"Only second to dunking on emm" - Candace Parker gets behind JuJu Watkins and Co. after thumping win over Paige Bueckers' UConn

Modified Dec 22, 2024 09:46 GMT

WNBA legend Candace Parker was as excited as every USC Trojans fan as they watched their women's basketball team take down the UConn Huskies 72-70 on Saturday. She reshared a post by Overtime WBB on her Instagram story and got behind JuJu Watkins and the Trojans after the hard-fought on-the-road win.

"Winning at UConn is only second to dunking on emmmmm @jujubballin #werk," Parker wrote.

Candace Parker IG Story - Image via IG Story/@candaceparker

JuJu Watkins led the Trojans with 25 points, six rebounds and five assists while shooting 56% from the field. UConn's Paige Bueckers ended the game with 22 points, 3 rebounds and 2 assists.

After the game, Watkins spoke about the impact of giving women a platform to perform.

"It's just a testament to when you give women a platform, we're going to perform. I think tonight was an excellent game. ... It was just beautiful to be a part of. And I couldn't imagine watching it."

Candace Parker called out networks for WNBA decline before the arrival of Caitlin Clark

Candace Parker made an appearance on Bloomberg Originals' "The Deal with Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly" on Nov. 7. In the interview, she called out the networks for their failure to promote the WNBA before the arrival of Indiana Fever sensation, Caitlin Clark.

Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever and Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky look on during a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Credits: Getty)

"[The WNBA] is 28 years young. There a lot of leagues that it took to year 30 to really make a growth, so it's coming," Parker said (33:00). "The crazy think that I think, it's little fixes. And this is where my role is, is to question and to push and to encourage."

"ABC, the first time they put the Women's NCAA game on ABC was the first year that Caitlin Clark made the championship game. Are you surprised that the viewership was up? Are you surprised that people actually saw the product? It was buried for so long on ESPN."

Parker also appreciated the efforts of streaming and social media in boosting the popularity of women's sports.