Candace Parker will be the first WNBA cover athlete of the NBA 2K video game franchise

• Candace Parker is one of the faces of this year's NBA 2K, the iconic video game franchise.
• The Chicago Sky star is the first woman - and first WNBA player - to grace the cover of the game.
• Parker said the honor is a "testament to the growth and rising popularity of the women's game."

For the first time ever, one of the faces of NBA 2K is a woman.

Chicago Sky superstar Candace Parker has made history as the first woman to grace the cover of the iconic video game franchise in honor of the WNBA's 25th anniversary.

The two-time WNBA MVP and six-time All-Star joins current and former NBA stars Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Luka Dončić to round out the NBA 2K22 cover athletes slate.

The 35-year-old forward said the honor constituted a significant moment for both her personally and for women's basketball at large.

"The cover of NBA 2K is such a pivotal platform to inspire young ballers, and I wanted future WNBA stars to know that they can be cover athletes too," Parker said, per a press release from NBA 2K.

"Representation matters, so this is a special moment of progress for the sport and the series. To be part of this historic cover is a testament to the growth and rising popularity of the women's game, and I'm proud to be the first female cover athlete to be the face of NBA 2K."

Parker will be on the "WNBA 25th Anniversary Special Edition" version of this year's game, which features an in-game WNBA jersey bundle for Parker and fellow league stars Sabrina Ionescu, Jonquel Jones, Breanna Stewart, A'ja Wilson, Diana Taurasi, and Nneka Ogwumike as well as "The W" MyPLAYER experience.

The game will be available in the United States and Canada for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X on September 10, but fans can pre-order the WNBA special edition, which will retail for $69.99, immediately at GameStop and EB Games.