduous however sorely missing in expertise, course and any form of playoff future.
Within the remaining 5 of Parker’s 13 seasons right here, the staff went 108-50 and reached the Finals twice whereas successful their third championship.
Within the 5 years since then, they’re 55-110 and haven’t reached the playoffs.
If that’s not a curse, it’s a mighty highly effective coincidence.
Historical past reveals that it may have been, and will have been, a lot completely different.
Parker, a two-time MVP and seven-time All-Star, ought to have performed her total profession right here. She by no means ought to have left as a free agent. Like Leslie, she ought to have been a Spark ceaselessly.
“No concept how they let her get away,” stated Leslie to The Occasions’ Anthony De Leon.
The jersey of former Sparks participant Candace Parker is displayed throughout her jersey retirement ceremony.
(Jessie Alcheh / Related Press)
She left due to issues with then-coach Derek Fisher, due to the Penny Toler postgame-tirade controversy, as a result of the group had already begun its downward spiral.
If the Mark Walter-led possession group had been paying consideration, she would have stayed a Spark. If house owners put the identical effort they put into working the Dodgers, the problems would have been dealt with and Parker would have been prioritized. She was not, after which she was gone.
“The tradition was poisonous…I used to be a part of that tradition and had been absorbed in that toxicity,” Parker wrote in her ebook, “The Can-do Mindset.”
She additionally left as a result of she needed to play close to her Chicago-area hometown, and she or he later bolted there for Las Vegas, and gained titles in each locations when she ought to have been successful them right here. Right here’s guessing she would have relatively gained them right here, as Sunday she acknowledged Los Angeles had develop into her dwelling.
“L.A. isn’t nearly ball,” she instructed the group throughout the halftime ceremony. “For me anymore, it’s now the place we name dwelling and we’ll ceaselessly name dwelling. So thanks a lot, I really like you all, I’m so appreciative, and I can’t imagine it. Thanks all. Thanks.”
One can’t blame her if she now not acknowledges her former staff. The Sparks now not have a celebrity, a deep bench, a championship hope in hell.
Full disclosure: I’m a Sparks honk. I’m such a fan that my daughter MC and I’ve partial season tickets.
Additionally full disclosure: When choosing our seats for this season, we had a selection to sit down behind both bench, so we took those behind the visiting bench. The guests at all times have extra stars, the guests are at all times extra enjoyable.
Actually, these Sparks have some shining moments. Kelsey Plum works as arduous as any star in any native sport, Azurá Stevens is likely one of the league’s underrated forces and Dearica Hamby is strong.
However a sequence of awful draft picks and a scarcity of a pretty infrastructure — that imaginary everlasting apply facility is being constructed any day now! — have saved them from buying the form of superstars that carry groups in crunch time, the sort of difference-makers this city deserves.
“I really feel like we’re proper there,” Plum instructed me earlier than Sunday’s recreation. “We’re younger, we lack depth and cohesion, these issues take time, I’ve religion that all through the season we’ll proceed to construct.”
Plum has been an impressive addition since coming right here final winter in a commerce, she works tougher in pregame warmups than some gamers throughout the whole recreation, however what she’s saying, we’ve heard earlier than.
Candace Parker was a two-time MVP, rookie of the 12 months and led the Sparks to the 2016 title in her 13 seasons with the staff.
(Related Press)
The newest spin is that the Sparks’ No. 2 total draft choose Cameron Brink will make an enormous distinction when she returns from knee surgical procedure later this summer season. However she didn’t make an enormous distinction early final season when she performed. Their different high draft choose from final season, Rickea Jackson, scored six factors Sunday and has principally been a bust.
Barring the signing of a significant free agent — who needs to play on a staff with no everlasting dwelling? — there’s not a lot assist coming subsequent 12 months as a result of they’ve traded their first-round choose.
So their motto must be…Ready for JuJu?
It’s all so miserable, particularly on a day that ought to have been so uplifting.
Earlier than the sport, new coach Lynne Roberts — her honeymoon is already over — referred to as this a “must-win.”
For the reason that Candace Curse, that has meant, “About to lose.”
