Candace Parker

Candace Parker is a force to be reckoned with. Her story came full circle last season after she won her second WNBA championship—her first with her hometown team, the Chicago Sky. She’s a champion (and six-time WNBA All-Star) who has built a legacy by revolutionizing her game. As a fellow athlete and a fellow parent, I admire what she’s accomplished and how she has taken her daughter all over the world while playing to provide for her family. Her commitment is unparalleled, as are her insights: through her work as an NBA commentator, she always offers me a different way to think about the game. She is inspiring not only to the next generation of players but also to all young people, and she uses her platform with incredible intent, most recently producing a feature-length documentary about how Title IX advanced the cause of gender equality in the U.S. So many young women watching Candace are seeing how she’s living out loud and achieving greatness. Her legend is only growing.

Wade is a three-time NBA champion, sports analyst, and entrepreneur

Nolis Anderson for TIME

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