Before woning a couple of WNBA MVP trophies, Candace Parker rose to National Basketball Promine at the University of Tennessee. Parker was a member of two national championships and served NCAA tournament most excellent player honors along the way.
Parker was controlled by Coach Pat Summitt during his prominent period with the volunteers. Parker, a “NBA on TNT” analyst, took a moment to share how she continues to carry the lessons that the deceased coach introduced in her years ago.
“I want to say that eye contact really is, really, really important. And she was the first person to really make me look at her when she wanted to talk,” replied Parker at Co -host Adam Lefko’s request to share some memorable advice from Summitt during a “StoryTime” segment.
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University of Tennessee Athletic Director Dave Hart (left), the former player Candace Parker (Right), Main coach Emeritus Pat Summitt (left center) and head coach Holly Warlick (Right Center) during the pension ceremony for Parker Jersey before a game against LSU Tigers in Thompson-Boling Arena. (Randy Sartin/USA Today Sports)
“And then now, when I’m home and I parent my son, my son says, ‘Look at me. Look at me.’ Like all the time because I didn’t realize that I say she had this crystal blue stare that she could make you run through walls.
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In 2016, Sumtitt died of complications from Alzheimer’s disease early.
Tournament MVP Candace Parker from Tennessee Lady Volunteers clamps head coach Pat Summitt as they celebrate their 59-46 victory against Rutgers Scarlet Knights to win 2007 National Championship at Quicken Loan’s Arena April 3, 2007 in Cleveland. (Jim Mcisaac/Getty Images)
Lefkoe thanked Parker and then remembered another story, as the three-time WNBA master once told.
“We all want to have a relationship with someone you did with Pat,” Lefko said. “I will never forget that you are telling me the story of how you came to college. You were hurt and she just wanted to make you sit there. And you would talk. I think it’s a blessing. I want you to say thank you for sharing these stories with us because we don’t have these relationships as you did. We love you. And that Pat and Pat’s whole family, we love you too.”
Tennessee Lady Volunte’s main coach Pat Summitt smiles during a half -time ceremony at a NCAA Final Four match in 2012 between Baylor Bears and Stanford Cardinal in the Pepsi Center. (Ron Chenoy/USA Today Sports)
Parker also serves on the Board of Directors of the Pat Sumct Foundation. The fund seeks to make progress in Alzheimer’s research.
Sumitt is widely considered one of the greatest coaches in college basketball history. She won eight national titles during her great mandate period in Tennessee.
