![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/81c70a41d0af08a1f86e642b7e4b6c378c-candance-parker.rvertical.w330.jpg\")
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
\n Photo-Illustration: Stevie Remsberg; Photo Getty Images\n <\/p>\n
Candace Parker has always played the long game. A generational talent who didn\u2019t just dominate women\u2019s basketball, she expanded what it could look like, feel like, and demand. From her early days under coach Pat Summitt at the University of Tennessee to WNBA championships, Olympic gold medals, and a career defined as much by instinct as by impact, Parker built a legacy rooted in discipline, visibility, and quiet defiance.<\/p>\n
Now, post-final buzzer, she\u2019s translating that same precision into a new era. These days, she wears the hats of analyst, investor, mother, and architect of what comes next for women\u2019s basketball. At a moment when the sport is finally receiving the attention it has long deserved, Parker isn\u2019t just watching the shift, she\u2019s helping shape it. For Parker, getting it done has never simply been about doing more. It\u2019s about doing everything with intention and knowing exactly what\u2019s worth showing up for.<\/p>\n
![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/a1f80b026ead048cbf280f77598d237b39-candance-higid.rvertical.w570.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
On a week like this, what does your actual rhythm look like?
My days usually start around 7 a.m., depending on when my boys wake up, but the first priority is always my family. Before anything work related begins, I check in with my daughter and sons and make sure our morning feels calm and connected. Even if it\u2019s just breakfast or getting ready for the day, that time together grounds everything that follows. Once the house is moving, I take a few quiet minutes for myself \u2014 coffee, a stretch, a quick mental reset, mapping out the day. When you\u2019re balancing motherhood with media and business, how you start matters. If the foundation at home feels right, everything else flows better.<\/p>\n
From there, it\u2019s production calls, catching up on games, meetings, sometimes travel. But no matter how packed it gets, everything comes back to family. That\u2019s what keeps me centered.<\/p>\n
You\u2019re juggling broadcasting, business, and motherhood. What\u2019s the system that actually keeps it all moving?
Preparation and accountability. As a player, you can\u2019t fake the work, and that doesn\u2019t change when the job changes. I approach everything with that same mind-set. Whether it\u2019s broadcasting or business, I want to show up ready. Pat Summitt taught me that discipline early. The little things \u2014 being early, doing the extra work, staying consistent \u2014 are what carry you through every phase of your career.<\/p>\n
Walk me through your prep before you go on air. What does ready actually mean to you?
Film is everything. I start by watching recent games to understand rhythm and how teams are actually playing right now. Then I go deeper: matchups, rotations, coaching tendencies. But what I\u2019m really looking for is nuance. What\u2019s happening off the ball? Who\u2019s making the defensive rotation that doesn\u2019t show up in the box score? Having played the game, I also lean on relationships and instinct. My goal is always the same: help viewers see the game the way players see it.<\/p>\n
On a night before a big on-air day, how do you wind down without losing focus?
Preparation brings me calm. I\u2019ll go through notes, rewatch clips, think through story lines \u2014 not just stats, but context. Then I try to slow things down. Travel and media can get hectic, so having even a small routine helps \u2014 stretching, catching up with family, stepping away from screens. Once I know I\u2019ve done the work, I can relax. That\u2019s the part that lets me show up fully.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the part of the job that people don\u2019t see but defines everything?
The preparation and the pressure to get it right. People see the broadcast but not the hours behind it: studying, talking with producers, researching. And once you\u2019re live, that\u2019s it. No redo. So the rule is simple: Trust your work. If you have prepared, you can speak with clarity and confidence.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s March Madness, and women\u2019s basketball feels like the main event. What are you most excited about right now?
The confidence. This generation walks onto the floor knowing they belong. When I was coming up, we were still fighting for visibility. Now you\u2019re seeing packed arenas; millions watching; and players who grew up studying the WNBA, Olympic teams, and global basketball. The skill level is incredible, but what\u2019s really shifting is the connection. Fans know these players now, their stories, their personalities. That\u2019s what grows the game.<\/p>\n
It feels like the world is finally catching up to how good women\u2019s basketball has always been.<\/p>\n
What does it feel like, personally, to watch that shift happen in real time?
It\u2019s exciting, and, honestly, overdue. My generation always believed in what the game could become, even when the spotlight wasn\u2019t there yet. And the generations before us laid that foundation. Seeing the investment, the visibility, the energy now \u2014 it\u2019s rewarding. But there\u2019s still more to build.<\/p>\n
What\u2019s on your personal checklist for saying \u201cyes\u201d to a deal in women\u2019s sports?
First, it has to move the game forward. If I\u2019m putting my name on something, it needs to have real impact. Second, respect \u2014 fair investment, real partnership, understanding the value of women athletes. And third, long-term vision. The best partnerships aren\u2019t just about today, they\u2019re about building something sustainable.<\/p>\n
When everything is loud \u2014 media, expectations, travel \u2014 what brings you back to yourself quickly?
Family. Being around people who know me outside of basketball and media resets everything. Even a small moment or one conversation can shift your perspective.<\/p>\n
On the most packed days, the ones that feel like a full-court press, what\u2019s nonnegotiable for you?
The basics. Hydration, sleep when I can get it, and movement, even if it\u2019s just a quick stretch. Confidence in what I\u2019m wearing and how I show up matters too. I keep Degree Clinical 5X in my routine because it\u2019s built for high-pressure moments \u2014 on-camera, traveling, running between everything. Knowing that part is handled lets me focus on everything else.<\/p>\n
Stay in touch.<\/p>\n
The latest in style, self, culture, and power in your inbox.<\/p>\n
Vox Media, LLC Terms and Privacy Notice<\/p>\n