The Rush: Candace Parker on championships, GOATs and TNT pranksters

WNBA Champion Candace Parker is on The Rush chatting with Jared about bringing a title back to Chicago, who and what makes her GOATs list and how she and her famous friends at TNT like to prank each other on air. Plus, Candace is sharing one of her workout secrets with the world… the Gx Sweat Patch. Check it out here!

Video Transcript

JARED QUAY: I'm glad you guys are winning a championship in the summer, when it's hot in Chicago. I know in that parade, you had to be sweating, and you probably were sweating profusely. So-- oh, no. I got a call. I thought I was on airplane mode. All right, one more time.

CANDACE PARKER: We have this thing on TNT where, like, whenever one of us is on TV and we're at home watching, we always try to FaceTime to catch the person. So Grant Hill called me at the home Zoom, and I was in the middle of answering a question on live TV, and it came up like Grant Hill is calling your phone. So no, I get it, I get it.

JARED QUAY: What's up, everybody? I'm with two-time WNBA and Olympic champion Candace Parker. How are you doing today, Candace?

CANDACE PARKER: I'm doing well. Thanks for having me.

JARED QUAY: You brought the first pro basketball championship to the city of Chicago since Michael Jordan. I mean, Chicago's been solid in other sports. But like, how starved were the fans for a basketball 'ship?

CANDACE PARKER: Man, Chicago is unbelievable to win in. And I know from just watching how much love the Bulls got. That was my childhood, is just watching Michael, Scotty, BJ, all of them just bring championships, Dennis, to the city of Chicago. And so to be able to do that and to grow up idolizing them and wanting to be like them, telling you, like, the city was just so supportive. The city showed up at WinTrust, and the whole city showed up for the rally. Like, it was just an indescribable feeling.

JARED QUAY: I know you got to be sweating profusely when you're out there winning them championships. So what can Gatorade tell you about your sweat?

CANDACE PARKER: First of all, we had an amazing day today. We surprised-- Gatorade and myself surprised the Boys and Girls Whitney Young team, just on Zoom, and just gave them good luck for the season. And then just kind of told them like, hey, listen, take advantage of what the pros have been using for years, which is the GX Sweat Patch.

We're so excited. You download an app and you get a sweat profile, you get hydration advice, and it really gives you that extra edge. And for me personally, I was that kid that wanted to do everything the pros did. And so I think it's really cool that Gatorade is really giving access to grassroots, is really giving access to the mom that wants to run a marathon and better her time. And I think the more information you have, the better.

JARED QUAY: How fun is it to know that you're sweating good? You're like, oh, yeah, it's that quality hydration sweat!

CANDACE PARKER: Yeah, you got to pull out your app like, yeah, that's what I thought.

JARED QUAY: Since you are one of the GOATs, I want to play a little game with you called the GOAT Game with Candace Parker. Is that cool?

CANDACE PARKER: OK, let's do it.

JARED QUAY: All right, rapid fire. Answer as quick as you can. Candace, what is the single greatest career accomplishment? Is it the degree?

CANDACE PARKER: I think it would probably be, yeah, the Academic All-American. Or honestly, winning a championship in Chicago, it's probably-- yeah, it's up there.

JARED QUAY: Dopest mascot of a team you played for. The Dolphins or the Magic Deer?

CANDACE PARKER: Probably the Dolphins. That's pretty unique, right? Yeah.

JARED QUAY: Better overseas country to hoop in? Russia, Turkey, or China.

CANDACE PARKER: Probably Turkey. I played in Russia the longest, and it was amazing. But Turkey was, like, the Turkish tea, it was amazing.

JARED QUAY: Man. All right, and who is your GOAT of basketball, of any gender?

CANDACE PARKER: Oh. I would say Cynthia Cooper was my GOAT, just because I tried to raise the roof just like her. I tried to be like her. I went out in the driveway and just emulated everything she did in-game. So yeah, Cynthia Cooper.

JARED QUAY: That's dope. And last but not least-- and don't say red-- what is the greatest Gatorade flavor of all time.

CANDACE PARKER: Orange.

JARED QUAY: Boom, I like that, I like that. I just hate when people say red. I'm like, what are you, a vampire?

CANDACE PARKER: Everybody knows. They do not hand me any other color but orange.

JARED QUAY: Thank you for rushing with me. Have another great season. Go bring another championship to Chicago. They can use two of them, all right?

CANDACE PARKER: All right, let's do it.