Candace Parker Reveals Why She Thinks She Was Left Off Olympic Team
Prior to the 2016 Rio Olympics, two-time WNBA MVP Candace Parker received one of the most shocking snubs in Team USA history. In the prime of her career at age 30, the all-time great hoops star was left off the roster after helping carry the team to two previous gold medal victories.
Just months after Team USA claimed another gold without her, Parker led the Los Angeles Sparks to a WNBA championship — clearly showing her time as an elite player was not even close to finished
During a recent interview with Taylor Rooks, Parker revealed that the decision to leave her off the team had nothing to do with her play on the court.
Parker said she attended a Team USA camp prior to the final roster selection. At this camp, the WNBA veteran said she notched a triple-double and led the field in scoring.
Ultimately, she feels she didn’t “personally fit” on Geno Auriemma’s squad.
“It wasn’t on the court,” Parker explained. “So if it’s me as an individual, as a person, I’m spending time away from my daughter to come and do these camps that I’m not even being judged off how I’m playing.
“I don’t think I personally fit. I don’t think Geno wanted me on the team.”
"I don't think Geno wanted me on the team"
Candace opens up to @taylorrooks about being left off of Team USA for all these years
Tune in: https://t.co/LeUfv2OAbq pic.twitter.com/szLgq3ofeq
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 30, 2021
Two years after her infamous snub in 2016, Candace Parker said she “wouldn’t be able to represent USA basketball anymore.” The WNBA star traveled to Tokyo for this year’s games — as a broadcaster for NBC Sports, not as a player for Team USA.
In her most recent 2021 season with the Chicago Sky, Parker notched her fifth career All-Star selection behind 13.3 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.
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