Los Angeles Sparks power forward Nneka Ogwumike discusses her family’s success on the court, the gender pay gap in professional basketball and Gigi Bryant’s legacy. And Candace Parker talks about coming home to Chicago to play for the Chicago Sky, the playful dynamic she has with Shaq and Dwyane Wade on TNT, her new podcast and motherhood.
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
You're listening to Comedy Central.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
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.
(00:38):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
This is so fun, especially having a woman president on
the show.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
This is nice.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I hope this is a predictor of the future.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
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
(01:13):
Lebron James.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
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?
Speaker 4 (01:36):
If you must know, we're Nigerian, so we eat a
lot of goosey soup.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
Ah.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
That's what it is.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
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.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
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,
(02:12):
and then my youngest two sisters play at Rice, and
it's just in the blood. You know.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
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?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
I'm not going to lie to trivor I didn't think
I was going to play professionally till I was like halfway.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Through my senior year of college.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
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.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
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
(03:21):
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.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
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?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
What do you mean? Up to ten up to ten times.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
More where compared to what we make here, you.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Get paid ten times more outside of.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Them, there are players that do, and so we wanted
to make.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Sure that like which countries are these?
Speaker 4 (04:03):
I mean Russia's one.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Wait, Russia, So Russia is paying some of the women
after ten times more what they make in America.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
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.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
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,
(04:49):
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.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
That's leniant.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
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.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
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,
(05:54):
and I expect everyone here to go to a WNBA
game this summer, including you.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I'm gonna vote.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I love what you've possible.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
But we do have fans. You guys go already twenty three.
Thank you, thank you, Wow, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
So I told you we have fans.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
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.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
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.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
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?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
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?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
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
(07:40):
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.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Turn it on.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Watch it.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Follow me.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
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.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
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
(08:40):
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
(09:03):
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?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
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
(09:41):
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
(10:02):
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
(10:23):
live in her honor.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I think you do that every single day.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Congratulations and everything done.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
If yeah, congratulations are making history.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Let bare of the wn los Angelews spots the wee.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
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.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
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.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
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.
(11:28):
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.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
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.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
If I'm not looking like an old lady, all those things.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
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
(12:33):
to fix what happened last year. We need you to
take us to the top.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
First, I'm really excited.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
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
(12:59):
would always be like, I remember seeing you when you
were in high school or whatever.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
So now to come back and just play.
Speaker 5 (13:05):
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.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I mean, all that stuff is so special to be
a part of. And I'm excited.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
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.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
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,
(13:47):
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?
Speaker 5 (13:57):
I grew up watching these guys like I grew up
as a fan on a couch debating with my two brothers,
who are fans.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
By the way, Trevor, I have to shout out anthem,
they are extinct.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
We want WMDIA championships, We've done all these things, gone
to the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
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.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
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.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
You debate. You might not have any facts to debate it,
but you try.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
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.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
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.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
But we just have fun.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
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.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
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?
Speaker 5 (15:12):
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.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
D Wade of course and Gabby are amazing parents.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
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.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
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.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
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.
Speaker 6 (16:05):
Switching, switching in the locker room while he's going over plays.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
But that's just the way it was, and you know,
I wanted to balance both.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
And I'm very lucky because I have an amazing family
that helps me with my daughter, and I.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
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.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Professional athletes credit for being able to balance motherhood, but
there's a million other women.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Out there that have it way harder as jobs. Don't
let them bring their.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
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.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
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.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Explore more shows from the Daily Show podcast universe by
searching The Daily Show wherever you get your podcasts. Watch
The Daily Show week nights at eleven ten Central on
Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Fairmouth Plus.
This has been a Comedy Central podcast
You're listening to Comedy Central.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
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.
(00:38):
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
This is so fun, especially having a woman president on
the show.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
This is nice.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I hope this is a predictor of the future.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
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
(01:13):
Lebron James.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I appreciate that.
Speaker 2 (01:15):
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?
Speaker 4 (01:36):
If you must know, we're Nigerian, so we eat a
lot of goosey soup.
Speaker 5 (01:39):
Ah.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
That's what it is.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
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.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
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,
(02:12):
and then my youngest two sisters play at Rice, and
it's just in the blood. You know.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
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?
Speaker 4 (02:34):
I'm not going to lie to trivor I didn't think
I was going to play professionally till I was like halfway.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Through my senior year of college.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Wow.
Speaker 4 (02:39):
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.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
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
(03:21):
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.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
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?
Speaker 2 (03:49):
What do you mean? Up to ten up to ten times.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
More where compared to what we make here, you.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Get paid ten times more outside of.
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Them, there are players that do, and so we wanted
to make.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Sure that like which countries are these?
Speaker 4 (04:03):
I mean Russia's one.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Wait, Russia, So Russia is paying some of the women
after ten times more what they make in America.
Speaker 3 (04:13):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
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.
Speaker 4 (04:28):
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,
(04:49):
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.
Speaker 3 (05:10):
That's leniant.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
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.
Speaker 4 (05:33):
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,
(05:54):
and I expect everyone here to go to a WNBA
game this summer, including you.
Speaker 3 (05:59):
I'm gonna vote.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
I love what you've possible.
Speaker 4 (06:02):
But we do have fans. You guys go already twenty three.
Thank you, thank you, Wow, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
So I told you we have fans.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
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.
Speaker 2 (06:31):
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.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
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?
Speaker 2 (07:04):
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?
Speaker 4 (07:17):
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
(07:40):
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.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Turn it on.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Watch it.
Speaker 3 (08:04):
Follow me.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
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.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
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
(08:40):
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
(09:03):
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?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
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
(09:41):
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
(10:02):
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
(10:23):
live in her honor.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
I think you do that every single day.
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Congratulations and everything done.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
If yeah, congratulations are making history.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 1 (10:31):
Let bare of the wn los Angelews spots the wee.
Speaker 2 (10:41):
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.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
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.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
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.
(11:28):
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.
Speaker 5 (11:50):
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.
Speaker 3 (12:04):
If I'm not looking like an old lady, all those things.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
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
(12:33):
to fix what happened last year. We need you to
take us to the top.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
First, I'm really excited.
Speaker 5 (12:37):
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
(12:59):
would always be like, I remember seeing you when you
were in high school or whatever.
Speaker 3 (13:03):
So now to come back and just play.
Speaker 5 (13:05):
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.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
I mean, all that stuff is so special to be
a part of. And I'm excited.
Speaker 5 (13:17):
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.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Yeah, I don't know. I don't know what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
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,
(13:47):
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?
Speaker 5 (13:57):
I grew up watching these guys like I grew up
as a fan on a couch debating with my two brothers,
who are fans.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
By the way, Trevor, I have to shout out anthem,
they are extinct.
Speaker 6 (14:08):
We want WMDIA championships, We've done all these things, gone
to the Olympics.
Speaker 3 (14:12):
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.
Speaker 5 (14:21):
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.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
You debate. You might not have any facts to debate it,
but you try.
Speaker 6 (14:33):
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.
Speaker 5 (14:41):
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.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
But we just have fun.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
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.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
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?
Speaker 5 (15:12):
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.
Speaker 3 (15:26):
D Wade of course and Gabby are amazing parents.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
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.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
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.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
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.
Speaker 6 (16:05):
Switching, switching in the locker room while he's going over plays.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
But that's just the way it was, and you know,
I wanted to balance both.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
And I'm very lucky because I have an amazing family
that helps me with my daughter, and I.
Speaker 3 (16:17):
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.
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Professional athletes credit for being able to balance motherhood, but
there's a million other women.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Out there that have it way harder as jobs. Don't
let them bring their.
Speaker 5 (16:38):
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.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
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.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
Thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
Explore more shows from the Daily Show podcast universe by
searching The Daily Show wherever you get your podcasts. Watch
The Daily Show week nights at eleven ten Central on
Comedy Central and stream full episodes anytime on Fairmouth Plus.
This has been a Comedy Central podcast
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