Candace Parker

CP3

May 1, 2021

The Basics

Position: Forward/Center

Current Team: Chicago Sky | #3

Draft: 2008 | Tennessee | 1st round (1st overall)

Key Accolades: Rookie of the Year/MVP (2008), MVP (2013), WNBA Champion (2016), WNBA Finals MVP (2016), Defensive Player of the Year (2020), All-WNBA, All-Star, etc. (often, many, etc.)

WNBA Profile | Stats | Instagram | Twitter | Website

The Pets: Ace, Nahla, and a new Rookie

The Down Low

Listen, Candace is an all Star on and off the court, and in my opinion, deserves every ounce of praise she gets. There's so much to say that I have to break this down into sections and I still will miss a lot. Here's (some of) what you need to know:

Candace is very good at basketball and always has been.

Candace, a star in college, joined the league as the number 1 draft pick and then won rookie of the year and MVP in her first season. It's like starting a new job and immediately being promoted to CEO. And she has not slowed down. A few years later she won MVP again. Then a few years later she won a championship and a Finals MVP. The a few years later she won Defensive Player of the Year. And she doesn't show signs of stopping.

Candace is not a regular mom, she's a cool mom.

I never know how moms get it all done. Candace is a WNBA All-Star, NBA commentator, and mom, and she seemingly does all these jobs better than I do my one. Dwyane Wade gets it:

Candace's side gig is side-eyeing Shaq while looking hot on TV.

Speaking of her many jobs, she is a host on NBA on TNT, gifting us regularly with her looks of horror at Shaq's takes on basketball. A brief overview of my favorite Candance moments:

Candace may or may not have cursed UConn.

Geno Auriemma, head coach of UConn left Candace off the Olympics Team one year and UConn has not won a championship since. Case closed.

Candace is #unbothered by your criticism

Candace was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2020 (voted on by the media), but somehow did not make either the First or Second All-Defensive team (voted on by the coaches). The snub, as some have noted, was historic, as no DPOY had ever been left off both the All-Defensive teams before. Others have noted that this is just another data point in a pattern of disrespect towards a generational talent (and a case for the FBI). Candace, meanwhile, made clear that she was wholly unbothered by the situation.

If all of the above is not enough for you to be a fan, than I don't know what else to do.

Know Your Meme

Candace gracing us regularly on TV means we also have a series of incredible reaction gifs from her:

Merch

Hom3coming (BreakingT)