Candace Parker Ends Shaq Friendship With 2 Words as A’ja Wilson’s “Rim” Controversy May Sabotage TNT Bond

With Me’Arah O’Neal recently achieving a personal milestone in her collegiate basketball journey, Shaquille O’Neal is doubling down on his efforts to increase the WNBA’s viewership before she eventually joins the league. However, his proposal sparked some debate, and MVP A’ja Wilson didn’t hold back in addressing it.

“What is it gonna do? Honestly, what is it gonna do for us?” Wilson questioned, responding to Shaq’s suggestion to lower the WNBA rim. “That could change all of our shots,” she explained, offering a practical reason for rejecting the idea.

Wilson isn’t alone in her stance. Even three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker, who is famous for her dunking ability, echoed her sentiment. On November 24, Shaquille O’Neal took to Instagram, sharing a photo of himself with Wilson alongside a caption summarizing their disagreement: “Shaq proposes lowering the rim in WNBA, but A’ja Wilson not having it.”

The post quickly garnered attention, and Parker, who worked alongside Shaq in TNT, couldn’t resist chiming in. She humorously commented, “Goodbye Shaq,” making it clear where she stands in the ongoing discussion. Shaquille O’Neal has long campaigned for the WNBA to lower its rims, believing it could boost audience engagement.

But once again, Candace Parker has firmly rejected the idea, much like she shut down her opponents with her iconic one-handed, game-winning dunk in 2008. The intrigue here isn’t just in her dismissal of the idea or her critique of Shaq—it’s that the opposition comes from someone who has made dunking a cornerstone of her basketball journey.

For Parker, dunking is deeply tied to her legacy.

The two-time WNBA MVP, who ranks in the top 10 in league history for points, rebounds, assists, and blocks, retired earlier this year. Yet her path to greatness started nearly two decades ago when she became the first girl to win the McDonald’s All-American High School Dunk Contest in 2004. The stage? Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, where she shone as brightly as she would later in the WNBA.

Many may know—or have forgotten—that Parker’s WNBA stardom traces back to her early dunking prowess. But despite her close relationship with the art of dunking, she strongly opposes lowering the rims. Parker and Wilson agree that instead of adjusting the rim height, players should focus on improving their dunking skills on standard-height baskets.

Lowering the rims, they argue, would disrupt players’ shots and require a long adjustment period, making the change impractical.

A’ja Wilson is taking this approach to heart. Rather than relying on adjustments, she’s hitting the gym, determined to add dunks to her game next season. The two-time WNBA champion is laser-focused on her goal, vowing to improve her skills and deliver what she’s promised.

What do you think—will Wilson succeed in achieving her dunking aspirations?