WNBA Legend Candace Parker Wants to Be Recognized For More Than Her Gender
*By Michael Teich*
WNBA star Candace Parker may be a female voice in a male-dominated sport, but the two-time MVP wants to be recognized for more than just her gender.
“I think it’s important because, obviously we watch basketball, and I feel like we’re knowledgeable about it as well," Parker said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar. "I don't know if it’s a female voice or just another opinion. I hope at some point in the transition it’s more of that ー a varying opinion as opposed to a different gender.
The Los Angeles Spark is taking her talents to the broadcast booth, signing on with Turner Sports as a NBA and NCAA basketball commentator.
Parker, who is entering her 11th season with the Sparks, will join the Players Only Studio team, dishing out her insights and analysis from an athlete's perspective.
She also weighed in on the future of the WNBA, whose former president Lisa Borders stepped down to take a new position as the first-ever CEO of [Time's Up]([http://www.nba.com/article/2018/10/02/wnba-president-lisa-borders-steps-down-president-times).
“Lisa was great with us," she said. "I’m partial, you know. We won a championship when she was president. I think she did a great job of balancing both players as well as owners and was a great leader, and I wish her the best. It's going to be hard replacing her, but I'm sure the WNBA will do the best they can.”
In 2018 Borders helped the WNBA score its most-watched season in four years, and in 2017 she led the league to its highest regular-season attendance since 2012.
Despite the WNBA's growth over the past few years, revenue and viewership is still dwarfed by that of the men's league. But the NBA had a decades-long head-start, according to Parker.
“I always talk about how young the league is. We’re 23 years young," she said. "The NBA was on tape delay in the 80s for the Finals match-up. So, if you can imagine the progress that they’ve made over the past 20-30 years. I think just give it time."
The six-time All Star is confident social media will help accelerate the WNBA's progress.
"The WNBA is going to be more visible, and you’re going to be able to get to know the players," she said.
"What do you fall in love with with the NBA? You fall in love with story lines and being able to know the players. It’s coming for the WNBA.”
For full interview [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/wnba-legend-candace-parker-wants-to-be-recognized-for-more-than-her-gender).
Jill Gregory, EVP & General Manager of Sonoma Raceway, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell, where she discusses how next weekend's NASCAR slate will be ramped up, with fans attending at full capacity, and how the venue's road course will give both drivers and fans a unique experience.
Pepsi’s 10-year contract with the NFL to sponsor the Super Bowl Half Time Show has come to an end and the rights are now up for grabs, leaving football fans to wonder what competitor or a wild card will jump in to take the food and beverage giant's place. However, PepsiCo will still have pour rights at all of the NFL major events.
Brian Stewart, the U.S. brand ambassador for Belvedere Vodka, joined Cheddar News to show off the cocktail called the Belvedere Raspberry Circuit to pair with the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix, a race getting underway for the very first time on May 8. “I wanted this drink to be very approachable, but I also wanted to drink to be as luxurious and exciting as the race itself," he said.
It’s NFL draft night! A former defensive end for the Dolphins, Bears, and Texans Wale Ogunleye joined Cheddar News to talk about which rookies-to-be the NFL teams will be picking and also discuss the impact of the pandemic on the incoming players. "I do think having the ability to stay at school maybe a year or two longer, and it may be getting your adulthood going, it might help out a lot, but again, it's a different animal in that locker room," he said. Ogunleye, who also heads sports and entertainment at the financial firm UBS, also talked about providing financial literacy education and advice for young athletes.
Chelsa Messinger, host of 'The Daily Tip', joins Cheddar Bets to compete with Alex Glaze and draft the best card possible from tonight's slate.
Sponsored by BetMGM
Ryan Glasspiegel, sports and entertainment reporter for the New York Post, explains why we're seeing teams and leagues gravitate towards Las Vegas, and sheds light on the recent report that Amazon is pushing for a Black Friday NFL game.
Emmanuel Macron staves off the far right challenger Marine Le Pen in France, conservative lawmakers find themselves embroiled in varying controversies, and pickleball is hotter than ever in the U.S.
Between Bells EP Conor White recaps some of the biggest stories of the week, and teaches Baker Machado and Azia Celestino a thing or two at the same time. It's This Week in Trivia!
The Golden State Warriors a new affiliate company called Golden State Entertainment to create sports-related original content, documentaries, and musical collaborations. David Kelly, chief business officer, joined Cheddar News to discuss “We think it's a great time to step off into this area. I think the better question maybe is why this hasn’t been formed previously?” he said. "There's a lot of synergies between sports, music, and film, and so we think that the timing is right to bring those worlds together into this venture." He noted that projects aren't limited to Warriors-only content, pointing to the documentary "38 at the Garden," about former New York Knicks player Jeremy Lin.
