Candace Parker Sends Clear Message About Angel Reese on New Podcast With Aliyah Boston originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
WNBA legend Candace Parker has become one of the most prominent voices in basketball media since retiring from playing in 2024.
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Recently, she faced backlash for her critique of Chicago Sky forward Angel Reese, after placing her in the “Tier C” category of her player rankings—which still included some of the league’s top talent, spanning from Tier S (the best) down to Tier E.
But as has been the case for decades in sports, criticism comes with the territory. This week, on her new podcast “Post Moves” with Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston, Parker made it clear that offering critiques and discussing areas of improvement is part of the game—and it’s something we shouldn’t shy away from.
“We have to come to a place in women’s basketball where we can critique without being labeled a hater,” Parker said. “And I challenge all of you to understand that in no way, shape, or form am I a hater.”
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She continued, “I’m going to bring facts to the table. And with that being said, the facts I want to bring to this table… I challenge anybody to tell me: what player are you taking Angel Reese over from the ones I just listed? This is no disrespect—these are the greatest players in the game right now. They asked me to rank the tier right now.”
Parker was asked to rank several stars including A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Caitlin Clark, Napheesa Collier, Paige Bueckers, Kelsey Plum, Arike Ogunbowale, and Angel Reese.
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Reese has certainly been a tremendous player through her first two seasons in the league, earning All-Star honors both years. However, Parker is one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time, and her opinion carries significant weight.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 30, 2025, where it first appeared.
