Candace Parker stuns Hall of Fame audience with joke about her sexuality

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony took place on Saturday at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts, where WNBA legend Candace Parker was enshrined as part of the 2026 class. During her acceptance speech, Parker reflected on her decorated career, which included three WNBA championships, but it was a brief, humorous remark about her personal life that drew the most audible reaction from the audience. She stated, 'I changed teams both literally and figuratively,' a quip that elicited shocked cheers and laughter from those in attendance. The comment was a clear reference to her journey of self-discovery and public coming out, which had unfolded over the previous years.

Parker's personal life has been a subject of public interest since her 2008 marriage to former NBA player Shelden Williams, with whom she shares a daughter, Lailaa, born in 2009. The couple divorced in 2016 after eight years of marriage, with Williams citing irreconcilable differences. In 2021, Parker publicly came out as a lesbian, revealing that she had secretly married former Russian professional basketball player Anna Petrakova two years earlier, in 2019. The couple has since expanded their family, with Petrakova giving birth to their son Airr in February 2022, followed by a second son, Hartt, in 2024. Parker's Hall of Fame speech marked a rare and lighthearted public acknowledgment of this personal evolution, blending her professional and private transitions into a single, memorable line.

The 2026 Hall of Fame class was notable for its celebration of women's basketball, with Parker being inducted alongside fellow trailblazers Elena Delle Donne and Chamique Holdsclaw, as well as the entire 1996 US Olympic women's basketball team. Parker used her platform to highlight her groundbreaking achievements, including being the first woman to grace the cover of the NBA2K video game and having her own signature shoe. She also referenced memorable on-court moments, such as dunking on UConn at their home court. Delle Donne, a two-time WNBA MVP who led the Washington Mystics to a championship in 2019, delivered a speech framed as a love letter to the game, acknowledging the highs and lows of her career. Holdsclaw, who won three consecutive NCAA titles at Tennessee from 1996 to 1998 under legendary coach Pat Summitt, paid emotional tribute to Summitt, who was not present, stating, 'Coach Summitt allowed me to grow as a player and person. I miss her dearly.'

The ceremony also honored other basketball luminaries, including NBA star Amar'e Stoudemire, longtime official Joey Crawford, and coaches Doc Rivers, Mike D'Antoni, and Mark Few. The event served as a powerful reflection on the evolution of the sport, particularly the growing recognition of women's contributions. Parker's joke, while brief, underscored a broader cultural shift within professional sports toward greater openness and acceptance of LGBTQ+ identities. Her ability to address her sexuality with humor and confidence on such a prestigious stage was seen by many as a significant moment, reflecting both her personal comfort and the progress made in the athletic community. The induction ceremony, therefore, was not just a celebration of on-court excellence but also a testament to the personal journeys of the athletes being honored.