Charles Barkley Makes it Up To Candace Parker for Choosing Favorite Pastime Over Humble Request

It all started with what should’ve been a simple ask. WNBA legend and best-selling author Candace Parker recently dropped her latest book, called The Can-Do Mindset. The title — a clever spin of her own name — came backed by support from big names like A’ja Wilson, Michael Strahan, and Shaquille O’Neal. But surprisingly, one name was missing: Charles Barkley. Turns out, Parker had reached out for a quote from her longtime co-panelist, but Chuck was nowhere to be found.

Naturally, Parker didn’t let that slide. During the NBA Finals Game 4 pregame show, she took the opportunity to call him out—on live TV, no less. “As you notice, Shaquille’s on the back. He has a quote cause I hit Chuck. And Chuck, he didn’t, he was golfing. He didn’t respond to me. I hit Grant Hill; he was out making business deals. So Shaq, I appreciate you, thank you for coming through, big fella,” said Parker. Her delivery? Calm but clearly salty—and understandably so. After all, how hard is it to reply with a quote?

Still, Chuck didn’t let it end there. While he missed the original moment as he was busy golfing, he did make it up with a small but thoughtful gesture. Not long after Parker’s public call-out, Barkley shared a photo of them holding the book on his Instagram story. His caption? “Proud of you girl!!”

Interestingly, the chemistry between the two didn’t miss a beat. When their co-host brought up whether Shaq had actually read the book, Barkley couldn’t help himself. As Parker said he had, Chuck jumped in with a zinger: “You know good well he can’t read.” The whole panel cracked up—even Parker couldn’t hold back a laugh.

However, it wasn’t just the book that impressed Barkley. Parker had recently pulled off another career milestone—one that even left the always-unfiltered Charles Barkley genuinely in awe.

Charles Barkley is really proud of Candace Parker’s new role

Charles Barkley didn’t hold back his admiration when Candace Parker joined TNT after being named the new president of Adidas’ women’s basketball. The announcement came on the heels of her retirement, wrapping up a career that spanned over two decades. From back-to-back NCAA titles with Tennessee to going No. 1 in the 2008 WNBA Draft, Parker’s resume has long spoken for itself.

But it’s not just about the numbers. Barkley’s tribute to her felt personal, almost emotional. “Hey Candace, you’re just an awesome person. It’s an honor and a pleasure to get to know you. What you’ve accomplished … damn. Man, that is just incredible.” Coming from a straight-talker like Chuck, those words carried serious weight. And honestly, he’s not wrong—few athletes have done it like her.

Moreover, Parker’s Adidas promotion wasn’t just symbolic. She’ll now be overseeing branding and product strategy for current WNBA stars under the brand—a space she knows better than most. After all, Adidas has been riding with her since her rookie season in 2008. By 2010, she’d already made history again, becoming the first female athlete to drop her own signature sneaker.

Now, with Parker stepping into a leadership role, it’s clear the respect isn’t just for what she did on the court—it’s for how she’s shaping the future too.