Candace Parker was chosen to represent NBA2K22

Candace Parker was chosen to represent NBA2K22. This is the first time a woman's basketball player has received this distinction. It was actually her Los Angeles Sparks teammate and Nba 2k22 Mt mentor Lisa Leslie who paved the way for women to play in basketball video games. Prior to PlayStation 5, 4 and 3, in the days when NBA2K2 was in development, Leslie appeared in Humungous Entertainment's Backyard Basketball (2001).

Although it was Kevin Garnett, the Minnesota Timberwolves' basketball player, who graced the first Backyard Basketball cover, Leslie was also included in the game. You can play as Garnett and Leslie.

Sheryl Swoopes as well as Cynthia Cooper, Houston Comets star players, were absent from the 2001 WNBA season. Cooper retired after the 2000 season, being a two-time MVP as well as a four-time champion. She returned in 2003. Swoopes as well, who was participant in the four championships, and was the league's reigning MVP 2001 because of a torn ACL. Leslie not only won the MVP award in 2001 but she also was named the 2001 Finals MVP after helping the Sparks claim their first title on Sept. 1. A month later, Backyard Basketball was released with her chosen as the only woman who played in real life (Garnett was the sole male player) instead of Cooper and Swoopes.

Cooper and Swoopes are regarded as the first authentic faces of the WNBA, but it was Leslie who became the first to be the face of the league the children Backyard Basketball was geared towards as well as me. Leslie was the very first WNBA player I had heard of and helped me get interested in women's basketball.

My enthusiasm for the sport gradually increased from there. After the 2004 national championships for women's and male basketball, UConn Huskies were featured on Sports Illustrated's cover with Emeka Okafor. I later became an avid Sacramento Monarchs fan and watched their 2006 WNBA Finals against the Detroit Shock. Ever since watching Parker in the national championship match, won by her Tennessee Lady Volunteers, I have been pretty on the ball with women's basketball and I started writing about buy 2k22 mt the WNBA in the year 2012.