WNBA ALL-STAR GAME

July 9, 2022

Sylvia Fowles

Candace Parker

Courtney Vandersloot

Team Wilson - Media Conference

Q. What does it mean to be back in Chicago, and secondly to be sharing the court with two specific longtime friends in Courtney and Candace?

SYLVIA FOWLES: It feels great. I'm happy to see my career flourish to me playing again on the Chicago floor. I got drafted here in 2008, and to have this opportunity to play my last All-Star Game back in Chicago means a lot, and of course I get to do it with two special girls that I'm very close with, and just hoping to have fun.

Q. Sylvia, is it starting to hit you now that we're over halfway through the season, that you're inching towards retirement here? Is it starting to hit you at all?

SYLVIA FOWLES: It hasn't hit yet. I think mainly because I'm just trying to be present in the moment and enjoy it. I know once it's all said and done, I'll probably be a big water bag, and who wants to do that every game?

Q. Sylvia, I've asked this of a couple of your fellow teammates, the W is really at this moment where you have all these eyeballs on the sport, all this momentum. As you and Sue retire and we're kind of in this transitional era, how do you keep the momentum going? What does the league need to do to keep that energy up?

SYLVIA FOWLES: I think the foundation has been set with a lot of great players. Unfortunately you got to see some of those leave at this point, but I think we have a young group of talent that's willing to do what's needed to be done that's not going to shy away from the things that they want and the things that they believe in. And so I'd say just piggy-back, piggy-back off these girls, listen to their thoughts, and see how we can make this thing grow in the next 25 years.

Q. I wanted to ask you, do you feel like you've been getting your flowers as far as everybody recognizing really who you are as far as the league recognizing you? Speaking with A'ja Wilson she talked about how you've been a mentor to her and I'm sure you've been a mentor to many other players. Do you feel like people know your legacy, and then just the momentum you've been feeling over the course of the season with players giving you your flowers?

SYLVIA FOWLES: As far as the league, I think they've been doing an okay job. I try not to focus mostly on league stuff, but as far as the girls, yes, most definitely the players have been giving me my flowers.

Q. One of the things that Sue Bird said earlier was even as a 22-year-old in Russia when you guys were playing together that you were a nurturing person for the team and you would take care of the team. Is that still who you are?

SYLVIA FOWLES: Yeah, pretty much. That's all I know, yes.

Q. Is there anything specific that you like to cook for your teammates?

SYLVIA FOWLES: Napheesa likes pork chops.

CANDACE PARKER: Can I say something? She knitted Napheesa's baby -- what was it? What did you knit? You know. I had a son like five months ago and he's really cold (laughter). He needs something. I'm just putting that out there.

SYLVIA FOWLES: She didn't even have to put it out there because somebody beat her to the punch. It's a work in progress.

Q. Sylvia, have you gotten a baby gift for Candace?

CANDACE PARKER: It's in the works.

SYLVIA FOWLES: Not for her, for the baby.

Q. For both.

SYLVIA FOWLES: For the baby. Candace will get her time when she announce.

Q. Sylvia, you were here during really the infancy of the Sky franchise. What do you recall about those early years and trying to build a fan base and where it is now, the defending champions hosting the All-Star Game and obviously viewing that from afar the past several seasons?

SYLVIA FOWLES: I think just trying to find pieces that fit. I think we had a really good team over the years I was here but we never had a complete team with finding what we need, and I think that's what you're witnessing now. I think they have a full force team and they play together and of course they're defending champions and they're proving why they won last year.

Q. Sylvia, over the years they always talk about the All-Star Game, who's not here or who's here, who it's for, who it's not for. From your perspective who is this game really for, for the fans, for the players?

SYLVIA FOWLES: I think it's for a combination. The fans vote us in, so I think of course you want to come here and show a good time, but at the same time I think it's also important that we enjoy ourselves, as well.

Q. Candace and Sloot, Kahleah was in her earlier and she said there's been all kinds of trash talking going on about this game, with the format pitting two Sky players against two other Sky players. What do you have in store for Kahleah? Because she said she wants bragging rights for the rest of the year.

COURTNEY VANDERSLOOT: That ain't got nothing to do with me.

CANDACE PARKER: No comment (laughter). No, so Sloot doesn't talk a lot of junk. Me and Kah usually are the ones that do that. We'll see in the game, right? We'll see if size and speed and athleticism and shooting is going to beat lack of size and shooting -- I'm saying like Kah, we're big, and we're also versatile. That's all I'm saying. You're a part of this, Sloot, I'm including you in this. I didn't say you lack size, I said their team lacks size. That's all I'm saying.

Q. Sloot, just what do you remember about your rookie season playing next to Syl, your first time meeting her? What's your best Syl story from that era?

COURTNEY VANDERSLOOT: Kind of what we talked about earlier, I just remember how she just took -- she was young still then, too. We had an older team, but she was one of the younger ones, and she was just the mom of the team and always nurturing -- she really took care of us rookies. I think there was a few of us that year. She made sure we knew what the heck was going on and really took me under my wing, made me feel comfortable and that I deserved to be here and they wanted me here. I think that was the biggest thing, and my mom really appreciated it. She still loves Sylvia to this day because she knows she really did take care of me while I was here.

Q. For Candace and Courtney, if you could share some of your observations since winning the championship last year, just how different things might seem at games, around town, what you've noticed from fans for the Sky?

CANDACE PARKER: I mean, I think just to piggy-back off of last year, just seeing Wintrust filled with people, seeing Wintrust sold out and the excitement around basketball, like driving down the highway there's nothing like looking up to your right and seeing a billboard congratulating us and then also announcing All-Star being here.

I think there's an excitement around basketball, and I think we're able to use that because there's a youth tournament that's coming in, as well. I think there's definitely an excitement in Chicago about basketball.

Q. I saw you guys out with Allie (Quigley) as she's warming up; what was your message to her as she attempts to make history not just in the WNBA but NBA, as well?

COURTNEY VANDERSLOOT: For me I'm just trying to keep her relaxed and telling her just have some fun with it. She did like not want to do it again. She announced her retirement from the 3-point contest last year because she gets all nervous. It makes me nervous, too.

I just want her to have fun because that's when she's at her best and enjoy it because it's in front of her. A bunch of family and friends will be here for her in a couple hours, and do what she does. The rest will take care of itself.

CANDACE PARKER: If I can comment, I didn't film Allie last year in the 3-point contest, I filmed Sloot during the 3-point contest, so if you guys want a real show, Allie is going to make her buckets, she's going to hit threes. Watch her (Vandersloot).

COURTNEY VANDERSLOOT: I'm a mess. I'm a mess.

CANDACE PARKER: It is the best thing ever. That video is going to be a throwback. I'm going to post it online because it is the best.

Q. With Sylvia and Sue retiring, how would you guys describe this era for the W, and what would you like to see the league do next to continue this momentum?

CANDACE PARKER: For me I've played begins Sylvia since I was 14. Coming to these tournaments and walking in and she was the same size and build at 14 -- yeah, she was. Very scary. And Sue, the same thing, just scary skills and scary to play against.

I think for me it's like your game is raised whether you're on as teammates or whether you're opponents. We've competed against SEC, national champions, WNBA, together with the Olympics. So I think this era of basketball has been -- those two have been dominant, and they've really had a hand in the direction of the way basketball is played as well as all of us having to level up because we're competing against them or with them.

Q. Candace, sometimes homecoming stories don't always work out. You left the only franchise you knew in Los Angeles to come back home, be able to play in front of family and friends. I wonder if you could reflect on how well this has worked out, to win a championship in your first year, have the best record in the WNBA right now, and now All-Star Weekend here in the hometown.

CANDACE PARKER: I think it was about playing in front of my family and friends, but it was also about playing with this group. We enjoy each other, and I think our style of play complements each other. Regardless of whether it worked out, I told Sloot even last year, I think we were not even .500 last year, I was like, regardless of how this works out, I think we all made the best decision. I think we realized from last year it's not how you start, it's how you finish.

Yeah, we're there now, but we still have some things that we have to do and accomplish before then.

Q. Candace, you mentioned the youth tournament going on, and I think you said last night that Laila is playing. Do you have any advice for her, and how do you have her handling the spotlight coming right off of All-Star?

CANDACE PARKER: So my niece is playing in the tournament and my daughter. We're excited. The Parker family is so excited to go from All-Star tomorrow to come over here and support. Listen, I'm just happy, regardless of whether -- I don't care how many buckets she gets, how many rebounds she gets or assists, whatever. I just want her to love the game and love what she's doing and then honestly I think you know how I feel about sports and the development of young girls and how crucial it is.

I think all of us have benefitted from sports through life skills and through teamwork and all of those things, so regardless of whether she puts on a professional jersey or not, I'm a proud mom.