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My guest tonight is a w NBA champion and six time All Star who plays for the Los Angeles Sparks. As president of the players Union, she played a leading role in negotiating higher pay and expanded benefits for all of the women in the league. Please welcome netlark Omik. Welcome to the show.
Thank you.
This is so fun, especially having a woman president on the show.
This is nice.
I hope this is a predictor of the future.
Welcome.
I don't even know where to start in your world because of how many achievements you just have, you know, in your resume. Let's start with your journey as a player. One of the most accomplished players that we've ever seen in the game of basketball. Magic Johnson said that he watches you playing and he goes you one of the smartest players on and off the court. He actually said you you you are like a combination of Magic Johnson and Lebron James.
I appreciate that.
That's I praised You've dominated, You've dominated for such a long time. What's interesting is your sister plays in the team with you. She does she's also amazing. Yeah, and then you have a younger sister who has been predicted to also be coming into the w What are they feeding you in your family?
If you must know, we're Nigerian, so we eat a lot of goosey soup.
Ah.
That's what it is.
That's what it is.
But is there is there something in your family where like, like, how do you how do you have so many great basketball players in the family. I don't know.
I really couldn't tell you. You know, we just kind of grew up knowing what excellence was in our culture. It's just the staple and the standard. And so to be honest, like if I was playing another sport, I would have found a way to be excellent in that. And it's just so happened that we all played basketball. But not only that, you know, we had the opportunity play basketball at Stanford University between me and my sister, and then my youngest two sisters play at Rice, and
it's just in the blood. You know.
It's interesting that you've been playing for so long and the WNBA is so young as a league, so when you started off playing, there wasn't even an idea of a possible future. I mean that the WNBA is being growing exponentially, but it's still was that every an idea. Did you think, oh, I'm going to be playing professionally or were you just doing this for fun?
I'm not going to lie to trivor I didn't think I was going to play professionally till I was like halfway.
Through my senior year of college.
Wow.
And I think that is attributed to just to how we were raised, but also not being kind of being ignorant to the opportunities for women in sports, right and for me to look back and understand how much I've grown and my intellect about that, and being able to educate people about that and also affect change in this current CBA, I feel like I found my legacy. It's kind of cool.
That's really mean. The w the w n b A is is truly one of the most interesting stories because here you have this league that keeps on growing, you on your you know it does, it does better and better, it makes more and more money, and yet there's so many complicated stories within it. You have amazing women who are athletes who play in this league. Most of them i've heard have college degrees almost like everyone almost everyone. Yeah, Yeah,
that's that's special on its own, that's very special. You have business owners, you have entrepreneurs. But then because of the pay structures in the league, most of the women have to go overseas to earn and and correct me if it's wrong, but more money from other countries. Playing in a basketball league.
We have a twelve month season, right, and that is too. That gives us an opportunity to earn up to ten times more than sorry, what up to ten times more?
What do you mean? Up to ten up to ten times.
More where compared to what we make here, you.
Get paid ten times more outside of.
Them, there are players that do, and so we wanted to make.
Sure that like which countries are these?
I mean Russia's one.
Wait, Russia, So Russia is paying some of the women after ten times more what they make in America.
Wow.
Yeah, I never thought I would be saying to ladies, go to Russia, but that's what. So players in the WNBA have had to make this choice where it's like you play the entire year just to basically sustain yourself as a basketball player.
Yeah, and you know it kind of was reflected in our CBA. Now we wanted to kind of you know, we didn't want to make it an obligation. We wanted to create more disparity in the choices. So now with what we hopefully catalyzed in this current collective bargain agreement, there's players that now have opportunities to not only make more money, but but to be compensated in the league market, in the team market, so that they don't feel like they have to go overseas, which also affects motherhood and
child planning. Right, so now you don't have to decide when am I going to have my kid? Or am I scared to tell them that I'm pregnant? And those are the types of resources and implications that we wanted to change at a foundational level that can hopefully create a much better future for women's basketball.
That's leniant.
How do you how do you respond to those people who some of which are trolls, but some who maybe you know genuinely from this, I feel like I don't understand they're all trolls. Yeah like that, So people like why do w NBA players want more money? They don't have as many fans as the NBA.
You know, I just don't understand the ignorance because it doesn't make sense. But at the same time, I think it boils down to the business being run properly, which our current commission now is really working hard to fix. Granted, basketball is basketball, but the game is different on the women's side, and the fans that we do have, which are a lot, that is not true. We do have fans, and I expect everyone here to go to a WNBA game this summer, including you.
I'm gonna vote.
I love what you've possible.
But we do have fans. You guys go already twenty three. Thank you, thank you, Wow, thank you, thank you, thank you.
So I told you we have fans.
Wow. That's oh yeah, so like you know, it's just it's not true that we don't have fans. But the business is different, you know, we play differently, We appeal to a different market and we have to tap into that in order for the business to thrive.
When you look at the journey you've been on, When you look at the journey the league has been on, the players have been on, there's no doubt that the league is growing. There's no doubt that the league makes more money. Is there an argument of chicken on the egg? You know, like people go like, oh, maybe if the league makes more money, then the players can get more money. But is there also the augments of oh, if you invest more in the league, than the league becomes more popular.
If it becomes more popular, it makes more money.
That is definitely what we're dealing with right now. And instead of just talking about the chicken or the egg, bring a chicken that lays an egg or let an egg. Crap, like, do something, don't just keep talking about right?
Yeah, So what's your what's your goal and your journey now? Because I mean your legend both in and outside of basketball. You know, you've achieved so many accolades. Where do you where do you see your journey taking you?
Right now? I've I'm finally grabbing the wheel of the car that's taking me to wherever I need to go. But to be honest, I just want to educate more people about the w NBA, women in sports, empowering women in general, especially educating other women on how to empower women. We do need allies, of course, and so and so that's just kind of what I want to do. I just want to educate people because ignorance really eliminates a lot of preconceptions. And it changes actions in a very
small way. And I tell everyone, Okay, if you can't go to a w NBA game, at least have the TV on and let it contribute to the ratings. Turn it on. If you absolutely have nothing to do. You can find a game. It's not impossible to find a game.
Turn it on.
Watch it.
Follow me.
Now, you know me, Now you know in whatever way you can. I know a lot of people probably know my teammate Kannas Parker. I'm sure you can follow her. Don't just watch her as an analyst, watch her play, and if you can't see her, then you can't be her. And that's what I want to change.
Let's let's talk a little bit about that, because I think one of the one of the more interesting and also heartbreaking stories is undeniably that of Gigi Bryants. Yeah, we saw all these images of her, and there was there were seldom images of her that didn't involve basketball.
You know, whether it was her playing in her dress and in her heels, you know that that video that went around, whether it was pictures of her practicing with her dad, Kobe, whether it was images of her to game staring at you you know, almost looking at you like, Wow, this is where I dream of being. There's no denying that Ggi Bryant in many ways represented the future of what the UNBA could be, you know, because she wasn't just playing basketball to play basketball. She was trying to
get somewhere that some way was the WNBA. She looked up to you, she looked up to many other players in the WNBA. What do you think that's done for the sports? And what do you hope young girls out there who are playing right now will have that George generation? Doesn't you know?
Losing Gigi, I think to the world it exposed people to a lot that they didn't know, not just about a young girl who wanted to aspire to be like her dad, but a young girl that was moving things for women without even realizing it. She was authentically herself. And by her being authentically herself, you know, we saw a living legacy in her, not just through her father, but also for women in sports and for the WNBA. When we got to experience her, we were looking at
what we were working for. You know, We're not just here to make a difference for the current players, for the rookies coming in. We're here to make a difference for those girls like Gigi whose eyes lit up every time that they saw us, and that is out there and people need to know that that is out there. We were tragically alarmed by it, but it certainly was a wake up call and it really hit hard for the women's basketball community to lose her. But we're gonna live in her honor.
I think you do that every single day.
Congratulations and everything done.
If yeah, congratulations are making history.
Yeah, thank you.
Let bare of the wn los Angelews spots the wee.
My next guest tonight is WNBA superstar Candace Parker. She's here to talk about what it's been like returning home to play for the Chicago Sky and what she gets up to behind the scenes with Shaq and d Wade on TNT. Candas Parker, Welcome to the Daily Social Distancing Show.
Thank you for having me. I'm I'm a fan, Trevor, just so you know, I'm not a casual fan. I'm a fan.
Oh wow, Okay, that puts a lot of pressure on me because now I'm a fan of yours. Because it's not often I get to talk to anybody who is considered the greatest at anything that they do. I'm gonna I'm gonna read just a small list of some of your achievements. You've won a WNBA title, right, two Olympic gold medals, two regular season MVPs, and a finals MVP. You're also the first player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season. Last year, you
were named the Defensive Player of the Year. My question to you is, have you already started writing your whole a famed speech? What do you like you plan ahead or you're going to try and make it seem like you didn't know at the time. Is it going to be one of those like, oh modest, ah, what a surprise.
Listen, I'm just realizing now, like I've been in this thing for fourteen years, and like I have a daughter and the people that I'm playing with are closer to her age. So I think it's more so just more concerned about worried about how my socks are.
If I'm not looking like an old lady, all those things.
You say that, but you are still competing at the highest level. You know, the seasons about a kickoff. Everybody in Chicago is excited because you have just switched to a new team. It's almost a homecoming for you because you're from Illinois. What are your expectations for the upcoming season and how do you deal with that pressure of a whole city going all right, Candice, we need you to fix what happened last year. We need you to take us to the top.
First, I'm really excited.
I grew up in Naperville, which is western suburbs of Chicago, and I started playing basketball here, and you know, just to be able to come back to where it all started because around the Chicagoland area, I grew up in the nineties, so it was all bulls, all who's next, all prep, high school, college, everything like they follow basketball, and so I would always run into people and they would always be like, I remember seeing you when you were in high school or whatever.
So now to come back and just play.
And you know, to be able to have dinner with my dad and have breakfast with my mom, my grandma can come see me play.
I mean, all that stuff is so special to be a part of. And I'm excited.
I'm you know, with the challenge, you know, to try to win, because if you're not trying to win at the beginning of the season.
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what you're doing.
You you you wannt just the best on the court, you're also one of the best off the court as well. People love you. I'm one of the people who loves you. I love your commentary on TNT with Shaq and d Wade. I love the camaraderie that you guys have formed. I love the games that you play. I love how you go at it with Shack, Like that relationship seems so authentic, Like you guys are fighting, you're laughing, you're you're you're arguing,
but it's like you're in the same space. How long did it take for you to form that like that? Is that a natural thing?
I grew up watching these guys like I grew up as a fan on a couch debating with my two brothers, who are fans.
By the way, Trevor, I have to shout out anthem, they are extinct.
We want WMDIA championships, We've done all these things, gone to the Olympics.
It's like, you're going to be on The Daily Show? Are you kidding me? So a huge hit. But I will say that my childhood coming up debating.
My brothers and being around them all the time kind of prepared me for Turner because honestly, like that's what it's like on set.
You debate. You might not have any facts to debate it, but you try.
There's a lot of yelling and screaming and just saying you don't understand, and that's what it is. And honestly, like when I came in, you know, I know there's a lot to do.
With like me being the only woman on set and things like that. And I told them immediately like I'm not trying to be one of the guys. I'm trying to be one of the players. Oh they and they've embraced that honestly, like I'm a teammate.
But we just have fun.
I wish we had cameras in the back, like in the makeup room, because if you would hear some of those debates, it's like the show after the show.
I feel like you could just add it to the list of things you're doing. Because you're playing, you're in front of the camera. Rumors are that you're starting a new podcast now, is that true? Can we confirm that?
Yes, I'm very excited to be starting moments with Cannis Parker. I have a twelve year old daughter and she is just the center of my entire world. And just talking with other parents got to Mauri that was a guest.
D Wade of course and Gabby are amazing parents.
So just really excited to chat with a lot of different experiences because I think there's no blueprint when it comes to raising a child.
Is it harder or does it get easier raising a child when you are an elite athlete, because so much of your time is taken up by the game, Like, how do you how do you create a stable base for a child in a world that is so unstable because of sports.
Leila has been with me from day one. We didn't spend a night away from each other until she was almost two or two or three. I nursed for fifteen months, so my coach saw a lot of you know.
Switching, switching in the locker room while he's going over plays.
But that's just the way it was, and you know, I wanted to balance both.
And I'm very lucky because I have an amazing family that helps me with my daughter, and I.
Have an amazing kid. She gets it. She's one of the best travelers. She's been to Russia, China, You're like everywhere in Europe, like she's amazing. But I will say this, I think a lot of people give.
Professional athletes credit for being able to balance motherhood, but there's a million other women.
Out there that have it way harder as jobs. Don't let them bring their.
Kids to work that you know, don't let them take off when they're sick, and just different things like that. So I am very happy to have that balance of motherhood. And I realized, you know, you have tough days, but you know it's all worth it.
Oh man. Yeah. I hope everyone listens to the podcast. It must be fun hearing some of the behind the scenes of everyone's moments as a mom. Good luck with your next venture out in Chicago. Good luck with your new podcast. Thank you for joining me on the show, and I hope to see you again.
Thank you so much.
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