Candace Parker surprised the basketball world when she retired over the weekend after 16 seasons in the WNBA, and on Sunday night her TNT Sports colleagues Eddie Johnson, Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal and Kenny Smith paid tribute to her playing career on Inside the NBA.
The group highlighted her incredible accolades as a player, her quick ascent at TNT as an analyst, and her warm heart as a mother and friend.
“She’s just an amazing lady,” Barkley, who works closely with Parker each spring for the NCAA tournament, said. “Candace, girl, we’re so proud of you, and the good thing about it is none of us ever get to walk out on our own terms. You did.”
O’Neal is on the Inside the NBA panel with Parker each Tuesday and added his own glowing praise.
“It’s a joy to work with her,” O’Neal said. “So proud of your accomplishments on and off the court. It’s a joy to have watched you play … you will always be remembered as one of the top two, top-three women’s players ever.”
Smith, a neighbor of Parker’s in Los Angeles, emphasized how much of a pioneer Parker was as an athlete beyond her dominance on the basketball court.
“The ability to play a game, come to TNT, and then be there to pick up her daughter is what makes her special,” Smith said. “It’s the ability to be a mom and all of that and make her children feel more special than she is.”
Parker will continue as a studio and game analyst for TNT Sports in retirement.
In an Instagram post announcing her retirement, Parker wrote that she would also pursue team ownership, production and private equity.