Candace Parker gets candid about 2016 USA Basketball snub: ‘I don’t think Geno wanted me on the team’
Parker leads Chicago Sky to their first championship
Parker was more upset by the people she cared about getting left off teams, though, including Nneka Ogwumike in 2021.
“What they did to Nneka was unbelievable,” Parker said. “I’m more angry at that.”
After the 2016 snub, Parker declined the invitation to try out for USA Basketball for Tokyo 2020.
“I can’t teach my daughter lessons, and tell her about respect and treatment and communication and then go back to that,” Parker said. “I’m done, I’m happy, I got two gold medals. I appreciate the experience and I wish them well, honestly.
“I am so proud of Chelsea (Gray) and Napheesa (Collier), and obviously Sue (Bird) and Diana (Taurasi) and what they did in terms of going to five Olympics and winning five medals. That’s super special and I think it’s valuable. It’s important for USA to stay on top.”
The interview wasn’t complete without taking a few shots at Connecticut. Parker, who played at Tennessee from 2005-08 and won two NCAA titles, made to sure mention the lack of NCAA titles at UConn in that time period.
“Respect to Connecticut. Connecticut continues to crank out player of the year, after player of the year,” Parker said. “At the same time, though, when I was there my four years at Tennessee, they didn’t win no national championships, and they never beat us. But, I don’t know, that might be a soft spot.”
Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at cora.hall@knoxnews.com and follow her on Twitter @corahalll.