Candace Parker quips about dodging Shaquille O’Neal’s approach on adapting to WNBA’s new era (Image credit: Getty)
WNBA legend Candace Parker talked about the new era the league is entering and said she regrets not taking advantage of the new opportunities players are enjoying at this moment. Parker, who retired at the end of the 2023 season, mentioned some of the things she endured to be successful.
On Thursday’s episode of “The Deal,” MLB legend Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly asked Parker about her retirement, which happened right before the W became more popular.
“Well, I’m pissed they started chartering the year I retired, I’m not gonna lie,” she said. “Because our back-to-backs used to be, we played, then we go to sleep and we woke up to take a 6 a.m. flight and then we still played the next day. It makes me a little angry because it would’ve been nice for your body to catch that charter flight.
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“All of us feel responsibility and a part of the grow that’s happening right now. The league was hard for so many years and that’s what I said when I retired. I hope that it’s not so hard for the next. I wanted it to get better. Finding a gym that’s open, that can be open, because we didn’t have practice facility.”
Parker said that she was mad that she didn’t have offseasons because of her commitments overseas, which she believed derailed her progress to some extent. She mentioned Shaquille O’Neal’s approach to the new generation, making it clear she doesn’t want to mirror that.
“I played with a lot of angry old heads. I don’t want to be the angry old head. So, I’m not gonna be Shaq coming in like, ‘We all, you know, man up.’ I’m gonna be the person that’s happy where it’s at. You gotta think about ‘what if’ occasionally, but I’m happy for the doors that are open right now.”
Revisiting Candace Parker’s career
Candace Parker marked an era in the WNBA. She took the league by storm, becoming the Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable player in the same season. That was the beginning of one of the best careers of all time.
She was a two-time WNBA MVP, seven-time All-Star, two-time All-Defensive members, the 2016 WNBA Finals MVP and a three-time champion.
She helped the Las Vegas Aces win their second straight championship in 2023. She announced her retirement in April.
