WNBA ALL-STAR GAME

July 14, 2021

Candace Parker

Liz Cambage

Dearica Hamby

TEAM WNBA vs. USA NATIONAL TEAM

Postgame Media Conference

Team WNBA 93, USA Women's National Team 85

Q. I want to start with Candace but I hope you all can answer this. Candace, the cover of NBA 2K, first off, when did you find out you were going to get this cover? And what did it mean to you to see that cover come to life?

CANDACE PARKER: Well, I found out a couple months ago that we were going to do a 25th WNBA anniversary. As a kid I grew up with two older brothers, so I tried to do everything they did. I played video games, I was in the driveway with their outfits and there wasn't a lot for women. In '96 I was able to look up to some phenomenal women in the Olympics. I think that's for them. They're the ones that paved the way. They're the pioneers of basketball.

I saw Cheryl in the hallway and she said congrats, and I'm like, it's because of y'all. There's a lot of people that are deserving to be on the cover, and I hope that there's many more to come because I think just women's sports has a place, and it's necessary. Look what it can inspire and spark if we're able to continue to empower women.

Q. Dearica and Liz, can you speak to seeing a fellow WNBA player on the cover, what your thoughts were?

LIZ CAMBAGE: I told Candace this morning when I saw that I teared up. It's about time, and Candace is so deserving and it's so wonderful to see Candace finally getting some flowers. I think it was the other day it came up that you're the first player to get 5,000 points, 3,000 rebounds, 2,000 blocks? 1,000 blocks? It was something ridiculous. I don't know, growing up, like I didn't get to watch a lot of women's basketball in Australia growing up. But I knew who Candace Parker was when I came to the league, and this woman really took me under her wing when I was 19.

I don't know, it's just really -- it means a lot to me to see her on the cover. It means a lot, for me, for women and for the sport.

DEARICA HAMBY: Yeah, it's long overdue. She's an icon. She's a friend of ours. She's sets the tone for this league, and we appreciate her on and off the court.

Q. Is there any inspiration for y'all's outfits tonight?

DEARICA HAMBY: I just wanted us to be cute, classy and matching. I knew she [Amaya Hamby] would like the tutu, so I really wore the tutu for her.

Q. Candace, I'm from Tennessee; I followed you when you were at UT, and then to see you in the league, this is a big win for the WNBA as a whole and also you getting the 2K cover. Can you speak on how this showcase alone has put women's basketball on a higher level than it was before?

CANDACE PARKER: So when you think of sitcoms, right, when a TV or something wants to put on a sitcom that is up and coming, they put it before a really great sitcom or they put it after a really great sitcom. We were before an NBA Finals game. We are going to be able to get that audience that's now able to know Arike Ogunbowale's name, that now knows Dearica Hamby's name, that now knows the players that play, Courtney Williams.

So I think this was a great move. Like this was a great step forward for our league because there's a lot of fans that support us, and we've got to continue to grow because I want my daughter, I want Dearica's daughter to have the opportunity to play in a league like this.

Q. Candace, in addition to you being on the cover of 2K you're also on the cover of SLAM magazine and also you're representing for your hometown of Chicago with Benji's [Ben Wilson] jersey as well, so what did that mean for you to represent that way and have all these accolades now as far as Liz saying paying homage to you and giving you your flowers now?

CANDACE PARKER: I grew up just a junkie, a basketball junkie. I always loved basketball. So to have the opportunity to play in the WNBA and to have the opportunity to compete against these people right here to my left and to my right, I don't take it for granted. I think obviously there's a lot more basketball behind me than in front of me, and I think moments like that, you grow up as a kid and you watch television and you want to play in the league and then you want your shoe and you want to be on SLAM.

So it's just -- it's really special. I don't take it for granted.

And then Benji, just, it's a tragedy that the world didn't really get to see his talents. So I think just everybody in Chicagoland has a broken heart for that story. So I just want to pay homage to all those that kind of paved the way in Chicago for me.

Q. Liz, you were sitting on the bench, on the outside looking in. If you can take us inside the energy and the fun that you felt that this group played with and how you thought it helped them get the win.

LIZ CAMBAGE: I was just there enjoying the game today. I was sad I didn't get to touch the court. I've been carrying a lot of achilles issues this season, and we've been in a hard Australian-team camp the past week, and we take off to Tokyo in a couple days.

I'm just blessed I still got to sit on the bench to be a part of it. Also so much fun, you get to have fun and just like relax with women you're usually going up against. I love being in the same locker room as Courtney Williams and J.J. and Candace, my big sister Candace. It's always been a dream of mine to play with Candace, and this is probably the only time we're ever going to do it.

Honestly, it's just a time that you get to relax and still really love the game and go out there and have fun with the girls. I was blessed just to still be on the bench today enjoying my popcorn and watching some great basketball and watching the girls get the win.

CANDACE PARKER: Liz, going into Tokyo, I grew up watching Lauren Jackson. You're representing the Australian national team. I'm sure you grew up watching Lauren Jackson, as well. She's going in the Hall of Fame this year. What has she meant to the sport of women's basketball and basketball in general? You watch everybody kind of now is bigger guards and playing. You call yourself a big guard. I see you out there. What has Lauren meant to Australia and just basketball in general?

LIZ CAMBAGE: As you said before, these are the women who paved the way. For me I was so lucky that Michele Timms was my coach at 17, like whipping my ass into shape. I had Lauren Jackson like beating me up at 18, 17, back in Australia. I grew up watching Lauren play in Australia and Penny Taylor. They were the ones that I looked up to growing up.

I didn't really get a chance to watch American basketball over in Australia, but Australia, it's different. Like basketball is different in Australia. Lauren is still head of women's basketball back home, so she's still a part of the game, and she's still messaging me and checking on us all the time.

She's the GOAT for me. The way she paved the way, like what she did for the game here in America. I don't think she gets her flowers here really. I don't think she really gets her flowers back home in Australia, but seeing her go into the Hall of Fame, I think Australia really needs to wake up and realize that Lauren was the greatest athlete to touch the ball for Australia, period. No man has done what she did back home.

I honestly hope I can go and get a gold medal just for her, just to bring it back home to Australia. That's my dream. I feel like if I could do that, I'm doing that for Lauren and Penny and all the women that didn't get to do it because they did so much for our national team.

To be an island on the other side of the world and still be top three in the world, like I don't think people really respect Australia the way they should. We have so many women in this league. And if it wasn't for Timmsy being the first woman to come over here and play in the WNBA -- I'm so lucky that Sandy Brondello is our head coach, as well, and she really paved the way for us, as well, and she's coaching in the league. I don't know, Australia really puts out talent. I don't know how we do it all the way on the other side of the world. 17 hours away, direct flight, Melbourne to LA. We're dogs down under, and I love representing my country more than anything.

Q. This question is for any of you. I actually was here at the game and there was a ton of energy within the crowd and within y'all's bench. Was this the most fun you've had at an All-Star Game before?

DEARICA HAMBY: This is my first and only experience, but a good experience. My entire family was here, a lot of my close friends. Definitely going to remember it. Like I said, I get to play with Candace, who I probably won't play with ever again. So yeah.

Q. Candace, I just wanted to ask you what are your thoughts on Arike Ogunbowale being All-Star MVP?

CANDACE PARKER: I mean, Arike, we play against Dallas all the time. We notice a heavy dose of Arike Ogunbowale. So just being on her team, it's like, you know when she's got it going, just keep feeding her, and that's what it was. You know, she's young, this is her first All-Star. But this is her element.

LIZ CAMBAGE: This really feels like the Courtney Williams and the Arikes. This is for them. They really get to go out and do their thing. I'm proud of that baby today.