WNBA Star Candace Parker Comes Out, Shares Marriage Photos & Pregnancy

Candace Parker, a WNBA all-star and the first woman basketball star on the cover of NBA2K, has opened up about her marriage and family with fellow Russian basketball player Anna Petrakova on Instagram, effectively coming out to the world. 

"Happy Anniversary Моя жена!" the 35-year-old wrote alongside pictures of their wedding ceremony. "2 years ago, I got to marry my best friend in front of our close family and friends. My heart could have exploded. I cried like a baby….To know me or you is to know our love. This journey hasn’t been easy. I am proud of us and what we have built and who we have grown to become both individually and together."

Parker has a 12-year-old daughter named Lailaa, who Petrakova has seemingly accepted with open arms. "Thank you for always loving Lailaa as your own, being my calm, my support, my voice of reason, my laughs, my cuddles, my dance in the rain, my happy, my home… Thanks for constantly challenging me and telling me when I’m wrong. I LOVE YOU. I appreciate you, I value you and what we have."

Parker went on to announce that their family is getting a bit bigger! "We’ve always dreamed of growing our family….it’s surreal that we now have a baby on the way! Lailaa is pumped to be a big sister!"

In the Instagram carousel, there's a photo of Petrakova holding her belly. "You couldn’t be more beautiful! Glowing, while understanding that I have to constantly love, kiss, and talk to your belly AND yes… play Jay-Z for the baby (Goose knows 'Song Cry' already by heart!) I can’t wait to embark on this next chapter in life with you!

Parker concluded the post with a quote from Paulo Coelho's novel, The Alchemist. "So, I love you because the entire universe conspired to help me find you."

This seems to be the first time Parker has publicly discussed her romantic life or sexuality. According to Autostraddle, "rumors have been swirling about Parker and former teammate Anna Petrakova for years now, especially after Petrakova went with her into the WNBA wubble last year, and then photos surfaced later of what seemed like a family photo shoot with Parker, Petrakova, and Parker’s daughter Lailaa. But this is the WNBA, so everyone is rumored to be gay at one point or another."

Well we're so happy to see it!

Congratulations to the happy family!