Candace Parker Reveals Why NBA 2K22 Cover Is “Important”

Last month, 2K Games revealed that WNBA star Candace Parker will appear as a cover athlete for NBA 2K22. This marks the first time that a female athlete has appeared on the cover for the series, and Parker seems quite excited about what this could mean for the future. In a new interview with GQ, Parker revealed that she grew up on games like NBA Jam and NBA Street, stating that “you grow up wanting to be on or in a video game, wanting to have a shoe, wanting to drink Gatorade, wanting to have a commercial,” and this appearance on the cover opens a door for female athletes that was previously closed.

“If you’re not in a video game, you’re not certified. 2K putting WNBA in the game and allowing people to grow up and see that is important. And we’re going to continue to push that,” Parker told GQ. “To be on the cover of 2K as an athlete is great, but to be commentating on the game as well is super important. You need to hear female voices in sports just as much as you need to hear men.”

NBA 2K20 marked the first time that 2K Games included players from the WNBA, but Parker is the first WNBA player to appear on a cover for one of the games. Parker’s cover for NBA 2K22 will be available exclusively at GameStop and EB Games locations in North America when the game launches next month.

Parker certainly seems deserving of the honor; she’s been in the WNBA since 2008, and represented Team USA in the Olympics. She’s also won numerous awards and honors throughout her career. However, there are a number of other female athletes that also deserved the honor in the past, a fact Parker is well aware of.

“It’s really important for companies to continue to invest and empower women. There’s so many deserving basketball players before me but there wasn’t the opportunity. Think about if Cheryl Miller she grew up in this era.”

NBA 2K22 will release September 10th on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. You can check out our previous coverage of the game right here.

Do you plan on picking up NBA 2K22? Which WNBA athlete would you like to see on the cover next? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!