HOFer Isaiah Thomas and $45,000,000 legend send love to Candace Parker’s touching tribute to 3-year-old son

Candace Parker is one of the most famous names to have come out of the WNBA, and in her role as a pundit, she has continued to serve as a voice for women’s basketball in the mainstream. Outside her professional duties, the former three-time WNBA champ is also a mother to three children and has often spoken about her journey as a parent.

Earlier Wednesday, Parker posted a heartfelt message with footage of her son – Airr Larry Petrakov Parker – dropping bucket after bucket across various settings. In the comments section, a few names from the basketball fraternity expressed their wishes for her son on his third birthday.

Despite only turning three, Airr’s ability to score buckets has caught the eye, and his professional basketball parents’s genes certainly seem to have passed on basketball talent to the next generation.

“A whole lotta buckets and you are just three! NIL Happy Birthday Airr Larry Petrakov Parker you are special! I love you so much Goosey. Gave you two hooper names cuz I knew you were different!” posted Candace Parker, hyping up her son’s basketball talent while joking about an NIL deal for the three-year old already.

Candace Parker’s crewmate at TNT studios, Jamal Crawford, worth $45 million (per Celebrity Net Worth), was among the first to show his love for the toddler by wishing him a happy birthday. Former NBA MVP and Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas was among the other big names who reacted to Parker’s post on Instagram.

Airr, a homonym for ‘Heir,’ is Parker’s first child from her marriage to former teammate Anna Petrakova. The couple were teammates at UMMC Ekaterinburg, with whom they won their first Euroleague title together and made their relationship public in 2021 as they were expecting a baby together. Candace Parker – who has a daughter, Lailaa, from her first marriage – is mother to a second son with Petrakova – Hartt Summitt Petrakov Parker, born in May 2024.

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Candace Parker’s son is nicknamed “Goose,” associated with the perfect shooting form

As if naming her son Airr and having two women’s basketball stars as surnames weren’t enough, Parker and her partner chose “Goose” for his nickname. “Goose” comes from “Gooseneck,” which refers to the shape one’s arms make when in perfect shooting form.

For Airr “Goose” Larry Petrakova Parker, a lot of legacy has surrounded him, starting from his very name as he has two professional basketball players for his parents.

Airr is fortunate to have exposure to basketball, thanks to his mother’s significant status in American basketball and support from figures like Isiah Thomas and Jamal Crawford. Given that his basketball roots go back to his mother, Candace Parker’s father, a former collegiate player, it would be surprising if Airr didn’t pursue basketball.

However, with evidence suggesting otherwise, it is likely that the Parker name will increasingly appear in scouting reports in the coming years.