Candace Parker sparked a wave of response with a short, self-aware joke about her sexuality throughout her Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame induction speech.
The 40-year-old WNBA icon was honored Saturday alongside fellow ladies’s basketball standouts Elena Delle Donne and Chamique Holdsclaw.
Talking from the stage at Symphony Corridor in Springfield, Massachusetts, Parker seemed again on a embellished profession that made her one of many defining figures of her technology.
Parker entered the WNBA because the No. 1 general choose by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008, later persevering with her profession with the Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces whereas capturing a championship with every franchise.
Through the speech, she used her historical past of shifting between franchises to ship a playful nod to her private life.
‘I modified groups each actually and figuratively,’ she stated with a small chuckle, prompting shocked cheers from the group.
WNBA legend Candace Parker drew consideration with a fast joke about her sexuality
The 40-year-old was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Corridor of Fame on Saturday
Parker had married Shelden Williams, who performed school basketball at Duke College and likewise performed within the NBA, in November 2008 shortly after she was drafted.
The couple welcomed their daughter Lailaa in 2009 however divorced in 2016 following eight years of marriage with Williams citing ‘irreconcilable variations’ in his submitting.
In 2021, Parker got here out as lesbian when she introduced that she had secretly tied the knot with former basketball participant Anna Petrakova two years prior.
Petrakova gave delivery to their son Airr in February 2022, earlier than the couple welcomed their second child boy Hartt in 2024.
Parker carried a ball as much as the rostrum for her speech as a part of the 2026 class that additionally included the 1996 US Olympic ladies’s basketball staff, Holdsclaw, NBA participant Amar’e Stoudemire, longtime NBA official Joey Crawford, NBA coaches Doc Rivers and Mike D’Antoni, and Gonzaga coach Mark Few.
‘It felt bizarre to stroll on the stage with out the explanation I’m right here in the present day,’ Parker stated, speaking to the ball. ‘We did loads collectively: dunk on UConn at UConn, shimmied over our proper shoulder and hit that sick fadeway, had our personal signature shoe, first lady to grace the duvet of NBA2K. … We stand on this podium as first-ballot Corridor of Famers.’
Parker, who received three WNBA titles, two MVPs, a pair of championships at Tennessee and two Olympic gold medals, then broke down whereas closing her speech, saying that ‘we had been meant to be a love story that started 27 years in the past.’
In the meantime, Delle Donne additionally used her speech as a love letter to the sport with all of the ups and downs she confronted in her profession. However she at all times saved life in perspective, due to her older sister Lizzie, who’s blind and deaf.
Parker was beforehand married to Shelden Williams with the couple sharing daughter Lailaa
In 2021, Parker got here out as lesbian when she introduced she had married Anna Petrakova
‘She by no means performed in entrance of 1000’s of individuals, by no means had a standing ovation, by no means been interviewed after an enormous win. But I’ve by no means met anybody stronger,’ Delle Donne stated, choking up. ‘Thanks all for maintaining me going.’
Delle Donne received MVP awards in 2015 and 2019, the second of which got here when she led the Washington Mystics to their lone WNBA championship. Delle Donne turned the primary participant in league historical past to shoot greater than 50 % from the sphere, 40 % from behind the 3-point line and 90 % from the free-throw line.
Lastly, Holdsclaw thanked all of her former teammates and coaches in her acceptance speech. She was greatest identified for serving to Tennessee win three straight titles from 1996-98, the primary staff to perform that, beneath Corridor of Fame coach Pat Summitt.
Summitt died in 2016 following a battle with Alzheimer’s.
‘One individual that I want was right here as my presenter was my demanding and splendidly supporting school coach, Pat Summitt,’ Holdsclaw stated. ‘The one and solely. Coach Summitt allowed me to develop as a participant and individual. I miss her dearly.’
Holdsclaw’s 1998 staff was Tennessee’s first undefeated season at 39-0 and the Woman Vols additionally set an NCAA file for probably the most wins in a season at the moment. Holdsclaw went on to have an 11-year WNBA profession.
She additionally thanked the 1996 Olympic staff, saying she had posters of their gamers on her wall when she was in highschool.
