Candace Parker To Be First Woman On Cover Of NBA 2K Game
Jul 14, 2021, 10:13 AM
Candace Parker #3 of the Chicago Sky reacts during the second half of the game against the Washington Mystics at Entertainment & Sports Arena on May 15, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
NEW YORK (AP) — Candace Parker grew up playing video games and now she’ll be the first female basketball player on the cover of one.
The Chicago Sky star will appear on the NBA 2K22 cover for the WNBA 25th Anniversary special edition when it’s released on Sept. 10.
“I grew up a video game fanatic, that’s what I did, to the point where my brothers would give me the fake controller when I was younger where I think I was playing and I wasn’t,” Parker told ESPN. “All I wanted to do was just be like them. As a kid growing up, you dream of having your own shoe and dream of being in a video game. Those are an athlete as a kid’s dreams. To be able to experience that, I don’t take it lightly.”
Extremely proud and humbled to be the first female cover athlete in the history of @NBA2K
I’m honored to work with a company that’s investing in women and betting on us to succeed. I’m hopeful there will be many more badass females to follow 💪🏽💪🏽 pic.twitter.com/WJan4YE7Qt
— Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) July 14, 2021
Parker joins Luka Dončić, who was named cover athlete for the game’s regular edition.
Luka Magic 🔮 Introducing our #NBA2K22 Cover Athlete @luka7doncic
Pre-order now ➡️ https://t.co/vvOEdFGQaU pic.twitter.com/EhgfUTnodn
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) July 14, 2021
Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, were recognized as cover athletes for the NBA 75th Anniversary Edition.
🏀 75 years since the NBA was born
🏆 3 legends of their eraIntroducing our #NBA2K22 75th Anniversary Cover Athletes @KDTrey5 @swish41 @kaj33
Pre-order now ➡️ https://t.co/vvOEdFGQaU pic.twitter.com/3ZrU9NlZ1i
— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) July 14, 2021
“I think it’s a benchmark of women’s basketball for sure. I think most importantly it speaks to visibility and how important it is and how important the WNBA is,” Parker said. “Everyone is looking at it that it’s impacting little girls, but it’s also impacting little boys and young men and young women and men and women. I think our game is different than the NBA; now it’s embracing that fact. Now more than ever, fans want to follow the athlete. Through social media, through video games, it’s adding and benefiting the WNBA.”
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