Candace Parker criticizes WNBA player vote on Caitlin Clark

WNBA legend Candace Parker sharply criticized her fellow players this week after they voted Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark as only the 11th-best guard in the league, a result she called "crazy" and indicative of personal insecurities. The player vote, which accounts for 25 percent of the selection formula for All-Star starters, stood in stark contrast to fan and media ballots, where Clark finished second and third among guards, respectively. Her strong performance in those other categories secured her a starting spot for the 2026 WNBA All-Star Game, but the player ranking ignited a fresh debate about how Clark is perceived within the league.

Parker, a three-time champion and recent Hall of Fame inductee, voiced her disapproval on her "Post Moves" podcast alongside Fever forward Aliyah Boston. She argued that players must separate personal feelings from objective evaluation. Parker cited her own past voting history, stating that despite her intense rivalry with Diana Taurasi, she would always list her as an All-Star. She applied the same logic to other greats like Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles. "I wholeheartedly believe that there needs to be some rules with the WNBA players,...