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The story about Candace Parker’s romantic relationship with her current wife, Anna Petrakova, is one of the most interesting ones in sports.
Not only is it considered a unique tale, but one that felt impossible to happen at first because Parker didn’t think she was a lesbian until she met Petrakova.
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The same goes with Petrakova, who had a boyfriend when she met Parker while playing for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia.
So, who really is Petrakova?
Like Parker, Petrakova was a professional basketball player who played at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette from 2001 to 2005.
She had a successful collegiate career as she earned the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year honors. Petrakova then pursued professional basketball in Europe, where she played for UMMC Ekaterinburg, Dynamo Kursk, Dynamo Moscow and competed in EuroLeague Women and EuroCup Women championships when her name was called.
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Anna’s basketball career in Europe led her to meet Candace in 2012, but it took time for both of them to turn their friendship into romance. But eventually, by 2019, the couple had gotten engaged and then married in late December in the same year.
They didn’t tell the public about their relationship for exactly two years, but that ultimately changed because Candace no longer wanted to hide her true identity, not just to the public but also towards her family.
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“I always tell my daughter to be proud of who she is. And I always tell my daughter to speak for herself and speak up for those that she loves. And I can’t say that to her if I’m not doing it myself. I don’t want her to ever think that I’m ashamed or not proud of our family. That was a step that we had to take. But we had to take it on our own terms,” Parker said.
Related: Kevin Durant admits no one on the Warriors warned him he could tear his Achilles in 2019 Finals: “If I knew that, I would have made a different decision”
Parker and Petrakova’s family
When Parker and Petrakova’s relationship went public, it was kind of a big deal for the sporting world, especially for the Queer community. The couple already had a family as Parker’s daughter Lailaa — who was born in Parker’s previous marriage with the former NBA player Shelden Williams — joined them. Then, in February 2022, Parker and Petrakova welcomed a son who was named Airr Larry. Afterwards, in May 2024, Petrakova gave birth to the couple’s second child, son Hartt Summitt.
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For Candace, being with Anna has significantly changed her perspective on life. She realized that some of the best things happen unexpectedly, similar to how she fell in love with her partner today. Never did she ever imagine that she’d end up raising a family with a woman and she couldn’t be happier about it.
“I had always dated men before and was open and honest about that… and then I think I just, I met my wife and it was crazy. I started looking at things differently. She was my best friend, genuinely and then it became more and more from that,”said Parker.
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Today, Candace and Anna are considered one of the most adorable couples in sports. Their story may have happened unexpectedly, but it’s one that speaks about how life works in mysterious ways and how destiny can sometimes catch people off guard.
Nevertheless, it’s one that Candace and Anna wouldn’t trade for anything else.
Related: “I went to the prom with her” – Dwight Howard said he was in love with Candace Parker in high school
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 25, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
