WNBA star Candace Parker just revealed that she secretly tied the knot to her wife Anna Petrakova two years ago – and announced that they’re expecting their first child together.
Candace, 35, who is captain of the Chicago Sky, stunned her fans when she shared the news that she and her longtime partner got married in secret back in 2019, and kept it hidden from the world for two whole years.
Now, the couple are gearing up to welcome a baby together – and Candace said she is so excited to ’embark on this next chapter’ with Anna.
She made the announcement via Instagram, in honor of the two-year anniversary since their wedding, along with some snaps from the top-secret nuptials.
WNBA star Candace Parker revealed she secretly tied the knot to Anna Petrakova two years ago – and announced they’re expecting their first child. They are pictured at their wedding
Candace stunned fans when she announced that she and her longtime partner got married in secret back in 2019, and kept it hidden for two years. They are pictured at their wedding
Expanding their family! Now, the couple are gearing up to welcome a baby together – and Candace said she is so excited to ’embark on this next chapter’ with Anna
Dream come true: Candace said she ‘always dreamed of growing their family’ together, and that it felt ‘surreal’ that they have a baby on the way
In them, the women could both be seen wearing long, white gowns, as they embraced one another.
It turns out, they said their ‘I Dos’ in front of their close friends and family, and according to Candace, she ‘cried like a baby’ during it.
‘Happy Anniversary Моя жена,’ she wrote, which means ‘my wife’ in Russian.
‘Two years ago, I got to marry my best friend in front of our close family and friends. My heart could have exploded. I cried like a baby.’
The sports star is already a mom to 12-year-old daughter Lailaa, who she welcomed with her ex-husband Shelden Williams in 2009.
She and Shelden, who is most known for playing college basketball at Duke University, divorced in November 2016 after eight years of marriage.
Candace said Anna, who is also a professional basketball player from Russia, loves Lailaa ‘like her own.’
‘To know me or you is to know our love. This journey hasn’t been easy. I am proud of us and what we have built and who we have grown to become both individually and together,’ she gushed.
The sports star is already a mom to 12-year-old daughter Lailaa (right), and she said Anna loves Lailaa ‘like her own’
Candace welcomed Lailaa with her ex-husband Shelden Williams in 2009. The three of them are pictured together in 2012
The athlete, who used to play for the Los Angeles Sparks, previously opened up about being a mom, and she said she owes ‘everything she is’ to her daughter. She is pictured with Lailaa in 2012
‘Thank you for always loving Lailaa as your own, being my calm, my support, my voice of reason, my laughs, my cuddles, my dance in the rain, my happy, my home.
‘Thanks for constantly challenging me and telling me when I’m wrong. I love you. I appreciate you. I value you and what we have.’
The post also contained a picture that showed Anna cradling her growing baby bump, while standing on the beach in a tight white dress.
Another showed Candance, Anna, and Lailaa posing together, with Lailaa’s hand on Anna’s stomach.
The athlete is notoriously private when it comes to her love life, so the news is pretty shocking to her supporters.
Candace said she ‘always dreamed of growing their family’ together, and that it felt ‘surreal’ that they have a baby on the way.
She concluded: ‘We’ve always dreamed of growing our family….it’s surreal that we now have a baby on the way! Lailaa is pumped to be a big sister.
‘You couldn’t be more beautiful! Glowing, while understanding that I have to constantly love, kiss, and talk to your belly, and yes… play Jay-Z for the baby (Goose knows Song Cry already by heart!).
‘I can’t wait to embark on this next chapter in life with you.’
The athlete is notoriously private when it comes to her love life, so the news is pretty shocking to her fans. She and Anna are pictured together with one of her coaches in 2018
I do! Candace said she ‘cried like a baby’ when she tied the knot with Anna two years ago in front of their close friends and family
She made the announcement via Instagram, in honor of their two-year anniversary. In the post, she called Anna, who is also a professional basketball player from Russia, her ‘voice of reason’
The athlete, who used to play for the Los Angeles Sparks, previously opened up about being a mom, and she said she owes ‘everything she is’ to her daughter.
‘I owe everything I am to her, just because she’s been my motivation and my reason for everything,’ she said in 2016, after winning the championship with her team.
‘We’ve gone through this together, you know? She sacrifices her mom so that I can live my dream.
‘I just am so thankful for her, that she’s here for the big moments, but she’s also here when I don’t want to get up and go work out, she sees those moments.
‘So I just am so over the moon at how amazing she’s grown up to be, and I know I’m partial, but she’s an amazing young lady.’
Candace’s current and former teammates, as well as other famous basketball players, were quick to flood the comment section of her post with messages of support, with Chicago Sky’s Lexie Brown writing, ‘Happy anniversary!’
Los Angeles Sparks member Nneka Ogqumike and WNBA player Alysha Clark both commented with heart emojis. Chicago Sky player Kahleah Copper also added: ‘My babies.’