CANDACE PARKER BECOMES FIRST WOMAN FEATURED ON NBA2K COVER
Last week, it was announced that Candace Parker would be the first female cover athlete in the history of the popular video game NBA 2K. Parker will hold the cover for NBA2K22 that is set to release on September 10.
“I grew up a video game fanatic, that’s what I did, to the point where my brothers would give me the fake controller when I was younger where I think I was playing and I wasn’t,” Parker said. “All I wanted to do was just be like them. As a kid growing up, you dream of having your own shoe and dream of being in a video game. As an athlete those are a kid’s dreams. To be able to experience that, I don’t take it lightly.”
Extremely proud and humbled to be the first female cover athlete in the history of @NBA2K
I’m honored to work with a company that’s investing in women and betting on us to succeed. I’m hopeful there will be many more badass females to follow 💪🏽💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/WJan4YE7Qt
— Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) July 14, 2021
“I think when you’re young and experience these types of things, you’re onto the next thing,” she said. “As I’ve gotten older, I’ve really savored the moment. I think it’s a benchmark of women’s basketball for sure. I think most importantly it speaks to visibility and how important it is and how important the WNBA is,” Parker said.
Parker continued, “Everyone is looking at it that it’s impacting little girls, but it’s also impacting little boys and young men and young women and men and women. I think our game is different from the NBA; now it’s embracing that fact. Now more than ever, fans want to follow the athlete. Through social media, through video games, it’s adding and benefiting the WNBA.”
Although it took 22 years for 2K to put a female athlete on the cover of an NBA game, it’s a step in the right direction when it comes to representation. According to Engadget, NBA 2K20 was the first 2K game to feature WNBA teams and players.
Parker is a two-time WNBA MVP, six-time all-star, one-time WNBA champion, one-time WNBA Finals MVP, and two-time Olympic gold medalist. She continues to represent the WNBA in a positive light. She will go on to commentate the medal rounds at the Tokyo Games.
