Who is Candace Parker's daughter Lailaa Williams? Meet the hitter who's forging her own path in the world of volleyball

Modified Nov 09, 2024 06:29 GMT

WNBA legend Candace Parker may have already it called a career, but her daughter Lailaa Williams is beginning to carve a name for herself in the world of volleyball.

Lailaa, born on May 13, 2009, is Parker's oldest child, whom she had while she was still married to former NBA player Shelden Williams. The two raised their child together until their split in 2016.

Like her parents, Lailaa has taken a liking to sports, particularly volleyball, where she is currently making waves as a middle blocker for Campbell Hall High School in California.

As a freshman last season, Williams had 84 kills, helping the school finish as the 2023 CIF Division II State champions. Now in her sophomore year she is being groomed for a more significant role with the Vikings. Williams is sporting the “No. 23” jersey that her dad Shelden wore when he was playing with Duke.

Candace Parker has been a constant supporter of her daughter, making sure she is present in all of her games. She recently took to Instagram to highlight Lailaa's volleyball career, sharing in a story ESPNW's feature on the budding volleyball star.

Check out a screenshot of her post below:

Candace Parker played 16 years in the WNBA, becoming a three-time league champion, two-time MVP and seven-time All-Star. She had career averages of 16 points, 8.5 rebounds, four assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals in 410 games.

Apart from Lailaa, Parker also has two kids with wife and former Russian basketball player Anna Petrakova.

Candace Parker says Lailaa Williams a huge part of her basketball journey

Candace Parker had Lailaa Williams at a time when she was making a name for herself in the professional ranks. She made sure that her child was with her every step of her journey.

It saw her taking her daughter wherever she played throughout her career. It was part of her commitment to share everything she had with her family, something she learned from her parents.

In an ESPN documentary on her last year in the league, titled Candace Parker: Unapologetic, the three-time WNBA champion shared the life she had with Lailaa as she built her legend in the game.

She said (via PEOPLE):

"Lailaa went everywhere with me, and I don't think my team wherever I played would want me without her. We used to always say we're a team, right?"

Parker added:

"What I remember, I just wanted to be with my parents and I wanted to be with my family and I wanted to have fun. And that's what I tried to do for Lailaa."

Now in retirement, Parker continues to share moments with her eldest. Recently she took her back to Tennessee, where she starred in college, in an unofficial visit and let her experience the school spirit with the Volunteers.