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Candace Parker            

Former WNBA Basketball Player & Two-Time WNBA MVP; Member of the 2008 & 2012 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team; Host of "Moments with Candace Parker" Podcast

One of the most decorated women’s basketball players of all time, Candace Parker, has built a legacy both on and off the court. She was a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist, winning gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics. Selected as the No.1 overall pick in the 2008 WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks, Parker had a successful career at the University of Tennessee, where she led the Lady Vols to consecutive NCAA championships in 2007 and 2008. She made history as the first woman to dunk in an NCAA tournament game and the first woman to dunk twice in a college game. Parker's professional career spanned across various teams, including the Los Angeles Sparks, Chicago Sky, and Las Vegas Aces - winning a championship with each team.

Throughout her career, Parker won several awards, including the WNBA MVP twice (2008, 2013), the WNBA Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season (2008), and was named Finals MVP after leading the Sparks to the 2016 WNBA title. Other honors include being a 7-time All-WNBA First Team member, a 3-time All-WNBA Second Team member, and receiving the WNBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2020. She was also named to the WNBA 25th Anniversary Team in 2021. After retiring from professional basketball in 2024, Parker remains a significant influence in the sports industry.

Off the court, Parker has been an analyst and commentator for Turner since 2018, covering NBA games on TNT and NBA TV, and the NCAA men's basketball tournament. She also launched a podcast, "Moments with Candace Parker," where she celebrates parenthood with various guests. In 2021, Parker became the first WNBA player to appear on the cover of an NBA 2K game, marking another significant milestone in her career. In her post announcing her retirement, she promises to attack her future endeavors, whether that be business, private equity ownership, broadcasting, production, etc., with the same intensity and focus she put toward basketball.

Parker has worked with several brands, such as Adidas, NBA 2K, Band-Aid, JBL Audio, and Gatorade. She also contributed to the community as a co-owner of the Angel City FC National Women's Soccer League expansion team along with her daughter. As a mother and a Black woman, Parker has developed into a bold, insightful, and inspiring thought leader who is passionate about the importance of women’s rights, voters’ rights, and Black Lives Matter.

Speech Topics


In Conversation with Candace Parker

Entrepreneur, activist, and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Candace Parker is one of the most influential athletes of this generation and one of the most decorated women’s basketball players of all time. Parker offers bold and inspiring insights about the importance of women’s rights, voting rights, mental health awareness, racial justice, and Black Lives Matter in this moderated conversation.

Breaking Down Barriers in Sports and in Life

Based on her electrifying TEDWomen Talk How to break down barriers and not accept limits, basketball superstar Candace Parker shares her journey as a trailblazing sports icon, what it takes to break barriers, and the lesson she learned from her daughter about not accepting limitations in this moderated conversation that makes an impact on audiences of all kinds.

Mental Health Awareness

Entrepreneur, activist, and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Candace Parker shares her passion for mental health awareness and support, insights about balancing her superstar career and motherhood, and how we can overcome adversity and raise awareness in this moderated conversation.

Breaking Through Glass Ceilings

Basketball superstar, sportscaster, and entrepreneur Candace Parker is a trailblazing sports icon who has broken barriers throughout her career. One of the most decorated women’s basketball players of all time, Parker is a passionate advocate for women’s rights, speaks authentically about her journey as a parent, and shares her experience as a mother and Black woman, offering an intersectional perspective. She inspires others to break through glass ceilings as she has in this impactful moderated conversation.

Leadership and Sports Activism

Legendary basketball star Candace Parker is one of the most influential athletes of her generation and a powerful advocate for women’s rights, voting rights, and Black Lives Matter. Parker is a bold leader on the intersections of sports and diversity, equity, and inclusion, and offers insights from her personal experience playing at the top of the game and leveraging her platform to create social change.

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