Feminine Strength — Candice Wiggins

I first discovered my feminine strength when I learned how to score a layup at 5 years old.

Basketball immediately broke me out of my reclusive shell. I was extremely shy by nature, but in one season I became a living definition of the word “aggressive” through this sport. The spirit of competition transformed me into a being who, through toughness and fortitude, could recognize all of her physical and mental strengths. My feminine body taught me to appreciate the capabilities I possessed through endless hard work and skill development.

What others projected as limited and inferior, I saw as an unlimited, superior honor worth being celebrated.

The Original Icon

The greatest icon of our sport, to me, is Michael Jordan. Almost more powerful and impactful, however, is the “jumpman” logo forever associated with his brand name, image and likeness.

History

There are 2 people claiming authorship of the logo, but it traces back to a photoshoot for Life magazine not long before the 1984 Olympic Games, with the photoshoot taking place before Jordan signed with Nike. You can read about the history of the Air Jordan logo and symbol, meaning and history here.

Jealous of Jumpman

Michael Jordan has inspired me for as long as I have identified as a basketball player. He also frustrated me to no end. Most significantly, as a little girl, he (through absolutely no fault of his own) caused me to silently and unconsciously feel threatened, inferior, and thus these feelings forced me to confront the tormenting emotion of jealousy towards a grown man as early as 7 or 8 years old. This wasn’t normal for me, but I understand now how that shaped my drive to be the player, woman and leader that I eventually became.

The problem wasn’t Jordan himself, it was me. I wanted to be better than Jordan. Sure, I wanted to be Like Mike. But yet, at the same time, I wanted to be Candice Wiggins even more. And I wanted to be accepted for being Candice Wiggins. I wanted my game to be loved and admired for how great it (already) was. I loved being a fast, quick, strong and talented dainty little girl who never loses, but Michael Jordan interrupted that thought pattern for me. And what was worse was that he was influencing absolutely everyone around me, through every pop culture medium and channel, slowly suffocating the only source outlet I had to cry out onto: the basketball court.

Photographer: Daniel Curtis Lee
Creative Director: Shantell Steve
Makeup: Bella Biscotti

Of course there was Sheryl Swoopes, Lisa Leslie and all who came along, and they were the most inspirational influences a young girl could ever have. But before there were these women playing on the professional basketball platform, there was only 1 man in the universe that mattered when it came to this sport’s culture. The young girl in me desperately needed to discover a way to somehow not only be different than him, but maybe even better. I had no answers.

I could never jump higher.

I knew I would never be able to out jump this flying human and influence the game that way. But subconsciously I thought if I could find it in my feminine strength to possess a sharp basketball mind, embrace my low to the ground posture, be humble, religiously practice skill work, stay focused and determined, maybe I could get somewhere great.

Most of all, growing up fatherless as I did and struggling with my own identity issues because of it, I eventually got to the divine stage of trusting God living inside me. I learned the most valuable lesson in terms of comparison being the thief of joy: That if I simply allow the grace of God to just shine across my face while showcasing the undefeated power He gifted me from within, maybe I could win against this impossibility.

Same Triangle Offense

I most nurtured this philosophy in college while I was playing basketball at Stanford University. When I was playing there in the mid 2000s, we ran a similar “triangle offense” that the 90s Chicago Bulls employed in their system. Sometimes I would have the privilege and honor of watching the coveted practice film of Jordan, when he was practicing the same reads and cuts that I would and could also execute in our Stanford system. While watching in pure wonderment and awe at the mere sight of him in a practice uniform, I sneakily and excitedly thought to myself, “I can do this! I can do this!” And like Nike, I just did it. In practice first, and then the games. I found the blueprint and I would never forget it.

This discovery completely fueled my determination to not only measure up, but to exceed being Jordan in the way I knew only a woman could. It was this silent challenge that finally gave me the opportunity to self-identify in a way that belonged exclusively to me.

This was when I really started to appreciate who I was as a woman.

It is no surprise to me that I was drafted 3rd overall just like him. Our identities converge and then diverge, as opposite as the direction of up and down, left and right. Black and White. But as a retired professional athlete, none of that matters to my identity anymore. At this point, everything else is just details to me.

Being Iconic

As my basketball career has progressed, from elementary school, middle school, college and pros, and now as it shifts towards a new position as the Women’s Basketball Director/Head Coach at SPIRE Institute & Academy, I have discovered that my old identity is still embedded within my new identity.

The 5 year old girl who obtained confidence through the process of learning footwork resides inside me even more now. The fortitude, the mental and physical toughness, all of it remains. My experiences are fostered through the gift of teaching and encouraging the next generation of girls becoming women.

Teaching all girls globally to find the comfort in staying low to the ground, but encouraging them to always jump high, stand tall and focus on the finish.