15 years of legacy, a lot to cherish, and a legend to honor. The WNBA has seen many come and many go, but a player like Candace Parker rarely graces the basketball court. The 3x WNBA champion has seen a lot of changes over the course of her 15-year-long professional basketball career, but what she sees today is completely different. Stars like A’ja Wilson, who is already leading the league in an MVP fashion, and Sabrina Ionescu who is leading her team to the top with every chance possible are introducing all the excitement to the game. Now, Parker too agrees with how they have affected the league.

Tonight, Adidas gave Candace Parker a special surprise to celebrate her legacy as one of the best basketball players in the history of the WNBA. During the event through the All-Star Weekend, Candace Parker shone some light on the new generation of players that are bringing changes to the league. Raising a toast, she said, “I am so grateful for where the game is right now. I’m just so proud of this generation. Athletes that are unapologetic. That take us space, that are demanding what’s rightfully ours.”

Time and again Wilson has pointed out how the league deserves all the best things in the world. At the same time, the rookies also play a huge role in bringing in more eyes to all the hot takes. This season, the WNBA has seen an exponential surge in every aspect from sales to broadcasting and viewership. Certainly, it is something that Candace Parker could not see despite sharing more than a decade of her life with the league. Here is how the league has grown this season.

WNBA’s growth after Candace Parker’s generation

Recently, Candace Parker saw Angel Reese break her double-double record. In July, we also saw Caitlin Clark becoming the first rookie in the league’s history to lodge a triple-double. A’ja Wilson began her MVP run from the very first game of the season. Sabrina Ionescu is taking charge of the New York Liberty with and without Breanna Stewart. Napheesa Collier and Co. came out of the shadows to have a great run and become the Commissioner’s Cup champions. There’s just a lot that’s going on in the league right now when basketball is concerned.

But even outside of the lines, the W a day ago signed a $2.2B media rights deal. This will be three times the amount that the league was running with so far. Not just this, the WNBA had the highest fan attendance in 26 years in the very first month of the 2024 season. According to ESPN, 400,000 followers showed up to support various teams. Additionally, multiple games also broke viewership records this season. For instance, the first matchup of the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky caught 3.3 million viewers at peak. Moreover, the Candace Parker’s last team Las Vegas Aces were the first to sell out all of their home tickets before the season even began.

Needless to say, it has truly been a long time coming. Now that it is here, players who have played the sport for the love of it are appreciating what this generation has been able to achieve. There is a long way to go indeed when compared to the NBA, but in itself, everyone does watch women’s sports!