PORTLAND, Oregon — WNBA legend Candace Parker will be the new head of women's basketball at Adidas, the company announced Wednesday.
Parker, a three-time WNBA champion and the only rookie in league history to be named MVP, recently retired from the WNBA after more than 15 years. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest women’s basketball players of all time — the only player in WNBA history to be ranked in the top 10 all time for points, rebounds, assists and blocks — and has been an Adidas partner for 16 years.
“Stepping into this new leadership role is a deeply personal next step in my journey with Adidas,” said Parker in a press release. “From high school to college to playing pro to now, this appointment by Adidas symbolizes a shared commitment to making impactful change and setting new benchmarks for the future of women's sports. It's not just about products; it's about fostering a movement focused on innovation, representation, and access.”
Parker will be based in Los Angeles, where the company’s basketball operations are based, and lead Adidas in creating a new platform for women’s basketball, focused on representation and diversity.
Germany-based Adidas has its North America headquarters in Portland, where the company says it employs around 2,000 workers. It also hosts a well-trafficked employee store in Northwest Portland’s Montgomery Park..
Adidas’ women's basketball partners include modern-day greats such as LSU’s Hailey Van Lith, Indiana Fever’s Aaliyah Edwards, and the Seattle Storm’s Nneka Ogwumike.
The Portland Business Journal, a KGW news partner, has more on the Parker story here.
