Candace Parker: Transitioning from Basketball Star to Business Leader

Candace Parker is reshaping women's sports through her leadership at Adidas and commitment to growth and investment.

### Candace Parker: From Basketball Star to Business Leader
* 🏀 Candace Parker is currently at a **pivotal moment in her career**, transitioning from a professional athlete to a **prominent business figure** in women's sports.
* 💼 Recently appointed as the President of Adidas Women's Basketball, she aims to **grow the game of women's basketball and sports as a whole**.
* 🎓 Reflecting on her impactful college years at the University of Tennessee, she credits legendary coach **Pat Summitt** for shaping her career and instilling **vital life lessons**.
* 📝 Summitt's "definite dozen" principles, particularly **handling success and failure**, continue to influence Parker's approach to challenges in her professional life.
* 🌟 Parker reminisces about the pre-social media era of basketball, where she experienced the **thrill of sold-out arenas and national championships**, contrasting it with the current landscape.
* 💰 She emphasizes the importance of **financial foresight** in her career decisions, recognizing the necessity of **overseas play for better compensation** in women's basketball.
* 📈 Despite the challenges faced in the past, Parker expresses **optimism for the future of women's sports**, particularly with advancements like **NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) opportunities** for athletes.
* 👟 Her long-standing partnership with Adidas has evolved into a leadership role, showcasing her **commitment to not only the brand but also the growth of women's basketball** on a larger scale.

### From Basketball Stardom to Business Ventures: Candace Parker's Journey
* 🏀 Candace Parker reflects on her journey from a child in Miami collecting food stamps to becoming a Nike athlete, sharing the surreal moment of **seeing others wear her sneakers**.
* 🥇 She emphasizes the importance of **loyalty**, having been with Nike for **25 years**, and discusses her aspirations to own both an NBA and WNBA team, viewing it as a **continuation of her competitive spirit**.
* 💼 Parker believes in "**speaking things into existence**," and highlights the need for **hard work and goal-setting** to achieve success in business, much like her approach to basketball.
* 📚 To bridge the gap in her business knowledge, she actively seeks mentorship and advice from experienced professionals, emphasizing the **importance of relationships in achieving business success**.
* 🤝 Parker shares her admiration for Marc Lasry, noting their friendship and collaboration, which began **humorously during a celebrity basketball game**, leading to a **fruitful mentorship**.
* 📈 She passionately advocates for proper investment in women's sports, stressing that "**scared money doesn't make money**," and the need for billionaire owners to make **impactful changes**.
* 🎥 As a broadcaster, Parker prepares by studying games and understanding player dynamics, aiming to **connect with diverse audiences** and **share compelling stories** in women's sports.
* 🌟 She concludes by highlighting the shift in perception of women's sports as a **legitimate business opportunity**, urging stakeholders to recognize the **potential for growth and success**.

All right, Alex. We are catching Candace at an amazing moment in her career. She stopped playing. She's moved on to being a business person. Full stop. Reminds me a little bit in her ambition of somebody I know who used to play baseball. You know, I really connected with her. I felt like very much like I was looking in the mirror a little bit. She has such a great vision, a clear, big vision, but she's also a media star. I believe she'll be a future owner in the NBA and WNBA. She has a wonderful relationship with Adidas where they made her the president of basketball for women's basketball. And if she was a stock, Jason, I would buy as much as I can. This is a good one, folks. Up next: Candace Parker. Alright, please introduce yourself. I'm Candace Parker, so happy to join you all. And how would you describe what you're doing these days?

I'm more outside the lines, I would say. I think my whole goal is to continue to grow the game of women's basketball and women's sports in general. And so was named Adidas Women's Basketball President recently this year. Just kind of like the business of sports, if you will. And then also doing a little broadcasting with the guys on TNT and the NBA. Well, and you, early in your career, you know, you grew up in Illinois, you end up at the University of Tennessee, which is already iconic at that moment. One could argue you made it more so, a couple of national championships. You play for Pat Summit. We talk a lot about coaches being influential. I mean, Alex talks all the time about how pivotal that was for him. When you think about the pantheon of coaches, Pat Summit is there across all sports. Tell us about meeting her and what convinced you to go to Tennessee because that clearly is when you talk about deals, like

making that deal really changes the trajectory of your career. Well, what was crazy was, yeah, it was in between the lines. You know, obviously, I wanted to play basketball. I didn't go to Tennessee to like be a writer. Like, I went there with the mindset that I wanted to play basketball as a career. She was landing from speaking to the CIA when I flew in for an unofficial visit. Like, let that set in. And I remember my dad just kind of like sitting back in his chair, and my dad is the one that is the visionary and the, like, he's the one that was like, You're six four, but you're still gonna be able to dribble, shoot, pass. We're not gonna stand you by the basket. And in other ways, I think it was the same; he wanted someone that would teach me not just basketball and the X's and O's, but about like after the ball stops bouncing.

and those lessons that you learn now are gonna be applied later. And Coach Summit was the perfect example for that. Like, I wanted to be a mom and to watch her just balance being a mom as well as being one of the best, if not the best coach ever, and win National Championships, her as a human growing the game of women's basketball. I mean she was at the forefront of Title IX before it was popular. So just being able to like see all of that at a young age and then now be able to learn those lessons through that. I think that's what got and sold myself and my parents. I get really nerdy about this, like Jason said, like because my father left at the age of 10, mentors and coaches kind of, you know, formulated my life really and really made such a big impression and inspiration in my life. But specifics, is there one or two things you can share?

'Cause we didn't play for Coach Summit. Yeah. That really motivated you to this day that you still carry with you. A hundred percent. The biggest thing with Coach Summit is she was the same person when she was hanging banners as when she was going through rough patches. And you know, she has a definite dozen principles that she would give all of us when we first arrived at Tennessee. And she would check back in with us every year, and every year she would assign a different definite dozen. Well, I got the same one every year. It was handle success as you handle failure. And it was the opposite of what you think. I think I beat myself up when I miss a shot or when I'm not successful or when I lose a game. But it was like, you move on real quick when you succeed. And so it was like these lessons every single year. I would come back and get different lessons from things that I observed about her.

But Coach Summit just had a presence. I think she demanded greatness and respect, but she was one of the best listeners. And I think that's what set me up a little bit because the expectations were all coaches were like that. 'Cause I played for my dad, my high school coach, and Pat Summit. So the expectation was like, This is how it was, but it wasn't. She would come to timeouts and be like, Parker, what do you think? Right? This coach is asking me what I think. And then sometimes we would do what I would say, or sometimes we wouldn't. But the times we would do it or not do it, I would still feel ownership and feel heard. And so that's what separates her: she was one of the best listeners and would really take what you said into account. Talk to us about the game of basketball at that level, at that moment.

Because that was when, if you were coming up, that was when you were gonna be the most popular. So what, what was it like in that era? What do you remember most distinctly about those days? It was before all the Instagram and Facebook. So I look at that as like the good old days a little bit, playing basketball at that time. It was like the intimate, you're watching television or you're at the game, and that's how you kind of were able to be a part of what we were doing. But I will say, I think it was Diana Taurasi said to me, and this is when we played together in Russia, she said, Your heyday is when you're playing in college. And then people slowly but surely forget about you as you progress in the WNBA. And I just thought it was so weird because it's like opposite for the men. We were winning national championships,

we were rock stars on the road. I mean, we sold out arenas, and we had the highest attendance at home games. And I mean, playing in front of 24,000 screaming fans at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville on a random Sunday against Vanderbilt or, you know, against UCONN on national television with that rivalry. And I think it set the stage for solidifying that women's basketball was special, but it also was like, this is what we're capable of if it's properly invested in. And I think that was the whole separation. I don't think it was the talent. I think it was the proper investment that we needed within the WNBA. And when you were in college and you were playing in front of sold-out crowds and you guys were rock stars, did Candace Parker already start thinking about life after WNBA and being a rock star in the world of business and where you are today?

How far back do you go back to visualizing the future? Well, for I would say a semester and a half, I was a finance major because I really wanted to do that. And then Coach Summit wouldn't change practice, and I needed a pre-req, and I was like, I'm not staying here another year and a half for finance. But yeah, I always wanted to do and be a part of and learn outside of basketball, and you know, that includes asking questions. I think immediately in broadcasting, just learning, you know, learning about media, learning how to communicate, learning how to be behind the camera and what goes on and what, you know, what's what the expectations are. But also just asking why, you know, and when you're walking into meetings, you sign a business manager, finance team, like learning to ask questions I think was my in to a lot of different things. And I learned that early on in college.

where people like answering questions. You know, I think a lot of people are scared to ask them, but if you ask, usually there's a relationship that's developed, questions are answered, you know, and you learn more. And so I think that was kind of my, okay, if I ask, the more questions I ask, the more lanes are gonna open. And so that's kind of what I did early on. Where does that come from, do you think? Because there are a lot of people in your shoes who would've been content, especially given the level of fame that you're achieving at the college level. Like, this is awesome, I'm just gonna do this as long as I can. What, what gave you that need, it sounds like, to, to look around the corner and to think about what was next? Is that from growing up? Like what, what, where does that come from?

I'm like the annoying little sister that always asked why. I have two older brothers; they're eight and 11 years older than me. My heroes. I always asked why. And we always debated. And so I think that was also. People are like, how do you sit at the desk with Chuck and Shaq and Kenny and D-Wade and you know, Jamal and all of those guys. How do you sit there? And I'm like, that was our every Saturday and Sunday in our house. Right? And so I think it just comes from wanting to ask. I think being okay, being embarrassed at times if people are like, how does she not know this? But a lot of times I learned when I'm asking questions. People might not wanna ask, but they didn't know the answer either. And so like, I don't know, that came from being on team sports as well.

Like, I would raise my hand and be like, I don't understand the scout, or I don't understand the defensive coverage. And so it just kind of became a habit of just wanting to know and wanting to know more. And given what you said and Diana Taurasi's observation was exactly right at that moment. Like, This, this is it. Like, There, or at least this is the peak. Given that, what are the decisions or how do you make the decisions coming out of college as to what's gonna happen next? When you're young, and especially, I had my daughter after my first season in the WNBA, I think you're automatically thinking about your brand and getting better at your sport, but you're also thinking about your finances and making sure that you can take care of your family the best way you can. I was fortunate to be able to have longstanding partners. Adidas, I've been with 16 years of my career.

Gatorade, I mean, you go down the line Carmax, like I've, I've been blessed to have the ability to do other things outside of the lines, but overseas was forefront because that, that was the way that you could take care of your family at, at a different level. And that was the sacrifice. But it was also a foresight of like, okay, later on I'm able to do the things that I wanna do. I just have to, you know, kind of grind right now. And so that coming out was like, you play in the WNBA, that was a summer job. Yes. The endorsements came for that and there was money made off of endorsements and things like that. But direct WNBA, I mean, you look at my rookie salary, I think it was like $56, $57,000. And as a kid you always dream of going to the WNBA. And I remember telling kids like, no,

you dream to go overseas. Yeah. Right, right. This is, you know, that's, that's actually the dream. That's how you take care of your family. I don't wanna get too far away from this idea of what coming into the pro's was like, and I'm, I'm gonna turn this on you for a second. I mean, can you imagine if you're, you're getting drafted so you, you got this contract with the Mariners, But the Mariners are like, yeah, we're gonna give you a few bucks, but you, you actually need to go to like Japan and play the, I mean that, That would be wild. That would be wild. Yeah. Did it feel wild? I mean, or did it just feel like this is, this is what you do? At the time, all of us were saying that we hope at some point in time we don't have to go overseas. Right. But I think you

go where the money is, and it was just, you know, the ability to take care of my family. And over there, I played for one of the best clubs in Russia. We had chefs, we had drivers, we flew private, amazing apartments. And so, it was like, yes, it was a sacrifice, but you were also being, I was able to capitalize on the things that I was missing in the league. Like the things we didn't have. And it was just unfortunate that we had to go thousands of miles away to actually get, you know, equitable pay and to be taken care of, you know, like we should. Yeah. And so, and by the way, also pointing out, you're in the WNBA, you're both the rookie of the year and the MVP. So, you're not, you're not a scrub player. I mean, you are the, you are, you're literally the best player.

And, and this is the, this is the, the economics of the situation. So, fast-forwarding just for a minute, do you have some measure of cognitive dissonance then looking at where the W is now and thinking about what it was not that long ago? You're not, you're not an old person. Thank you. Thank you so much. How do you process that? Well, I'm pissed that they started chartering the year I retired. I'm not gonna lie, because our back-to-backs used to be we would play and then we'd go to sleep and then we'd wake up to take the 6:00 AM flight. Wow. And then we'd still play the next day. Yeah. So, I, you know, it makes me a little angry because it would've been nice to, you know, for your body to kind of catch that charter flight. But I mean, I feel like all of us feel a responsibility

and a part of the growth that's happening right now. I mean, the league was hard for so many years, and that's what I said when I retired. I hope that it's not so hard for the next, so difficult. I wanted to get better, but finding a gym that's open that can be open, it, it was, it was so hard out in LA and I lived out here 'cause we didn't have a practice facility. So more so I'm mad because I'm thinking of how much better I could have been if I had an off season, if I didn't have to go overseas. And I could have put weight on and I could have bulked up in the weight room and focused on what I wanted to improve on. But I also look at the doors that are opening now and where the sport is. And you know, I play with a lot of angry old heads is what we call 'em.

I work with a lot of angry old heads. I don't wanna be the angry old heads. So I'm not gonna be, you know, Shaq coming in like, we all, you know, man up. I'm not gonna be that. I'm, I'm gonna be the person that's like, I'm happy where it's at. But man, like if I would've had NIL in college. Yeah, oh yeah. You know, you gotta think about what if occasionally and, but I'm happy for the doors that are open right now. And I hope to be a part of the process of continuing to open those doors. What do you make of NIL, I mean, you know, you, you've lived a very different existence, Extremely different. As you said, Like Papa of John's for, for pre-game meals and trying to figure it out. Yeah. Like they couldn't feed us when I was there.

It was illegal. You couldn't, you couldn't feed us, I think. And you have a sold-out building and number three jerseys. Right. You know, walking around. But I think that this is an exciting landscape because really athletes are brands. And to be able to see individuals like Caleb Williams that are actually capitalizing on opening up private equity firms and, you know, fresh outta college, investing in, in, in acquiring equity in something at a young age. I think that that's where you really see generational, not just wealth but change. And so for so long, I think we've idolized, you know, rock stars, movie stars, all that now it's, it's athletes. It's athletes like it's athletes with some of the biggest following on Instagram. And so it's, I think it has a lot to do with why the NCAA knew that they had to allow NIL inside. Now it's a wild, wild west and

I think there's a lot of things that need to be figured out. But I hope in Tennessee can pay, pay a bag so that we can continue. You speak about the NCAA. I'm gonna let you put the commissioner of the NCAA and the head of NIL, if there's one or two adjustments that you can make because there's so many things that are good and you mentioned there's some challenges. What are some of the quick fixes that you would do now and maybe some long term? Well, long term, I think we're taking care of the front and center athletes, but there's very few front and center forward-facing that would've probably made their money anyway. And I think over time, as we're looking at the WNBA, the MLB, you always gotta take care of your median income. Like, you always have to take care of the middleman. So, where is that within the NCAA? I think that's a, that's

something. Health insurance, whether it's, you know, stipends, whether it's are they actually gonna be considered a union at some point? I think those are all things that should come up for conversation, just because the NCAA is a business and we're seeing it's necessary to be able to take care of your athletes, not just the ones that are gonna be able to sign the endorsement deals and get the national commercials. So one of the key decisions you clearly make is getting into business with Adidas as an endorser. Initially they come in and, and they want you to, to endorse their product. How did that happen? Like, I mean, 'cause that feels like we talked about signature deals. That feels like a signature deal for you. It's so interesting. They sent me a pair of Red Tracy McGrady's when I was 14 years old. People are now Googling Tracy McGrady.

Better know Tracy McGrady. Sorry, Tracy. You better know T-Mac. And I thought I was the coolest person in the world. And I wore those everywhere. And then it was the pro models that came out, and I had the green and the red one. And then the next year, they sponsored my team, my high school team. No kidding. And so they sent us a whole box of things. I got like exclusive stuff, and then I went to the University of Tennessee, which was also Adidas at the time. Oh. And so it was this relationship, and I knew everyone there, and I felt comfortable. And I think when I did sign the sign with them, when I became a pro, like we knew each other very well. So we worked through the kinks, we worked through me going overseas. We worked through obviously my pregnancy, my injuries, and I stuck with them through some things as well. And so I think it became, when it becomes a partnership

and a collaboration where you feel heard. You're trying to really genuinely enjoy the brand. Like everybody knows in my house, don't come in my house with Nikes. Like don't come in my house, like leave the Nikes at the door. No kidding. It's a joke. It's a joke in my house. And it's been amazing to have a partnership with them and to grow through all phases of life. And I think now sitting as Adidas women's basketball president, I feel like a responsibility. Like it's, it's, it's an ownership. It's a, it's a part of me. I feel part of the brand and I'm just growing it, trying to grow it from a different, you know, vantage point. Tell us about that moment where they call and say, we want you to take this role. Like this is a, not just, we want you to wear a shoe, not just a signature shoe,

but talk about that moment where they say, we want you to have a different job. It was so interesting because again, I'm planning for the next phase of life, but I really wanna know what goes into building a brand, building a collection. So when as we were doing my collections that were coming out the Ace collections and it was, you know, a clothing line. I wanted to be in the meetings, I wanted to be in the planning, I wanted to talk to Dick's Sporting Goods where it would be carried. I wanted to be in the design. I gave feedback, like real feedback about shoes. I didn't just come in to check a box like I came in the office. And so I think through those conversations, again, developed a lot of relationships. Nobody is at Adidas now that was with me when I first signed. So it's all new people. It's just new relationships that that were developed and the trust and all of that.

And so this was kind of in the making. I felt, I didn't know it was going to be like this, but I'm always super passionate about growing the brand and especially growing it for women's basketball. And so when they kind of made the pitch to me, it was a random meeting. I went down to LA, their office here, and it was a video and they had like this briefcase. I was like, what's going on and on, you know, they pull out the jacket and on it's like Adidas, you know, women's basketball president. And I was like, wait, what? Wow. You know? And they were like, we, we would love for you to be a part of the brand. They made you a jacket. That's cool. They made me, made a jacket, a Letterman's jacket. And it was really cool. 'cause they were like, we, we want you to continue

to grow the game, but just differently. So Candace, I've been in those meetings too, but with the rival company up in the same way up there in the Pacific Northwest. Yep. In Portland. So you go through the presentation, walk us through, how do you go from that presentation to actually putting some type of term sheet in front of you and your agent? And does it go back and forth a couple of times? Do you redline it? Walk us through that. Yeah, I think there are questions all the time about, you know, filling in what, defining a role. And I think that's the biggest thing. But at the end of the day, yes, we did go back and forth, but I think having trust in somebody to fulfill promises and having a reputation and having experience with them, you trust that even if everything isn't, you know, bold line or whatever, that they're gonna deliver.

on what they're gonna say. And so, I think that was the thing. I mean, you know, we agreed in principle pretty quickly, but it was just the underlying things of what, you know, I wanted to do with this role and what was expected of me and, you know, what I would need to be able to succeed and to really continue to grow it from that perspective. And honestly, I can say from day one, the first meeting we've had, it's been amazing. A lot... my imprint won't be on it until 2025 because you know how the brand works. It's a year, year ahead. But already, like, just the conversations that we've had and, you know, our focus and, you know, what our intentions are. I think grassroots, you see a kid like me at 14 years old put on some T-MAC's, it had a lasting impact.

Yeah. And so I think we're realizing, to the, you know, not to give away secrets to the other brand, but we're realizing like, it's super important to find that 14-year-old kid. Yeah. And so I don't wanna get too far away from this signature shoe conversation, swap some notes here. What was it like when, when that happened? You know, when when you put on your own shoe, It was nothing like it? I think I loved the design process because I was a sneakerhead back in the day. You know, I wore the KG's when he was, or the, you know, the, the, you know, the pro models, the T-MACs, the AIs, I mean all that. So I was always into like, okay, so you're able to start from the ground up. There's no design and you can design whatever you want. And at the time, it's so funny, the first thing I said,

I was like, I like Skittles. I wanna have smashed Skittles on the bottom of the shoe. And they came in with like 15 designs of smashed Skittles, like what would that look like? And spark colors and, you know, all this stuff. So I just, I had the coolest experience creating the shoe. And then when it finally came to life and I actually put it on, I think I was more excited because I had replica shoes for all my nieces and nephews and my daughter. And so it was really cool to see my shoe and what came about from that on other people's feet. What was it like for you? I remember one of the kind of meetings of creative where they were asking me, What's your favorite car? What's your favorite watch? What do you order at Starbucks? I'm like, What are all these questions? But they asked me like 50 questions.

And then they came up with this awesome killer shoe. And then that led to my first commercial with Nike where I took the shoe and put it in a blender. And then I drank the drink and it was a dream come true. I mean, I'm a kid from Miami. My, I collected, my mom collected food stamps and here I am wearing my own Nike sneakers with my teammate Griffey. Yeah. And in many ways I felt like, you know, Jordan and Pippen because they both had their sneakers and he and I had our own sneakers. So I thought it was awesome. Let me ask you, let me ask you this. What was that feeling like the first time you saw somebody else wear it? Like when you just were driving in your car and you just looked and you saw somebody or whatever. Like what was that feeling like? I wish I had an iPhone so I can take a picture.

But I told a bunch of people. I don't think they believed me, but the first time was like, it's a surreal moment. You are like, how, how are they wearing my sneakers? That's pretty cool. And it just gives you a sense of pride for sure. And a real connection to the company that they believe so much in you. I mean, think about it. Adidas can pick anybody in the world, and they pick Candace Parker to be the president of women's basketball. That's, you have a fiduciary duty to that company, and the fact you've been with them for 16 years, it's amazing. I've been with Nike for 25 years. Right. That's all I've worn. And loyalty is a big thing to me. So it's, it's been a great relationship for me as well. Amazing. So when you think about kind of this,

this next chapter, it's something you've been working on for a while, but I wanna read a paragraph that jumped out at me and I read it to Alex earlier and I'm gonna read it back to you. So this is a paragraph from your retirement announcement on Instagram. I'm quoting here, In the meantime, know all caps, I'm a businessman, not a businessman. This is the beginning. I'm attacking business, private equity, ownership (I will own both an NBA and WNBA team) broadcasting, production, boardrooms, beach volleyball, dominoes. This is apparently an aside, I think to your wife. with the same intensity and focus I did basketball. Wow. Break that down for us. Like how, that's like a mission statement I think. Unpack it. I always believe in speaking things into existence and that is a goal of mine. And I'm not gonna shy away from it.

I think everybody assumes, you know, WBA players own a WNBA team. But I'm a huge fan of the NBA as well. And I think that that's a possibility as well. And I think just taking that mindset of being an athlete on the court, you set all of those microscopic and telescopic goals. But really the work comes behind figuring out how I'm gonna do that. And every single day, putting yourself in a position to be better than you were the day before. I really, I really think it's just recreating the blueprint of what you had as an athlete. I mean, you look at seasons, you figure out what your goals are. Obviously the championship would be owning a team. And We know some people, We know a couple, we know a couple people. People that have, and people that will hopefully. But I think it's the relationships, it's learning. It's so crazy because, you know,

I'm a huge Malcolm Gladwell, like I read all his books. Yeah. And you talk about Outlier and it talks about 10,000 hours. You talk about the time and I think, you know, you've experienced this with, with your kids as well, where you're trying to teach them that if you put the time in, you can have these god-given abilities. But if you put the time in, then you're gonna be better. Right. You, you, you can turn into greatness just from putting the time. And I think athletes, when they end a career, you forget how much time you put in to be really good at your sport. And I have to remind myself that I need to put the time and the energy and the effort. And sometimes that's goal setting. And sometimes that's like, like now my Google calendar, it's, it's for real. Like I have to, I have to stay, you know, I have

to stay on top of that because that's what I want to do. And so that's gonna get me there. So Candace, let's talk about that. You talk about the reps and I'm a big believer of that. I've always said I'm not gonna be the smartest. I'm not gonna be like, obviously I didn't go to any Ivy League college, I didn't go to college. So I'm gonna be the hardest working first one there. Last one to leave and I'm gonna grind and I'm gonna study, but talk about studying for you. How do you make up the time? 'cause you were playing basketball, to compete in the world of the Marc Lasry's, the David Blitzer's. What kind of studying do you do? And walk me through your mindset of how do you fill that gap? I love asking people for 20 minutes of your time, bimonthly, I just need 20 minutes of your time.

and can we go over this deck, and you teach me what you saw or past decks that have been successful or companies that you've passed on. What did you look at? What did you see? Hmm? What did the margins look like? What made you lean towards this? What are the qualities? Because here's the thing, you can probably, I always say this when I'm scouting somebody in basketball, there's that intangible that your brain's putting together. But it's all things that you've learned over time. How do they move? Like how are they handling? Are they looking up? Are they seeing the floor? Are they making their teammates better? All those things. And I think in business, it's like that as well. Especially when you're picking between, you know, apples to apples and you're picking between people. Because honestly, that's what it is. It's all relationships.

Right. You can have an amazing idea and the wrong person running it, and you can have an okay idea and the right person running it. And I think that's what I'm learning the most from mentors like Marc Lasry and from, you know, I've been involved with other individuals you talk about and Andy Spelman, you talk about Mark Roberts, I mean down the line. But the thing that I'm noticing the most is how important it is for me to also get in rooms with women and learn and listen and be a part of that network and growth as well. So that's awesome. I think just picking their brain, asking questions, and not being afraid to ask for time. Yeah. Love that. Let's talk about Marc Lasry for a second because off-camera I got a little intel, which your business relationship with him began, I believe with you giving him a black eye. I crossed him first then I gave him a black guy.

No, I'm just kidding. We were playing in a celebrity game at NBA All-Star, and Marc was playing, and I did a fake. I did my patent over-the-head fake. And he turned and looked, and by the time he reacted, I'd already gone. And so we bumped heads, and his daughters thought it was hilarious. Proving that you were a professional basketball player. He was a professional basketball team owner. Yeah, he was an owner. He was the owner of that team, and it was hilarious. And so his daughters thought it was the funniest thing. And so ever since then, every NBA All-Stars, we'd always seek each other out. We would always find each other. I'd see his daughters, we'd talk, we'd hang out, we'd go to dinner, all those things. And then about, what was it, 2022, 21 when the Bucks were, you know, about on the cusp of winning a championship.

He's like, We gotta get you your Bulls fan. I'm a Bulls fan. It was great in the nineties. Now not so much. We gotta get you out here to a game. And I'm like, There's, I'm never coming to a Bucks game. I can't do it. Well, he convinced me. I drove from Chicago to the Bucks and just seeing the environment, being able to see Deer district, all the things that he's done, it was unbelievable. And just to continue to talk to him and catch up with him and do all the, it was amazing. And then, you know, he started, you know, Avenue Capital Sports and then he called me one day and was like, I would love for you to be involved in it. And Marc is one of those people that is super special. I think we have an amazing friendship, but also everything he says he does. And I think that's the thing that I respect

most about Marc Lasry. He's a great mentor. I gotta do share one Marc Lasry story. Yes please. Just to tell you what an incredible guy he is. Back like in 11, a couple years after we won the title with the Yankees, we had a date where he was gonna mentor me and we were gonna go over my real estate deck, right. And I said I'll probably be there on 11. I said, Yankee-Red Sox games usually go a little longer, so maybe 11:30. Well of course we're going to extra endings. It's like 1:00 AM. I'm texting him. I said, Hey, rain check, I'm sure you're sleeping. He goes, no, come over. I'm like, well first of all you're up. So I get, I knock on his house, he's got his like pajamas on and we spend the next hour and a half on his couch, one-on-one

and he's going red marking my deck. And then he has been a long-time investor of mine. We've been partners in several other things, and I'm sure we'll do other things. But when you have mentors like that that are really special, that's just an example. Nobody knows that story. But you know, stories like that. And I've experienced stories like that, it's pretty cool. But that's what separates it. If you think about it. Like everybody wonders why Steph can shoot like he shoots. Yes, it's God-given talent, some of it. But like who's the one that's in the gym getting the most shots up? And it's, it's guys like Marc that put the time in, put the energy in, do the extra I think that I'm learning that are successful. But he's a nice guy I think that's what separates him is he, he actually genuinely cares about you as a human.

and what you do and the decisions that you make. Talk to us about women's sports. You know, it's something you started this conversation talking about being committed to women's basketball and women's sports. What needs to happen next for women's sports from a business perspective? We've always talked about properly investing in a product. I mean, we've been screaming from the rooftop that scared money doesn't make money. That you actually have to properly invest in not only the sport and the business plan, but also the athletes. The thing I respect most about the NBA is Adam Silver. He calls me. I'm just like, I don't even, I mean, he asks questions to me and I'm not part of the NBA. He asks the stars, Yet. Of the NBA questions. Yeah, yeah. Hopefully. LeBron is on speed dial. He talks to him, he has a relationship with them. And I think that within women's sports for so long,

It's been a separation of investment and product for a very long time. And I think the first conversation I had with Marc was, What are you dedicating? What percentage of the fund are you dedicating to women's sports? Because this isn't something that I want to come into and just not make an impact on something that I'm passionate about. And he's like, We're going to invest in women's sports, and we're gonna do it. And this was before this last year, year and a half, which was a unique timing. And I said, Okay, but I need more than an investment of money. I need time as well. Because you can't just invest in a product that you've never seen. So I was like, Come to the Final Four, I have a suite, come sit with me at the Women's Final Four, and let's watch Iowa and South Carolina go at it. And he came, you know, and he was there.

and you know, met everybody, saw the environment. And I think that within women's sports, what we need is people that are knowledgeable about the growth of it, but also we need the billionaire owners that are gonna come in and actually make an impact and grow the game again. And so what's your role in that? I think my role in that is understanding through past growth. And that's why everybody was yelling from the rooftop W me, blah blah blah. It's 28 years young. There were a lot of leagues that it took, took year 30 to really make a growth. So it's coming, whether it comes at 28, 29, 31. And we've seen it. The crazy thing that I think it's little fixes, and this is where my role is, is to question and to push and to encourage. ABC. It was the first time they put the women's NCAA game

on, on ABC, was the first year that Caitlin Clark made the championship game. Are you surprised that the viewership was up? Are you surprised that people actually saw the product? It was buried for so long on ESPN. There's so many times during the NCAA game and even WNBA playoffs I turn on, the NBA doesn't wanna clash with NFL playoffs or NFL opening week. So why would we then put the WNBA, I don't care if that's the time slot that they're giving you. Let, let's fight for another one or let's find something else. And I think with streaming with social media now it's more front and center. You're seeing the, the leaders of, and I'm sorry I'm passionate about this. Good. Go, go. Go go. So now within, you look at statistics within social media and following, and it's Paige Bueckers, she had more followings than Suggs who was a top four pick.

She had more following than Anthony Edwards when he was coming into the league. So now you're able to look at social media and see what the following is, the clicks, the likes, the what they're selling, you know what people are looking for. And you're now able to see that, okay, wait, women can sell things. And I think that that is my role is to continue to push the envelope of what that looks like of visibility, but also like having relationships to be able to build what you're trying to build. So one of the relationships that we have watched you develop because you've done it on television, is with some of the biggest personalities in NBA history. So I wanna talk a little bit about broadcasting. You've got had some experience, I want you guys to, to talk about this a little bit. A lot of people maybe who didn't know you when you were playing, now know you from

giving it to Shaq. We know you guys are good friends. We've seen the video of you hugging him after the championship game. Tell us how all that came about. Because it's not traditionally a natural progression to be like a star women's basketball player and then be chopping it up on the best-watched studio television show in sports. I have to pinch myself sometimes because those guys were on my wall, and coming into a situation like that, I'm a basketball hoop head. Like, I watch the game, and then I watch all the highlights and analysis after. Then the next morning, I wake up, and I watch the analysis of the analysis of the game previous. Like, I drive my family crazy with sports just being on television, every type of sort. And to be able to sit at that desk and talk basketball and talk basketball with people that were on your wall. But also talk basketball with people that played it differently than you. And I don't mean just NBA/WNBA, the battle I have

with Shaq all the time is he's like, just get the ball and score. And I'm like, Shaq, not everybody is seven foot, 300 pounds. Like it's not barbecue chicken for me. I gotta do a couple moves. You know? And so to be able to sit at a desk like that and to chop it up with them on a nightly basis, it's super special. And I think early on I was a little like starstruck, but as time went on I realized like I'm not trying to be one of the guys, I'm trying to be one of the players. And once we kind of like Yeah understood that Interesting. perspective, they don't take anything I say to heart. We go back and forth. And again, my brother's prepared me for it. 'cause I can take a lot of jokes when they're making fun of my outfits or making fun of how I walk.

They say I walk like Kenny Smith 'cause my knees are, you know, I'm bow-legged. So I can take all of that. So talk to me a little bit about your preparation. Are you watching games? Are you taking notes? Do you have a coach? Walk us through that a little bit. So interesting. 'cause I think it's changed over time. There's a lot of broadcasters that go by feel, and I think that that's in, that's a skill, that's a skill set. Like you think about Reggie Miller, he's able to paint a picture of what the game is, of what this person is thinking or whatever. And you think about Stan Van Gundy who's more of like stats and all of these things. And you know, I'll be honest, I think Shaq would come out and tell you he doesn't prepare when he comes to show half the time, he doesn't know

who's playing. You know what I mean? And that's a skill set in itself. So I think for me, I just had to develop over time my way of preparation. And I always have basketball on. I like knowing backstories. Scouting report is huge for me. So I know what your go-to move is. And so I'm gonna bring it up. Kenny Smith told me something really cool. He said, when you're preparing, make sure that you're preparing to speak to the grandma, that you're prepared to speak to the person that is a basketball head, and you're prepared to speak to the novice. And so if you can say one thing and be able to speak and touch to all of those people, then you've done a good job. And so I've tried to continue to prepare so that I'm ready for that on television. So what did, what do you do next in broadcast?

I mean, do you have as, as your goal setting as your Google calendaring? Like what, what do you think about when it comes to, to the media world? Baby Hair Productions is a production company I started. First passion project was Title IX documentary that we were able to complete and do with Turner. I think it's growing that and kind of being behind the camera and being able to develop stories and storytelling because I think that's where you really impact people and change is being able to tell stories of what's come before. And whether it's in women in sports, whether it's women in business, whether it's whatever it is, you know, I would love to continue to tell those stories and to be able to, you know, produce and to, to do things like that. Well, and it's interesting too when you think about, and we talk about this all the time, that it feels like one

of the next big steps forward for women's sports is the so-called shoulder programming. Right. You know, the stuff that go, you know, you guys are talking about for baseball, for the NBA, there is all the pregame and postgame and the storytelling that goes around it. Some of that has been, I would argue, missing with women's sports. So it feels like a big business opportunity if I dare say something. I just think it's so funny because you talk about, you know, like the pre and post-game shows. I tuned in the week that Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant were gonna play each other because all week all I heard was they didn't like each other. It was all these stories. And it's so funny because we turn women's sports into these like they're caddy da da da and all this stuff. And it's like, no, men's sports is

just called something different. It's the same, it's a synonym. Yeah. Of whatever it is. And It's like, Have we met Stephen A. Smith? I mean, hello. I'm like, it's a synonym of what you're calling women's sports. It's all the storylines behind the story. And so now for women's sports to be able to get pre and postgame shows, I think we're still kind of figuring out what that looks like. And I think we're still a little sensitive of actually saying what needs to be said. Yeah. Because we're so protective of women's sports, we're sometimes it is hard to watch because that wasn't a good pass, it wasn't a nice move, you know. So I think we're still figuring out our lane to grow the sport, but also be honest and, and critique in a way that the viewers would love to watch. Which is a corollary to the, the whole argument.

around women's sports, right. That, you know, you had a lot of, I mean, you, you see this in your work. We've seen it in the W, we've seen it in NWSL, where a lot of people are like, oh, we're just really rooting for these girls and like, we're gonna put some money in from the foundation and hope for the best versus private equity coming in a Marc Lasry, a Joe and Clara Tsai, you know, coming in and being like, no, no, no, no, no. We're gonna make some money here. We're gonna get butts in the seats. We're gonna sell the media rights for a bunch of money and this is gonna be a real business going forward. I mean, that's your interest. It sounds like The thing that irks me the most is if you go to an NWSL game, it'll say,

look, he's supporting the NWSL, but if you go to a Chicago Fire MLS game, it's, look, he's front and center watching these guys work. You know? So it's all in the conversation. What, how we are able to figure out what our fans want and need. They want to see superstars. You wanna see people courtside, but it's also like the verbiage that we're using in social media posts and how we look at women's sports as a business. It's not support. This isn't a charity. I loved when Claire Wu Tsai said, I'm trying to make money. Yeah. This isn't something that I'm coming in and I'm in a blow. I'm just gonna use my money to, you know, further the cause. No, this isn't a cause. This is a business opportunity. And now that mindset I think is shifting, it's shifting in volleyball with the amount of people.

I mean, 97,000 people went and watched a volleyball game. Put that in perspective. And I'm just watching, like my daughter played front and center at homecoming. Their volleyball team was out under the lights playing. And it was young boys. I mean, I could almost cry looking at young boys scream for the team. So it's like now we're having a generation of men that have grown up with women as role models and in leadership positions. And now from a business mindset, we have to take all of that information, the blueprints there and just not be stupid, honestly. Like, let's just not, let's just not be stupid. And I think we, we could get this. All right, let's not be stupid. That's a, that's a great way to end. Let's just not be stupid. Rapid fire. Alright, now we're gonna move to, to rapid fire,

which hopefully won't be stupid, but we'll see. All right. I'll start and then we'll bounce it back and forth and just, you know, we'll, we'll keep it tight. What's one word to describe your deal-making style? Intuitive. I don't know. Inquisitive. Inquisitive. There you go. Inquisitive. In a deal, what's more important in your instincts or data? Instincts. Who's your dream deal-making partner? I'm with him, Marc Lasry. Who's your dream co-host on the NBA broadcast? Allen Iverson. Ugh, that's a good one. What's the best piece of advice you've received on deal-making or business? Listen to all the facts, but then ultimately you make your decision. What's the worst business advice you've ever received? Listen to everyone else and do what they want. Opposite. And do what they want you to do.

What's your hype song before you go into a big meeting or a negotiation? I spray some angel perfume in honor of Coach Summit, and I play What More Can I Say by Jay-Z. Okay. You can only watch one sport for the rest of your life. Which one is it? Basketball. What team do you wanna see win a championship more than any? The Chicago Bulls. What's a fun fact about yourself that your teammates would be surprised to hear? Teammates, business associates, whoever. I can juggle. Oh, that's a good one. Here you go. Alright, Candace, this was so fun. Thank you. No, I had a blast so much. This was really good. I appreciate you all. I really do. And I hope that we can sit down at some point for dinner. Absolutely. Chat and do this. Yeah, chop it up. Be great.

How Basketball Legend Candace Parker Is Shaping the Game | The Deal

Bloomberg Originals offers bold takes for curious minds on today’s biggest topics. Hosted by experts covering stories you haven’t seen and viewpoints you haven’t heard, you’ll discover cinematic, data-led shows that investigate the intersection of business and culture. Exploring every angle of climate change, technology, finance, sports and beyond, Bloomberg Originals is business as you’ve never seen it.


Bloomberg Originals

Candace Parker's Transition from Player to Business Leader

Candace Parker has transitioned from playing basketball to a successful business career, recently becoming the President of Adidas Women's Basketball.

Her time at the University of Tennessee, under the mentorship of Pat Summit, was pivotal in shaping her career and vision.

Parker's experience of playing in front of sold-out crowds and her success in college basketball highlighted the potential of women's sports, driving her passion for making a lasting impact in the industry.

Visualizing the Future: A Journey from Basketball to Broadcasting

The speaker initially pursued a finance major but shifted to broadcasting, driven by a desire to learn and ask questions.

Growing up with older brothers and participating in team sports instilled a habit of seeking knowledge and understanding.

After college, the speaker focused on building a brand, securing long-term partnerships, and playing overseas to provide for their family, while also feeling a sense of responsibility for the WNBA's evolution.

The Impact of NIL and Personal Growth in Sports

The speaker reflects on the challenges of their early career, expressing frustration over missed opportunities for growth and development.

They emphasize the importance of the NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) era for athletes, highlighting its potential to create generational wealth and change.

The speaker's long-term partnership with Adidas has been instrumental in their career, leading to their current role as the brand's women's basketball president, where they aim to make a meaningful impact.

The speaker was actively involved in planning and designing their clothing line at Adidas, developing new relationships and trust with the team.

They were unexpectedly offered the role of women's basketball president, which was a significant moment for them.

The design process for their signature shoe was exciting, and they were thrilled to see replicas of the shoe on their family's feet, creating a lasting impact.

Candace Parker's Transition from Basketball to Business

Candace Parker reflects on her surreal experience of seeing others wear her sneakers, expressing pride and loyalty to Adidas and Nike.

She outlines her ambitious goals in business, including owning both an NBA and WNBA team, and emphasizes the importance of setting goals and putting in the time and effort to achieve them.

Parker highlights the significance of building relationships, learning from mentors, and networking with women to grow in her new business ventures.

The Impact of Marc Lasry and the Future of Women's Sports

Marc Lasry and the speaker developed a strong friendship through their interactions at NBA All-Star games and his mentorship in real estate.

Lasry's commitment to investing in women's sports and his hands-on approach, including attending the Women's Final Four, are seen as crucial for the growth of the game.

The speaker aims to play a role in the future of women's sports by questioning, pushing, and encouraging necessary changes for growth.

Caitlin Clark's Impact on Women's Sports and Broadcasting

Caitlin Clark's journey to the championship game has increased visibility and viewership for women's sports, challenging the traditional scheduling conflicts with the NBA and NFL.

Social media has played a crucial role in highlighting the success and influence of female athletes, leading to a shift in perception of their marketability.

Clark's transition to broadcasting has allowed her to connect with NBA legends, share her unique perspective, and use her platform to tell impactful stories in women's sports and beyond.

The Future of Women's Sports: Business and Storytelling

Shoulder programming, including pre and post-game shows, is seen as a crucial step for the growth of women's sports.

The narrative around women's sports is shifting, with a focus on treating it as a business opportunity rather than a charity.

The increasing visibility of women in leadership and role model positions is creating a new generation of male supporters, highlighting the potential for growth in women's sports.