Women's hoops icon Candace Parker retires: Basketball world pays tribute

Unsurprisingly, many throughout the basketball world took to social media to pay tribute to a player who left an indelible mark on the game. 

Several current and former WNBA players weighed in, including Aliyah Boston, the reigning Rookie of the Year, and Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings. Meanwhile, others, like Breanna Stewart, were shocked by the news. 

 Likewise, those from the NBA also shared their well-wishes with Parker. 

Parker began to make her mark on the game as a star in high school before moving on to Tennessee, where she became the first women's player to have her college commitment announcement broadcasted on live television. 

She'd go on to have a storied career with the Volunteers. Parker broke down barriers by earning the distinction as the first player to dunk in a women's NCAA tournament game and won a lot of people. 

Over three seasons at Tennessee, she led the program to two National Championships (2007 and 2008), earning the tournament's Most Outstanding Player award in both seasons. 

She continued to thrive in the WNBA. During a remarkable 16-year career with the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces, she was an All-Star seven times, won three WNBA titles and was named league MVP twice. 

Meanwhile, she also made an impact at the international level, winning multiple titles while playing in the EuroLeague (2013) and Russian National League (2011-15) while also being a member of two U.S. Olympic gold-medal teams.