All The Smoke Candace Parker: GOAT Women's Hoopers, Kobe Lessons, Maya Moore Wars
Dec 3, 2025
Candace Parker, a two-time NCAA champion and WNBA MVP, discusses her extraordinary basketball journey and career highlights. She shares her experiences playing under coaching legend Pat Summitt and competing fiercely against Maya Moore. Candace recounts the challenges of motherhood during her career, her role at Adidas Women's Basketball, and her hopes for the future of the WNBA. She also ranks basketball icons like MJ, Kobe, and LeBron, emphasizing the evolution of women's sports and the rising stars who inspire her.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Motherhood Reshaped Priorities
- Candace Parker described motherhood with three children aged 16, 3.5 and 17 months and the chaos of boy life.
- She said being a mom now is her priority and she enjoys simple family moments like theme parks and gymnastics.
Reframing Toughness As Protection
- Candace realized the price of elite sport became too high as she associated basketball with constant pain and recovery.
- She emphasized that protecting the body and stepping away can be liberation, not failure.
Prioritize Culture When Building Teams
- Build strong relationships and culture first when assembling a broadcast or team because chemistry shapes product quality.
- Candace emphasized familiarity with colleagues like Dwyane Wade and Blake Griffin improves collaboration.