Candace Parker wants to see more ‘critique’ in women’s basketball discussions

The conversation around the WNBA, and women’s basketball in general, has been complicated in recent years.

As the sport and league have ascended to new heights, they have brought with them a slew of new voices offering their thoughts. Unfortunately, many of those media members and critics have brought a severe lack of historical context and knowledge, or, worse, an agenda. As such, it’s led to conversations veering into areas that have nothing to do with the game being played on the court. And even if it does, it’s not a conversation that moves the game forward.

This has also led to a large portion of the pre-existing media and fanbase digging in their heels, acting as enforcers on behalf of the athletes and the league, and continually offering overwhelmingly positive or advantageous viewpoints that don’t always align with the facts.

Candace Parker, one of the greatest players in WNBA history and a longtime women’s basketball broadcaster, would like to see the conversation evolve so that fans and dedicated media members feel comfortable offering criticism when necessary.

“I think to move the game forward, there’s got to be critique,” Parker said on a recent episode of Post Moves with Candace Parker & Aliyah Boston. “I think for so long, women in sports that are covering it in media have had to uplift the game and sell it in so many ways. And now the product is speaking and holding its own. In the words of James Baldwin, ‘Because I love America so much, I have the right to critique it.’ And with that being said, I think I love women’s basketball so much, and all of us do. So we have the right to critique it. Not demoralize it, not diminish it, but actually say what’s going on and be honest and be real and have those conversations and have those debates. Have your opinion. I have my opinion.

“I think it’s great we can disagree. Some people have Michael as the GOAT. Some people have LeBron. Those are adequate discussions. But I think it’s also the fans within women’s sports that need to understand that when people are not attacking character, but actually flaws in the game and things like that, let’s not call that hate.”

It’s a good ask, though a tricky one. The defensiveness among women’s basketball supporters is warranted, given the kind of bad actors trying to co-opt it for personal gain. However, just like any major sport or league, criticism of the game, players, and outcomes must be free-flowing to have authentic conversations. The WNBA and women’s basketball will likely get there, but it might take a bit longer than Parker and others would like.