The Sky’s Candace Parker is one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2022.
“When I received the news, I instantly thought of the most influential people in my life: my mom, my dad, my brothers, Coach Pat [Summitt], my teammates and my circle,” Parker said on social media. “They are all reasons why today is a reality. To my wife, Anya and to Lailaa and Airr, thank you for pushing me every day. Being a wife and a mom are the two most important titles I’ll ever have.”
Time included Parker among its list of “Pioneers,” along with others like musician and film director Amir “Questlove” Thompson, Olympic skier Eileen Gu, economist Emily Oster and photographer Nan Goldin.
Soccer players Megan Rapinoe, Becky Sauerbrunn and Alex Morgan were called “Titans” by Time.
The honor comes a day after Parker entered the WNBA record book as only the third player to achieve multiple career triple-doubles after leading the Sky to a 82-73 victory over the Washington Mystics putting up 16 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. She joked that she may be the oldest player to mess around and get a triple-double — invoking the Ice Cube song “It Was A Good Day” — but she guesses she’s the youngest to ever make the Time’s 100 Most Influential list the next morning.
Parker is in her 15th season in the WNBA as a two-time MVP, six-time All-Star, one-time rookie of the year and defensive player of the year, two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time Associated Press athlete of the year — in addition to the two titles. Before that, she was a two-time NCAA champion with Tennessee. She has won it all.
“Candace Parker is a force to be reckoned with,” former NBA superstar Dwyane Wade wrote about the WNBA superstar for the magazine. “She’s a champion (and six-time WNBA All-Star) who has built a legacy by revolutionizing her game. As a fellow athlete and a fellow parent, I admire what she’s accomplished and how she has taken her daughter all over the world while playing to provide for her family.”
