KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Turner Sports has announced that it has reached an agreement with Lady Vol hoops legend and UT graduate Candace Parker on a position that includes full-time contributions as an analyst and commentator for the NBA on TNT and NBA TV throughout the 2018-19 season.
Parker, a 10-year WNBA veteran and two-time league MVP, is coming off an All-Star campaign in 2018 where she led the Los Angeles Sparks to the postseason. She will join the Players Only studio team for telecasts airing on both TNT and NBA TV. Players Only provides viewers an entertaining narrative and unique insights into the game directly from the athlete’s perspective. NBA TV will air Players Only telecasts on Monday nights. running Oct. 22 through late-January. TNT will then air the remaining Players Only telecasts Tuesday nights from the series’ Jan. 29 debut through mid-April.
Parker also will provide analysis for NBA TV’s GameTime – the network’s flagship studio show – with regular appearances on Sunday nights during the 2018-19 season beginning with her debut on Oct. 21. She also will contribute to a variety of special projects for both the NBA on TNT and NBA TV.
Additionally, Parker will provide commentary for Turner Sports and CBS Sports’ coverage of the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship.
“I cannot wait to resume broadcasting with Turner Sports and to be a part of what I consider the best basketball coverage out there,” said Parker. “I love broadcasting because it allows me to share my passion for basketball with viewers, and I look forward to sharing my analysis and commentary in a variety of formats.”
“Candace is one of the most influential basketball stars of her generation, and we’re thrilled to provide a wide variety of opportunities for her to share her passion for the game and insights directly with fans,” said Tara August, Vice President of Talent Relations & Special Projects, Turner Sports. “She’s a trailblazer in every sense of the word, and we can’t wait to further showcase her talents as a commentator across our collective basketball portfolio.”
Parker was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the WNBA Draft by the Los Angeles Sparks in 2008, following a stellar career at Tennessee, where she led the Lady Vols to consecutive NCAA Championships in 2007 and 2008. During the 2008-09 WNBA season, she became the first player to earn WNBA MVP and Rookie of the Year honors in the same season.
In 2016, Parker led the L.A. Sparks to a WNBA Championship, in which she was named WNBA Finals MVP. She was named WNBA All-Star Game MVP in 2013, along with being elected to six All-WNBA teams and three All-Star teams. Parker also led Team USA Women’s Basketball to back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 2008 and 2012 Games.
-UT Athletics
