There is a lot for Candace Parker, perennial All-Star, and WNBA champion to be excited about these days. Her team is in the WNBA Playoffs with their eyes square on winning the franchise’s fourth WNBA title under the guidance of new head coach and five-time NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers Derek Fisher. The Chicago native got even more exciting news as she will be seen more on the small screen during the NBA season.
Turner Sports and Parker, the soon to be Tennessee Hall of Fame inductee on Monday reach a multiyear contract extension where one of the most decorated basketball players of all-time will continue to be a full-time contributor as a studio analyst and commentator for the NBA on TNT, NBATV, and CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Men’s Tournament.
The five-time All-Star, 2008 WNBA Rookie of the Year and two-time WNBA MVP will also co-host a new podcast alongside NBA on TNT sideline reporter and fellow NBATV studio host Kristen Ledlow that will debut for the 2019-20 NBA season.
“I am excited to rejoin the family,” Parker said to NBATV’s Jared Greenberg on “Gametime” on Wednesday. “I miss my guys. I miss you guys, you know. It’s been a little busy this summer, but I’m excited to get back.”
The two-time NCAA champion in her time with the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers, the No. 1 overall pick of the Sparks in the draft in 2008, begin their quest for their fourth WNBA title versus the defending champion Seattle Storm (19-16) on Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. EST on ESPN 2, will have an integral role of TNT’s NBA coverage this upcoming season, primarily as a studio analyst for the network’s Tuesday night telecasts. The three-time All-WNBA selection will also continue her contributions as an analyst for NBATV’s studio shows, while continuing her contributing duties as a studio analyst for Turner Sports and CBS Sports’ NCAA Tournament coverage.
As excited as she is to rejoin the Turner Sports family, Parker is just as excited about the Sparks chances of winning their aforementioned fourth WNBA title as they take on the three-time champion Storm, who advanced to the next single elimination tilt with a 84-74 win versus the four-time WNBA champion Minnesota Lynx (18-17) on Wednesday night.
“We know that we got our work cut out for us, you know,” Parker, whose team earned a First-Round bye as the No. 3 Seed in the WNBA this regular-season with a 22-12 mark said of her squad’s first opponent of the 2019 WNBA postseason. “Seattle played a great game. Obviously, their guard play was extremely well tonight with [Jordan] Canada and Jewell Loyd really carrying the load.”
“So, I just think defensively, that’s where we start. I know Coach Fisher would love hearing that. But I really do think we take care if we take care of business defensively, we’re able to get out in transition, you know, that’s what we want to do.”
In a time where women rising in all ranks of life has taken centerstage more than ever, those who have risen have put themselves in position to be prepared for when that moment comes.
Candace Parker is the best example of taking opportunity and running with it, and not looking back. The game of basketball has taken her across this globe and built lifelong relationships. It has given her the opportunity to talk about the game of hoops for a living.
Perhaps the biggest thing that has allowed Parker to rise both as a player on the hardwood and now with her deal with Turner Sports is that she found something that she loves to do. Put in a lot of hard work and be the kind of person who can be in a team atmosphere and thrive in it.
Over the course of this past NBA season when you saw Parker on the set during NBATV’s “Gametime,” during the NBA on TNT or during the NCAA Tournament for CBS Sports, she was remarkable and insightful with her analysis, which made the broadcast even better, which Senior Vice President of Talent Services and Special Projects for Turner Sports/Bleacher Report Tara August pointed out at the start of this week.
“Candace has quickly become a standout voice for our NBA and NCAA coverage and we’re thrilled for her return in this expanded role,” August said. “Candace’s love for the game and unique abilities to share her insights in a way that resonates with today’s fan are special. We’re excited to see her shine across a growing number of shows and platforms.”
From an early age Parker found her calling, which was basketball, and she put in a great deal of hard work and dedication to be great at it. It made her a legend first high schooler in Naperville, IL. Then at the University of Tennessee under the late great Hall of Famer head coach Pat Summitt, where the team went 100-10 and won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2007-08 and Parker averaged 19.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.9 steals and 2.4 blocks.
Following that stellar career at UT, Parker as mentioned earlier became the No. 1 overall pick in the 2008 draft by the Sparks and that season became the first player in WNBA history to be named WNBA Rookie of the Year and league MVP in the same season.
Other career accolades include as mentioned five All-Star appearances, winning MVP of the 2013 mid-season classic and helped to lead the Team USA’s Women’s National Basketball squad to back-to-back Olympic Gold medals in 2008 and 2012.
We all have dreams of doing great things. We all want to be in a profession where it is a joy to come to work and be paid well for it. We all have a dream of being a part of something where the people we are around respect and enjoy being in our company. These are the things that Candace Parker has earned and takes great pride in it, and understands that the individual success she has achieved is in part that she has been able to do it within the a team concept first as an amateur, then on the collegiate level, then on the professional level both on the court and on the small screen as an analyst.
“I would just really encourage everybody to just stick with it and work as hard as you can,” Parker said when asked by NBATV’s Dennis Scott about the advice she would gives to young women about who want to be involved with basketball.
Parker added, “I think I would say just follow love and you know, a team atmosphere, whether your gonna play professionally or not-being on a team teaches you about life. It teaches you how to work and you know, the workforce, because everything you do is gonna require a team effort.”
Information, statistics, and quotations are courtesy of 9/9/19 www.nba.com story, “Candace Parker, Turner Sports Reach Multiyear Extension;” 9/12/19 12 a.m. edition NBATV’s “Gametime,” with Jared Greenberg, Dennis Scott, and Jameer Nelson; https://www.wnba.com/standings/#?season=2019; and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Candace_Parker.
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