“I’m not even bringing a card” – Aliyah Boston stunned Candace Parker over who should pay on first date

Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston are two of the best players of their generation and have a lot in common on the basketball court. Both were selected No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft, both became franchise cornerstones and now share the mic on “Post Moves.”

During one episode of the podcast, the two stars were discussing first-date etiquette when the conversation shifted to who should pay the bill. While Parker believes the man should make the first move before both partners settle on splitting it, Boston took a completely different approach. Her answer even caught the three-time WNBA champion by surprise.

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Parker vs. Debate on who should pay on the first date

The former Chicago Sky forward started the conversation by saying she appreciates a man’s gesture of offering to pay on the first date. But for her, that gesture in itself is enough.

“I think guys should offer to pay for the first date, but I never allowed a guy to pay for the first date fully,” Parker said. “I always was like, ‘Let’s split it.'”

Parker explained that, for her, splitting the bill simply sets the tone of the relationship early. Relationships surely work best when both people contribute equally from the beginning, and paying for her own meal also gives her the freedom to order whatever she wants without thinking twice about the price.

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The Indiana Fever star wanted nothing to do with this idea.

“I’m not. I’m actually not even bringing a card. I’m actually bringing a purse with lip gloss,” she said. “I didn’t say you have to pay for every single date. But like, the first date, like, this is your impression.”

The answer left Parker shocked, so she asked whether Boston at least reaches for the bill when it arrives. The latter admitted she doesn’t and even joked that she’s looking away, fixing her side profile and acting like the check never even made it to the table.

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For her, though, it isn’t about expecting someone else to pay forever. She simply looks at the first date as the man’s opportunity to make a first impression.

The Fever star even countered Parker’s point by saying that if someone chooses the restaurant, they should already know what kind of bill to expect. Mainly, it was less about the money and more about two completely different ways of looking at a first date.

Related: “I want someone to lead our house” – Sophie Cunningham opens up about what she wants in a husband

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Boston isn’t worried about where

Parker eventually steered the conversation away from the bill itself. She wanted to know whether the type of restaurant a man chose for the first date mattered to the WNBA star.

“No,” Boston said without hesitating. “I love Cheesecake Factory, actually, bring me there. I don’t care. I love pasta.”

From Boston’s perspective, the restaurant isn’t what determines whether the date goes well. It’s more about the vibes of the person sitting across the table than the menu or the price tag attached to it.

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That said, the conversation just shows how different the perspectives are for two WNBA stars. Parker came into the league in 2008, while Boston was drafted in 2023.​

None of them argued that one of the approaches was the right way to go, be it establishing financial independence and setting expectations or looking for someone to show intentions before the natural relationship takes its course.

Related: Angel Reese on dating a guy who makes less than her: “I have a standard of what I live up to”

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jul 25, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.