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"Basketball in her blood" - Candace Parker shares inspiring message on mentoring Kobe Bryant's daughter
WNBA legend Candace Parker was a staple in LA during Kobe Bryant's reign with the Lakers throughout the 2000s. The former Sparks forward, who was a close friend of Bryant's, shared on Instagram a clip of her during a private coaching session with Bryant's daughter Bianka.
In the post, Parker praised the seven-year-old's shooting skills.
"Look at the wrist loaded under the ball," Parker wrote in the caption. "On her toes...Basketball in her blood!"
Candace Parker's influence to Kobe and Vanessa's kids
"Aunty Candace" spent 16 years in the WNBA after being drafted by the LA Sparks in 2008. She stayed in LA until 2020, before playing two seasons with the Chicago Sky and a final season with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023. She won a championship with each of the three teams.
Regarded as one of the most influential women's basketball players of all time, she was named President of Adidas Women's Basketball upon her retirement. She has her own clothing and shoe line with the brand.
It's not the first time she's been on Instagram with one of Bryant's kids. Bryant's wife,Vanessa, shared photos of them together in June with the caption "Assistant to the assistant coach." The two-time WNBA MVP has maintained a strong relationship with Vanessa, and has seemingly taken on the role of a basketball mentor for her daughters.
Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter accident in January 2020 along with his daughter Gianna "GiGi" Bryant. They were en route to a basketball tournament that GiGi was set to play in. Besides her and Bianka, Bryant has two other daughters: 21-year-old Natalia and four-year-old Capri.
Bryant played 20 seasons for the Lakers, wearing purple and gold in LA until his retirement following the 2015-16 season. He scored 33,463 points in his career and is ranked fourth all time. He won the MVP award in 2008 and won five championships, including a three-peat that began in 2000 and a back-to-back run in 2009 and 2010 for which he won two Finals MVP awards.
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