Quiet moments don’t seem to exist for two-time WNBA champion Candace Parker.
She’s in constant motion, seamlessly blending her roles as one of the WNBA’s most decorated athletes, a wife, mother of Lailaa and Airr, a businesswoman and a studio analyst and commentator for Turner Sports. Over the course of last year, ESPN Films captured it all for an upcoming documentary directed by Joie Jacoby.
The documentary illustrates the professional that so many have come to know through basketball and the personal side of Parker that very few can say they’ve shared space with.
“I’ve been able to accomplish everything I have on the court because of how my family inspires me,” Parker shared on social media. “This film shows how I balance both worlds.”
The film crew spent the 2022 WNBA season shadowing Parker through training and game days, but that’s only a fraction of the story. The untitled documentary merges Parker’s life on and off the court, detailing how she makes it all work and includes archival footage on top of what the crew filmed in 2022. Viewers will get a glimpse into Parker’s life with her wife Anya and their entire family.
Parker’s documentary is the first feature from ESPN’s W. Studios. The platform, announced in May, is an expansion of the company’s espnW brand with a focus on women-centered storytelling. On top of being the subject of the documentary, Parker’s production company, Baby Hair Productions, produced the film along with Film 45.
The film, which does not have a release date yet, had no impact on Parker’s working relationship with Turner Sports, who she signed a multi-year extension with last September.
“I’m thrilled to be the subject of the first feature documentary from W. Studios,” Parker said.
The crew was present during the team’s ring ceremony in May and as they attempted to become the first team to win back-to-back titles in the WNBA in 20 years. The Sky won their first WNBA championship in 2021, Parker’s first season with her hometown franchise.
Ultimately, the Sky and Parker were unable to complete that historic run, losing to the Connecticut Sun in Game 5 of the semifinals on their home court.
Parker’s eventual retirement was one of the biggest storylines of the 2022 WNBA season. As the season progressed and Parker made history more than once it became clear she still has plenty left to give the game.
Parker will become an unrestricted free agent in the new year and said she will evaluate what’s next for her on the court during the offseason. She’s been adamant that the day she wakes up unwilling to prepare her body for the season ahead is when she’ll be ready to hang it up.
There’s been no mention of the documentary including Parker’s future plans, but if it’s as personal as it’s been described it's a safe assumption what's next for the seven-time All-Star will come up.
“I won’t cheat the game,” Parker said following the Sky’s Game 5 semifinal loss.
