Candace Parker puts Caitlin Clark narrative to rest with latest comments on WNBA

The WNBA has undergone major changes in the last season or two, and those changes have been great for players in a lot of ways. Teams are building state-of-the-art practice facilities, athletes are able to travel on chartered flights, and there is more support than ever before for everyone involved in the game. The upcoming CBA negotiations will likely bring even more changes, including maternity and postpartum care and support, increased player salaries, and more.

There's been chatter about whether or not retired WNBA players are resentful about missing out on all the fruits of their labor, despite the fact that many have said they are not — they understand that these changes didn't begin and end with the 2024 WNBA Draft and Caitlin Clark, and have instead been built on decades of work that they put in.

Candace Parker addressed the idea of resentment head-on during a June 3 appearance on The Take. Parker, who is promoting her book The Can-Do Mindset, was asked by Stephen A. Smith about how she really feels about everything that has rained down on the WNBA in the last year.

"It's so crazy to me, because I'm asked so many times if I'm resentful in any type of way for where for the WNBA is right now," Parker said. "My job was to leave the game better than where I came into it. You think Cheryl Miller is resentful for me that I had a league to play in? No. She's being the mentor that she is, and she's supporting and loving... and I'm doing the same for Caitlin Clark and all the women in the WNBA."

"I think that rivalry is super important. I think conversation is super important... but I want to keep it within the lines of the game. And I think that's what's the most important," Parker added.

Retired WNBA players have a responsibility to the league

The point she's making is extremely important: while it is understandable if previous generations of WNBA players feel they haven't received the attention they believe they should have, or they believe some of the spotlight that's on the league should shine a little brighter in their direction, there are also plenty of former athletes who understand that their role now is to guide the newest generation of WNBA players.

In fact, being a guiding light for new players who definitely could use the support could even bring about the very spotlight and attention some former WNBA stars are seeking. It's no coincidence that some of the loudest and most respected retired player voices are those who are also the most supportive — Rebecca Lobo, Cheryl Miller, and Parker herself all spring to mind.

It's completely reasonable for any athlete who gave their blood, sweat, and tears to the league to want to be celebrated and appreciated for doing so, and not everyone is built to offer the kind of support Parker and others have offered. But there's something to be said for leading the way Parker has chosen to, and it's obviously bringing her exactly the notoriety and appreciation she deserves.