On the 25th of January, Candace Parker added to her resume at the Paris Fashion Week. The president of women’s basketball at Adidas, Parker, made her runway debut for the brand’s Y-3 Fall/Winter 2025, dressed in a sleek, black ensemble. But as glamorous a moment that was, it unintentionally turned into a parenting win in the aftermath for the LA Sparks icon.
Days following her walk down the ramp, Candace Parker took to her Instagram story to share a sneak peek into their family group chat. Sharing a proud mom moment, she wrote, “That proud moment when your kid makes a great joke and finally you realize all your parenting was worth it!”
On a hilarious exchange in her family group chat, “The Petrakova’s,” her daughter, Lailaa Williams, kicked things off by sharing a picture of Candace on the runway as she wore a serious expression. But her daughter and wife found a way to turn the high-fashion moment into a family comedy classic.
“When you’re holding in a GINORMOUS fart so u gotta hit them with the…” the eldest daughter wrote. To this, Anya chimed in with her own witty addition: “Orrrr right after you cropdusted everyone but gotta act like it wasn’t you.” Bursting with laughter at their humor, Candace responded with a string of laughing emojis, replying, “Lai ur getting funny.”
At 15, Lailaa is Parker’s eldest child, whom she had while she was still married to former NBA player Shelden Williams. Now a budding basketball star, Lailaa spent her childhood with Parker’s WNBA and overseas’ teams. “Her playground has literally been the world,” the 3x champion sums up. Considering Parker has some wits herself, the years together seem to reflect young.
But the mother-child dynamic isn’t only limited to Lailaa. The W icon has two more sons and always seems to be finding ways to turn life into a lesson or a memory. Earlier on the day of her runway debut, she shared an Insta story, expressing how she would wish her boys would grow up understanding what “mambamentality” really meant, reflecting on the incredible impact Kobe Bryant had on her and now on her kids.
As she retired early last year, Parker it clear that being a mom and a wife was per priority and that she was going to enjoy her family to the fullest. She certainly hasn’t compromised on that. But she also hasn’t put her professional life on hold, as evident from her growing resume here and more.
Candace Parker is out to inspire with a new step
The WNBA legend, Parker might have retired from professional basketball in April 2024, but slowing down? That’s just not her style. True to her Can-Do mindset, the icon is stepping into a new chapter with the release of her book, The Can-Do Mindset, hitting shelves on June 3. The book inspired by her childhood nickname, is now available for preorder, and it’s packed with personal stories from her life both on and off the court.
“Can-Do became my nickname from an early age, and it’s become a mindset that’s served me through so many life phases, anchoring me through choppy waters,” Candace shared on Insta with the audience. “In this book, I share stories from my own life on and off the court that made me who I am. I hope these stories will inspire you to break the boundaries around you and create your own success. With the Can-Do mindset, you will succeed in the game of life.”
That mindset has been her compass throughout an incredible career, and it’s clear she’s still living by it today. As the president of Adidas Women’s Basketball, Candace throws her focus on empowering the next gen of athletes and shaking up the game in new ways. She’s also making waves in the storytelling world with her production company, Baby Hair Productions, which has already released two powerful documentaries—Title IX: 37 Words That Changed America and Candace Parker: Unapologetic, a look at her journey through basketball and beyond.
Even in retirement, Candace Parker is still redefining what it means to love and lead, this time one story at a time.
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