Candace Parker's Pregnant And The WNBA Has Some Concerns

Here's a thing Kobe Bryant will never be asked to address: why did the birth of your child have to coincide with the commencement of the NBA season?

The announcement that Candace Parker, the Associated Press female athlete of 2008 and the marketing face of the WNBA will give birth this spring required statements from both the LA Sparks ownership and the WNBA league office.

The league has been hanging on by a thread for a number of years now and it has seen franchises tumble into the financial abyss. Parker brought a youthful presence and a talent as big as any ever seen in women's team sports. But she's only played one season for the WNBA and it appears there will be an absence of some undetermined length.

They won't admit they are concerned. The closest anyone came to making it sound as if this was an inconvenience or a blow to the league's growth plans was a statement from Kathy Goodman, an owner of the Sparks. as reported in the Los Angeles Times of this date.

"My first reaction was to just shake my head. We're inured to this by now so I guess I thought, 'Oh, yeah, she's having a baby. Yeah, of course.'"

Her reference to being "inured to it by now" arises from the pregnancy of the former face of the Sparks, Lisa Leslie whose good news was announced on the same day that Goodman and her partner Carla Christofferson bought the team in 2006. Leslie missed the entire 2007 season.

She had to withstand questions regarding her loyalty to the team but understood why others raised those issues.

"Your job is second... I have planned accordingly as best I could. I took everyone into consideration."

How sad is that? She was 35 years old and married. She had given the previous decade to helping keep the WNBA alive and being a glowing ambassador for women's professional sports. But she had to account for the most personal of decisions and be concerned that she was somehow letting down her fellow athletes.

WNBA Commissioner Donna Orender was more positive in her approach to the subject of Parker's pregnancy than Ms. Goodman:

"She's a phenomenal athlete who should rejoice in this next stage of her life. "

Of course the fact that Parker's baby is rumored to be due in May gives the league hope that she will zoom back into shape and hop onto the court, assuming of course there are no complications. That will be the next hot question up for debate. Will she take two months or six weeks? The Sparks first game at home is June 6th.

I understand that she has a job to do and in a team sport, this kind of thing can have implications for more than just her. But as I said up top, no male athlete has to account for his child birth decisions other than whether he'll miss a game or two to be at his partner's side.

Women who play team sports have to be resigned to the fact that their real lives are always seen through the prism of how their choices will affect their job responsibilities and the livelihood of their team. In Parker's case, the financial health of an entire league is affected. That's got to be tough.

Comments

[jackmac190]

Candace Parker bounced back quickly from torn ACL's in high school and college. The physical demands of pregnancy and aftereffects are different, of course. But if she wants to juggle new motherhood and basketball career, she'll be back this spring or summer. She's a determined and focused young women.

[sportfan]

I don't understand why this is such an issue. Candace Parker has lived her life in the public eye and has done everything by the books. She has a career and she's married. She and her Husband want to start a family, therefore I don't think it is any of our business. This is sexism, loud and clear, so what if she misses the 4 month season of the WNBA, fans will miss her but this is her right and she should not be judged by anyone. Why should women have to choose and men can have all the babies they want with as many women as they please? LeBron and his Girlfriend have 2 children, does anyone ask the question why doesn't he marry his babies' momma? I'm excited for CP and Sheldon this is going to be one heck of an athlete!!

[mlr710]

How is it sexism? Women physically carry babies, men don't. Obviously there are different issues.

[volsfan]

Yes it was her decision to be a professional athlete, but many women can have professional careers and also have a family without missing a beat. Let's assume she had a serious injury that was going to keep her out for the majority of the upcoming season (God forbid). She wouldn't be so ridiculed for getting injured playing, but as soon as she decides to start a family, it's such a bad decision. Like I said, career women have children all the time and get back into it without missing a beat. If she has as much love for the game as we all know she does, then I believe she will do everything she needs to in order to be back as strong as ever. She wouldn't be where she is or who she is because she hasn't worked SOOO hard to get there. People with as much success as she has had, don't quit. They will continue to work as hard or even harder to be where they want to be.

[spreestep]

The reason it is different is because a injury would not be somthing she could control. Getting pregnant is something any woman can control.

[spreestep]

Stef: I agree with the article, this is something the legue has to think about. In response to Aaron Calfato Women & Men are not biologically the same and yes a woman that plays a team sport should be held to accountable for a decison to have a baby. The femals chooses to be a female athlete and knows the sacrifces she will have to make to be one. I am not sure why people don't just say that. Paula yes Lisa was lucky to have a baby in her mid 30s but your statment sounds so old school. With the way careers are today and people waiting to get married or start families mid 30s is not all that old. I love CP the player but its obvious this was not thought out and the long term implications for not only her team but her could affect her career for years to come. Any time a player has to sit out an entire season due to injury or pregnancy it hurts the team. I also know that this may not be the case with CP she might be back for a good part of the season.
January 9, 10:45 AM

[lecloche]

Let's see here. The babies mom is Candace Parker of the L.A. Sparks and Shelden Williams of the Sacramento Kings. This just may be the first kid drafted before birth.

[AHMatron]

I LOVE THIS! I'm old enough to remember when women's basketball was discouraged in high school and college. The againers would trot some portly M.D. up to the school board to explain how dangerous rough sports like basketball were to women. It was said that all that running and shooting tilted the pelvis and made women sterile.
Thank you Title IX and thank you Candace and Leslie and, my own favorite, Becky. Thank you for what you do. And please, take a break, have a child, just like I would. Then get back on the court as soon as you can.

[ElBruce]

"But as I said up top, no male athlete has to account for his child birth decisions other than whether he'll miss a game or two to be at his partner's side."

The difference isn't one of sexism or any kind of perception. It's pure biology. If fatherhood physically took men out of the game as long, you bet they'd be asked that.

[hippymichele]

This reminds me of a coworker who felt I should lose my job positon because I chose a family over work. I thought that a job is a means to provide for a family. Why is it that women are considered selfish when procreating, yet men have NO problem helping them get pregnant. Sexism is alive and well.

[cnobody]

where is the sexism? she's a player under contract. it remains to be seen whether she misses any time on the court, but she's committed to not just her team, but the league and all of her sponsors. it would be interesting to see if any of her contracts (league, team, sponsorships) have any clauses related to maternity leave.

[sfmama]

If the WNBA goes belly up, it is hardly because Candace Parker had a baby. I think the Commissioner's comment is the appropriate response.

[utangela]

Candace Parker is a phenomenal athlete, a wonderful person, and a public figure.

Her choice to have a child with her husband, however, should not be something criticized by anyone. It is her business alone.

In addition, throughout her career, she has shown the ability to recover effectively and quickly from nearly any injury. This is not an injury, it is a pregnancy. According to news reports, she is due to give birth in early May. The preseason doesn't even start until mid-May, which means she could feasibly be on the court less than a month into the season. Why do I say feasibly? Because it has been done before.

She is in incredible shape, will continue working out, and will be back on the court in a relatively short amount of time--barring any unforeseen problems. Seriously, it shouldn't be that significant of a deal to anyone other than the proud parents, their families, and other loved ones.

[sportsd]

Loxie72: Women who wait to have children are prone to more miscarriages and trouble conceiving in the first place. While many women athletes try to put off having a family until a more opportune time. it should not be a point of criticism for this one woman to choose differently. Especially if procrastination results in not having a family at all.

[tsw22]

To Loxie -- in some countries, men do get time off as well, since they are new fathers and want and need to spend time with their newborns. Maybe some men here would like that option? Why are women expected to do everything? Carry the child (and risk your life) for 9 months and then -- here -- take care of it, too -- mostly alone.

[tsw22]

"The league has been hanging on by a thread?"
Care to give any direct evidence of that opinion? 'Cause it's not a fact. Maybe it's just one of those statements people make, figuring that no one will question it because it sounds so logical and is said with such authority?
Is the league in any unexpected position, really? Most people didn't expect the WNBA to even survive this long -- and few in the know where expecting profits in its formative years...

[sportsd]

tsw22: please google the WNBA financial problems and you'll see that as far back as 2000 the league was bleeding money. It became a bigger problem a couple of years ago as it had to borrow more than $12 million from the NBA, its benefactor and the reason it is still in business. The NBA subsidizes the NBA. And might I mention the franchises that have folded since its inception? Four of them. Attendance was up with Candace Parker's arrival and they have a new deal with ESPN. But it will take a huge effort for them to be profitable anytime soon.

[tsw22]

sportsd - the NBA has always supported the WNBA - that is not news. the WNBA was started by the NBA - "borrowing" money from them is not an odd concept. And yes, several franchises have folded (Expansion teams Portland and Miami in 2002), original franchises Cleveland (2003), and Charlotte (2006), and now Houston), and two teams relocated with new ownership (Orlando-to-Connecticut and Utah-to-San Antonio). Note as well that there were 8 teams in 1997, 10 teams in 1998 and 12 teams in 1999. When four more teams were added in 2000, it was probably too many -- and two of those ended up folding (previously mentioned Portland and Miami) Then there are the new expansion teams: Chicago (2006), and Atlanta (2008). You are only mentioning the ones that folded. Meanwhile, the league is now 13 teams, having started at 8. Sure, most of the teams are not yet in the black -- but that is also not news to anyone who follows the league. There is hope with the contract signed with ESPN/ABC just last year that the league might start making enough money to secure its future on its own. How long was the NBA around before it saw profits? The NBA started in 1949 with 17 teams -- contracted to 11 the following year and then got down to 8 teams in 1954. Maybe they should have folded too? Were they "hanging on by a thread?" Seems like they survived.

[Loxie72]

I think, if you choose to play pro-women's sports, you shouldn't try to have kids until you are done with your career on the court. This is not a sexist viewpoint, I just think it's silly to say "we never question male athletes about their choices." Male athletes do not have to miss a season because their wife/SO chose to have a baby. The women, however, do.