Candace Parker’s wife is Anna Petrakova, a former Russian professional basketball player and former member of Russia’s national team. The two met while playing together in Russia, married privately in 2019, and publicly confirmed their marriage in 2021.
Candace Parker’s wife is Anna Petrakova, a former Russian professional basketball player and former member of Russia’s national team. Parker and Petrakova met while playing together for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia, married privately on December 14, 2019, and publicly announced their marriage in December 2021.
Petrakova has largely kept her life outside basketball and family private, but her own playing career is substantial. She represented Russia at the 2012 Olympic women’s basketball tournament and appeared in other major FIBA competitions before stepping away from professional basketball.
Who is Anna Petrakova?
Anna Viktorovna Petrakova is a former Russian basketball player. FIBA lists her date of birth as December 4, 1984; her height as 189 centimeters, or approximately 6 feet 2 inches; and her position as power forward. She played professional club basketball in Russia, including for UMMC Ekaterinburg, where she played alongside Parker.
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That shared basketball background is central to the couple’s story. Petrakova was not simply introduced to Parker through celebrity circles: both women were elite athletes working in the same professional basketball environment.
English-language coverage generally uses Anna Petrakova, the form used in FIBA records. Anna Petrakova-Parker may also appear in references to her family, but “Anna Petrovka” is a misspelling.
Anna Petrakova’s basketball career
Petrakova’s most prominent international achievement was representing Russia at the 2012 Olympic Games. FIBA’s official tournament record credits her with seven appearances during that Olympic competition, averaging 6.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists per game.
FIBA records also list her in senior national-team competitions including the 2013 EuroBasket Women tournament and the 2014 EuroBasket qualifying competition. Her club career included Russian teams such as UMMC Ekaterinburg.
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It is more accurate to describe Petrakova as a former Russian and European professional basketball player than as a former WNBA player. The authoritative records available for her identify her with Russia’s national team and European club basketball; they do not establish a WNBA career.
How did Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova meet?
Parker and Petrakova met while playing together for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia. In a 2022 interview with TIME, Petrakova described their relationship as developing gradually. Both women initially found it difficult to acknowledge their feelings and chose to keep the relationship out of the public eye.
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The couple’s account also connected that privacy to the potential consequences of being publicly identified as a same-sex couple. Petrakova discussed concerns about discrimination in Russia’s anti-LGBTQ+ climate. Those are the couple’s reported reasons and experiences; the public record does not provide a complete year-by-year dating timeline.
When did Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova get married?
Parker and Petrakova married on December 14, 2019, in a private ceremony attended by family and close friends. According to the couple’s account reported by TIME, roughly 50 guests and workers were asked to keep the wedding confidential.
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Parker disclosed the marriage publicly in December 2021, when she marked the couple’s anniversary on social media and described Petrakova as her wife and best friend. ESPN and other contemporary coverage also identified Petrakova as Parker’s wife and reported that they were expecting their first child together.
How many children do Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova have?
Parker and Petrakova have two sons together:
- Airr Larry Petrakov Parker was born on February 11, 2022, according to ESPN’s report of Parker’s announcement.
- Hartt Summitt Petrakov Parker was born in May 2024. Parker and Petrakova announced his name in June 2024, according to Women’s Health.
Hartt’s middle name honors Pat Summitt, Parker’s former coach at the University of Tennessee and one of the most influential figures in Parker’s basketball career.
Parker also has a daughter, Lailaa Nicole Williams, from her previous marriage to former NBA player Shelden Williams. Lailaa was born in May 2009. Therefore, public descriptions of the family generally refer to Parker, Petrakova, Lailaa, and the couple’s two sons.
Public reporting does not establish private details such as the family’s residence, the children’s schooling, their daily routines, or custody arrangements. Those details should not be inferred from the family’s public appearances.
Why did Parker and Petrakova keep their marriage private?
The couple’s decision to remain private was not presented as a lack of commitment. In the TIME interview, Petrakova discussed concerns about discrimination and the broader anti-LGBTQ+ environment in Russia. Parker, meanwhile, said she wanted to live authentically and to show Lailaa that she was not ashamed of her family.
The distinction matters: Parker and Petrakova have explained why public disclosure felt complicated, but that explanation does not support assumptions about every part of their private relationship or Petrakova’s personal experiences beyond what they chose to share.
What is Anna Petrakova doing now?
Petrakova maintains a relatively private public profile. Available authoritative reporting establishes her past basketball career, her marriage to Parker, and their family, but does not establish a current occupation, employer, business venture, exact retirement date, or detailed day-to-day activities.
Readers may see Parker described as a retired WNBA star in more recent profiles. Parker announced her retirement from the WNBA in April 2024 after 16 seasons. NBA.com described her at that point as a three-time WNBA champion and the first player in league history to win championships with three different teams. Her retirement announcement also referred to plans involving business, broadcasting, production, ownership, and other ventures.
That change in Parker’s career status does not alter Petrakova’s identity: she is Parker’s wife and a former Russian international and professional basketball player.
Further reading on Candace Parker
Readers interested in Parker’s career, resilience, and family perspective can look for Candace Parker’s book, The Can-Do Mindset. It is Parker’s own book, not a biography of Anna Petrakova and not a substitute for reporting about Petrakova’s private life.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is publicly known about Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova?
| Question | Publicly reported answer |
|---|---|
| Who is Candace Parker’s wife? | Anna Petrakova, a former Russian professional basketball player. |
| Where did they meet? | They met while playing together for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia. |
| When did they marry? | December 14, 2019, in a private ceremony. |
| When did Parker announce the marriage? | December 2021. |
| How many children do they have together? | Two sons: Airr Larry and Hartt Summitt. |
| Does Parker have another child? | Yes. She has a daughter, Lailaa, from her previous marriage to Shelden Williams. |
| Did Petrakova play in the WNBA? | The available authoritative records identify her with Russian and European basketball, not the WNBA. |
As of the available reporting used for this profile, credible sources continue to identify Anna Petrakova as Candace Parker’s wife. No credible source located in that reporting documented a separation, divorce, or change in marital status. That describes the public record and does not claim knowledge of private developments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Candace Parker’s wife?
Candace Parker’s wife is Anna Petrakova, a former Russian professional basketball player who represented Russia internationally.
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They met while playing together for UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia.
When did Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova get married?
They married in a private ceremony on December 14, 2019. Parker publicly announced the marriage in December 2021.
How many children do Candace Parker and Anna Petrakova have?
They have two sons together, Airr Larry Petrakov Parker and Hartt Summitt Petrakov Parker. Parker also has a daughter, Lailaa, from her previous marriage.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: Anna Petrakova is Candace Parker’s wife and a former Russian national-team basketball player. The couple met at UMMC Ekaterinburg, married privately in 2019, announced their marriage in 2021, and have two sons together. Parker also has a daughter from her previous marriage to Shelden Williams.
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