From the moment Candace Parker left the University of Tennessee campus it was almost assured she would return to Knoxville one day to be inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.
That time arrived last month as Parker was part of the eight-member Class of 2026 that was honored for their outstanding contributions to the sport. Parker was the final speaker of the night, and arrived on stage at the Tennessee Theatre wearing an outfit that honored the late legendary Lady Vols head coach Pat Summitt.
Parker played at UT under Summitt from 2004-08, helping the Lady Vols win two straight championships during her All-American career. Her No. 3 jersey is retired in the rafters above The Summitt court at Food City Center.
“Since she would be the first to tell you that I was not the best listener while I played at the University of Tennessee, this is a tangible expression that I was watching, and I was indeed paying attention,” said Parker of her orange and white suit that resembled one Summitt wore. “My continued desire to imitate Pat and how she attacked life every day proves why there is nobody like her. Though she’ll be gone 10 years ago tomorrow (June 28), she’s still leaving a lasting impact that we all can and should draw from.”
A true game changer
Parker is the 11th Tennessee player and 17th person affiliated with the Lady Vols to be enshrined into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Former Lady Vol Chamique Holdsclaw, a 2016 inductee, presented Parker at the induction ceremony. Holdsclaw and Parker will both be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Aug. 14-15 as members of the Class of 2026.
“She knocked down every bar set in front of her,” Holdsclaw said of Parker. “She changed the way the game looks. She brought creativity, skill and athletic ability.”
Parker arrived at UT as a highly coveted recruit out of Naperville, Illinois. After redshirting her freshman year with a knee injury, she exceeded the hype on her way to becoming one of the top players in the world.
Parker averaged 19.4 points and 8.8 rebounds at UT, finishing as the program’s No. 3 all-time career scorer (2,137 points) and the No. 8 all-time rebounder (972 rebounds). The three-time All-American was named National Player of the Year, Final Four Most Outstanding Player and Honda Sports Award winner for basketball in 2007 and 2008 after leading the Lady Vols to back-to-back national titles.
Parker was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Sparks in the 2008 WNBA Draft. She became the first rookie in WNBA history to win both the league’s Rookie of the Year and Most Valuable Player awards in the same season. Over her 16-year professional career, Parker won three WNBA championships with three different franchise – the Sparks (2016), her hometown Chicago Sky (2021) and the Las Vegas Aces (2023). She earned two league MVP awards and was a seven-time first-team All-WNBA selection.
As a member of the United States Olympic basketball team, Parker helped Team USA capture two gold medals.
Still chasing dreams
At the WBHOF induction ceremony, Parker told the audience about spending most of her life trying to do whatever her brothers did despite them being eight and 11 years older than her.
“Whenever I struggled when I was young, my mom would whisper ‘can do’ to me,” Parker said, referring to her nickname. “It reminded me to push the doubt away. I was a little girl who dared to dream. I whispered that to myself whenever I was scared.”
Parker’s 17-year-old daughter, Lailaa, escorted her into the Tennessee Theatre. Parker also has two sons, Airr and Hartt Summitt, with her wife, Anna. Just as her family’s support and guidance helped Parker reach her potential, Parker wants to return the favor to her own children.
“I hope that they know the expectations and standards that come with being a Parker, but we’re also always here to help you chase your wildest dreams,” Parker said. “In the words of James Baldwin, children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”