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via Imago

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via Imago

The Ace is going to pull a double shift, and D-Wade loves it. However, there are the armchair critics. Candace Parker is fast-tracking her second act, which so far has involved an acclaimed book and signing on to Amazon’s new NBA broadcast team. Now, while she rejoins Dwyane Wade at Amazon, she will juggle college basketball and Unrivaled coverage. TNT is bolstering its college and women’s basketball sportscasts after losing the NBA, and Parker’s multi-year extension is one of the first big moves. Fans, though, have some mixed feelings about this, given her recent stance on Angel Reese. Though that’s his star player, Dwyane Wade is separating Parker’s views from her big career move.

According to recent reports, Candace Parker and TNT agreed to a multi-year extension. Her duties at TNT Tuesdays with Shaq ended this season, after it was confirmed she’d join former Tuesday analyst, Dwyane Wade, as Amazon’s studio analyst. This new extension would put the WNBA champ as the face of TNT Sports’ rebranded basketball options. She’ll lead the BIG EAST men’s & women’s basketball and Big 12 men’s basketball, as well as return to Unrivaled next year.

Those in the business hailed the news. Lisa Leslie commented, “Let’ssss gggooooo! ❤️ It!!!” Her Tuesday colleague, Adam Lefkoe, commented, “🔥LFG!🔥” (that’s ‘let’s f—— go’ for the uninitiated). But it was Dwyane Wade’s reaction that raised a few brows.

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He wrote, “Worth every penny,” under a post reporting the news. Fans didn’t really agree, though. And not because of the switch from the old NBA media partner to the new one.

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WNBA fans have been upset with Candace Parker in recent history. More specifically, since her opinions about Angel Reese apparently changed.

Reese is the star of the Chicago Sky — the team Parker led to a championship in 2021. But more importantly, a franchise that D-Wade has a minority stake in. Wade’s daughters also idolize Reese. The entire setup makes fans want to stand up for Angel Reese.

Dwyane Wade tunes out the hate

For the longest time, Candace Parker had only glowing words for Angel Reese. Until July, when she ranked Reese as a “C-level” player. Fans didn’t like that, especially given it was right after the Chi-Town Barbie surpassed Parker’s franchise record in double-doubles. Note that Dwyane Wade had no opinions on this. But fans did.

What’s your perspective on:

Is Candace Parker's criticism of Angel Reese justified, or is she just stirring the pot?

Have an interesting take?

It still haunts Parker as she renews her TNT ties. A fan responded to Wade’s comment about their expectations with both holding important platforms. “one of the greats. sad about all this ignorance being thrown around.” 

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Some outright called her out in statements like, “Maybe now she might stop hating on the young ones especially on angel,” and,  “She got that so she can continue to hate on Angel.”

To be fair, Parker defended her stance at the time, explaining that Reese does carry the team. She later came back to the subject, declaring she’s no “hater,” but stuck by her opinion. She cited the TNT brand of criticism to defend her comments, too. “We worked with the guys at Turner, where they come on and they say stuff that’s just so outlandish,” Parker said before her contract extension. “I would never attack anybody’s character. I would never attack who they are ever, and I just hope that others will do the same.”

Almost as if that was a premonition, fans now claim, “Since she’s resigned, maybe she will stop hating on that podcast using Reese for likes and clicks.”

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Reese made a few comments since then, which fans either interpret as a sly jab or a gracious acceptance. However, D-Wade knows Angel Reese’s potential and how much the franchise is riding on their young superstar. Anticipating that, fans see how Parker’s job is going to go. “Good she can really watch Angel break more of her records and she find new things to talk about.”

Whatever way the situation around Candace Parker develops, Dwyane Wade’s unbothered. He’s looking forward to restarting his analyst career and also seeing big things for the Chicago Sky under Angel Reese.

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"Is Candace Parker's criticism of Angel Reese justified, or is she just stirring the pot?"

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