'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WNBA legend Candace Parker has grown in her relationship with her wife, Anna Petrakova. According to Parker, being in a same-sex marriage has not been easy, but they have been able to make it work.
The three-time WNBA champion appeared on iHeartRadio's "The Breakfast Club" program to promote her book, "The Can-Do Mindset." She discussed coming out as gay and how she and her wife are dealing with the challenges of being in a same-sex marriage.
Parker, who won league titles with the LA Sparks, Chicago Sky and Las Vegas Aces in her 16-year WNBA career, said:
"I've been on the other side of it, where I've been the person that was like, 'Everybody knows, just say it, just tell him,'" Parker said (23:10 onward). "But I think everybody comes to grips with it at a different time... My brother was amazing throughout the entire process. My family was great. But my wife's parents didn't talk to her for almost a year ... You can't rush it." [23:10]
Trending
Candace Parker and Petrakova were teammates in the Russian league. Their relationship started with late-night chats. They got married in 2019, but kept their relationship private initially.
The couple publicly came out in December 2021, on their second wedding anniversary. They share two kids: Airr Larry, 3, and Hartt Summitt, 1.
Candace Parker was married for eight years to former NBA player Shelden Williams. They have a daughter, Lailaa Nicole, who was born in 2009.
Candace Parker says decision to come out was largely because of her daughter
Candace Parker said her decision to come out as gay was largely brought about by her love and support for her daughter, Lailaa Nicole.
Parker told Time in an interview in 2022:
“I always tell my daughter to be herself. I always tell my daughter to be proud of who she is. And I always tell my daughter to speak for herself and speak up for those that she loves. And I can’t say that to her if I’m not doing it myself. … That was a step we had to take. But we had to take it on our own terms.”
Lailaa Nicole is carving a name for herself through volleyball, playing for Campbell Hall High School in California.
