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WNBA Star Candace Parker Pays Tribute To Kobe And Gigi Bryant At Season Opener

The Los Angeles Sparks forward also called for justice for Breonna Taylor.

As the WNBA season kicked off on Saturday (July 25) Los Angeles Sparks forward Candace Parker paid tribute to the late NBA Los Angeles Laker legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna during the opening game against the Phoenix Mercury. 

Parker wrote the names of Bryant, 41, and Gigi, 13, who died January 26 in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. She also honored Breonna Taylor in the same fashion writing “BT” on her shoes as well. 

The 26-year-old Louisville EMT was fatally shot by police in March. 

RELATED: Breonna Taylor’s Mom Thanks NBA And WNBA Players For Keeping Her Name Alive

Prior to the Sparks’ 99-76 win against the Mercury, Parker spoke further in the fight for justice for Taylor in a press conference. 

“Breonna Taylor represents so many other names that this has happened to,” Parker said while wearing a ‘We Are Breonna Taylor’ hoodie. “I think it’s so important to bring awareness to that and honestly for me, it’s just that it’s obviously signing the petition, but it’s also holding people accountable and making sure that those officers are tried.” 

RELATED: Dwyane Wade Tributes Kobe Bryant With ‘Way of Wade’ Sneaker

The three-time ESPY award winner also voiced her commitment alongside her teammates against both systemic racism and sexism. 

“I think voting is so important and it’s not just in the presidential election,” she continued. “I’m really proud to be representing the Sparks because we have kind of added that pillar to the Change Has No Offseason and that we’ve added voting and social justice and all those things to our list of things that we want to accomplish.”

“It’s our job to use our platform to help people understand how important it is,” she added.

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