Playing in ‘W’ is not an easy task. Every spectator sees and imagines the high standards, quality, and physicality of the league, but there is more to it. Former WNBA champion and MVP Candace Parker briefly discussed it in her recent interview.
The natural and uncontrollable factors that affect the athlete are widely ignored and given the least importance by many. WNBA is not an exception. Giving an example of her pregnancy, the former LA Sparks star explained her mindset.
Candace Parker Recalls Changes After Her First Pregnancy
Some may say it’s all about willpower. But continuing to play at the highest level and balancing it with motherhood requires more than willpower. The period is very delicate for those athlete-mothers with both child and sport, taking up most of the day and leaving a marginal rest period. Imagining it might be easy, but actually doing it in real life is beyond imagination. Some players in the WNBA have even taken a season-long break to focus on their newborns.
Candace Parker is not one of them, though. The power forward showed her capabilities on the floor right from her rookie season. During her pregnancy, she navigated her career smoothly. She was pregnant right after her memorable Rookie of the Year season, so it was a big decision for the youngster.
“I think about the amount of lights and what’s gonna be her following act, those questions were all around me, and I had my daughter in my belly, and I was like ‘Okay, how am I going to navigate this?’ It was more so, are people gonna continue to question whether I can do this and come back and be the same?” she said in an interview (Via YT/the ‘All Facts No Brakes With Keyshawn Johnson’ Show).
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The three-time champion was pregnant with her first child, Lailaa, in 2009. She gave birth to Lailaa in May 2009 and returned to the WNBA just 53 days later for her second year.
How Candace Parker Dealt With WNBA Games During Pregnancy?
The Missouri-born star is a champion at every level. She has won an Olympic Gold Medal, WNBA Championships, Finals MVP, NCAA titles, the Russian League, and the Euro League. Backing down is not in her genes, and she did the same during her first pregnancy.
She mentioned that there were no paid maternity leaves at the time (a basic need for working mothers) in the WNBA, while the star couldn’t afford to lose her focus on the game. The spotlight was brighter than ever on the Tennessee forward, who had to juggle motherhood and WNBA action in the league.
Since joining the league after pregnancy, Parker has accommodated her mother to help her with Lailaa’s care when she is away. She paid for half of the accommodation, as the rooms were shared by players at the time. She even took her mother to the games, buying her tickets to the same flights and games.
Even though her mother helped out during her ‘professional time’, Parker perfectly played the mother role. She was taking care of her baby every time she got the time, even during halftime in matches. She did everything, quickly changing her role from player to mother, to meet her daughter’s needs. Even with all these ‘runs’ and switches between responsibilities, Parker was productive on the court. She led the league with 9.8 rebounds, scoring over 13 points and providing two assists in the Sparks’ third-place finish in the West.
The champion player is still ready to impact the league. She is now looking to own a WNBA team and mentioned that she is excited about the sport’s growth. She would be a great owner in the office, given her abilities.
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