Candace Parker’s relationship with Adidas is one that has grown stronger over time. Although she first inked an official deal in 2008, her connection with the brand runs deep, dating back to 2003. The $42 billion brand’s investment in sponsoring Parker’s high school team marked the beginning of a strong relationship that now sees her as the President of Women’s Basketball at Adidas. “Don’t come in my house with Nikes,” she expressed. And that’s why it’s no surprise that the brand feels more like kin to her.

But the partnership has its own set of pros and cons—secrecy being one of them. In a recent episode of ‘The Deal’ podcast, Parker joined Alex Rodriguez and Jason Kelly to discuss her relationship with Adidas. To start the conversation, Rodriguez, who joined Nike back in 2005, shared his own experience, encouraging Parker to share how she dealt with the contracts, now the President of Women’s Basketball at Adidas. “So, Candace, I’ve been in those meetings too, but with the rival company… so walk us through,” he said.

It was only in May this year that Parker was appointed as the President of Women’s Basketball with Adidas, after 16 years of partnership with the brand. Having already built the trust, and being in line with their vision to help grow women’s basketball, the contract wasn’t much of a hassle for the 3x champion.

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Parker replied, “Yes, we did go back and forth, but I think having trust in somebody to fulfill promises… I can say from day one, the first meeting we had, it’s been amazing.”

“A lot,” she added. It seemed like she was on the verge of revealing more than she intended, but the legend caught herself, pivoting the conversation in a different direction. With a sly smile, she revealed she has been involved in the process until now, but won’t really have an “imprint” until the next year.

“A lot of my imprints won’t be on it until 2025, because know how the brand works. But already, just the conversations we have had, and our focus, and what our intentions are. I think grassroots,” she admits. But before revealing anything more, she adds, “Not to give away secrets to other brands,” pointing at A-Rod.

But in whatever she could let out, according to Parker, Adidas’ mission is to find a 14-year-old kid who’s “put on some T-MACs with a lasting impact.” Are you wondering who this 14-year-old kid might be?

Well, it’s Candace Parker herself

This all goes back to her early days when she played for her AAU team in Adidas shoes. This trend continued when she attended Naperville Central High School. It wasn’t just her love for Adidas, but also her game that improved. At just 15, she was already known as the first woman in Illinois to dunk.

For Parker, her early accomplishments at Naperville Central laid the foundation for her enduring partnership with the billion-dollar brand. “It became more like a family. I knew everybody within the company. They wanted to grow with me and have that type of partnership,” she said during an interview with Andscape.

And that’s one of the main reasons she’s eager to rediscover that 14-year-old kid within herself. But the process won’t be easy. As she reflects on herself, she’s also focusing on Adidas’ upcoming goals. “We want to make sure we’re developing products for women first,” she shared, echoing the brand’s mission to capitalize on the growing interest in women’s basketball. As we’ve seen, the sky’s the limit for Parker. Will she be able to do it all? Stay tuned to find out!