The Chicago Sky has been a part of the WNBA for 15 seasons. When fans think of the Sky, they often think about Courtney Vandersloot being one of the best guards in the WNBA, or about her wife Allie Quigley‘s sharpshooting.
What comes to mind when people mention the Chicago Sky, is all the bad luck they’ve had over the years? From players like Elena Delle Donne, Candice Dupree, and Sylvia Fowles leaving and winning championships elsewhere. To them losing on a half-court shot by Dearica Hamby to go to the semi-finals; it seemed as if Chicago would never be lucky again.
That’s until Candace Parker brought her talents back to her hometown of Illinois. The WNBA icon was raised in Naperville but grew up on the courts in Chicago.
This week, the WNBA superstar graced the cover of Slam and became the first WNBA player to be on the cover of NBA 2K.
In an article written by Annie Costabile, Chicago Sky owner Michael Alter can be quoted as saying, “Parker’s image on the cover reinforces what the organization has been building.”
Parker’s marketability has not only shown that leaving a major city like Los Angeles doesn’t hurt your star power. But it can also transform a small capital into a big-name city.
In a conversation, I had with a long-time fan, The Sky Show CHI on Twitter he said; he doubts that the Chicago Sky has ever had this level of publicity; even going as far as saying that Parker exposure had eclipsed Delle Donne’s 2014 MVP year.
The Slam cover was not the first magazine cover for Parker. Before she even broke a sweat in her new uniform, she was on the front cover of Sports Illustrated.
Being a pioneer in the WNBA is something Parker has taken pride in. From her work on TNT to her being credited as the most versatile player we have ever seen. Parker is truly leaving a blue print for the next generation to follow.
The famous outlaw Billy The Kid once said, ” Follow Me, I Can Make You Famous.”
Parker is Chicago’s Billy The Kid and as long as they keep following her, the more powerful Chicago will become.
Follow me on Twitter @WNBAUncut and check out Beyond Women’s Sports for more articles on amazing women and their sport.
