Candace Parker played three seasons at Tennessee under legendary coach Pat Summitt. She won two national titles with the Vols before going as the top pick in the 2008 WNBA draft.
Parker shared a strong bond with Summitt and paid tribute to the late Vols coach in June 2016.
“What separates Lady Vols is just the mental aspect of it,” Parker said via ESPN. “The game is a lot more mental than people think. And you have to have that work ethic. Coach kind of instilled that in all of us: You can never be satisfied.
“(Summitt) Her favorite quote to say when I was at Tennessee was, ‘You’ve never arrived.’ Success is not a destination. Success is continuous work. She’ll tell you she never ‘arrived’ at success. So that’s the mentality that all of us have.”
Summitt coached Tennessee from 1974 to 2012. The Vols were the only team she coached during her career. She retired from coaching at 59 after being diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.
Summitt led Tennessee to eight national titles and finished with a 1098–208 record. She was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. Summitt, who left a lasting legacy at Tennessee, died on June 28, 2016, aged 64.
Candace Parker won three WNBA titles with three different teams across her pro career
The Los Angeles Sparks took Candace Parker with the No. 1 pick in the 2008 WNBA draft. She spent 13 years with them, winning the WNBA title in the 2016 season.
In 2021, Parker signed a two-year contract with the Chicago Sky and won the WNBA title with them in her first season. Parker signed with the Las Vegas Aces in 2023 and won the WNBA title with them in her first year.
Parker, who won the WNBA title with three different teams, retired in April 2024. She has transitioned into an analyst ever since.
Parker is currently working with Prime Video as a game and studio analyst for the WNBA’s 2025-26 season, while also leading the streaming service’s league coverage.
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Edited by John Maxwell
