Tennessee Alums Candace Parker, Glory Johnson Share Pat Summitt Memories


Before matching up during Tuesday’s ESPN 2 primetime game, Tennessee alums Candace Parker and Glory Johnson reflected on the legendary college coach who helped them get to this point.

Here’s what the Sparks and Wings forwards had to say about Pat Summitt:

CANDACE PARKER

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On her favorite Pat Summitt off-the-court story:

I got in a little bit of trouble at Tennessee, and we were going back to Chicago to my hometown to play DePaul for the first time. Basically, every single fan that has ever been a part of my career was there, but her philosophy was that if you miss curfew you miss the entire next game. She ended suspending me for the first half of the DePaul game. She loves to tell that story because it represents how stubborn we both were but also how we came together. And we ended up winning a championship in 2008.

 

On interactions with other Lady Vols during this time:

I was able to give Shekinna Stricklen a hug before [Sunday’s] game and we both recognized that we’re praying for the Lady Vol family. I’ve spoken to Catch and Nikki Vaughn. Lady Vols are always there and that’s what Coach wants, for us to lean on each other.

On what she would say to Lady Vol nation about coach Summitt:

She’s a legend that’s touched so many lives outside the realm of basketball and really grown the game. She’s changed the way women’s basketball is played, and the nature of women’s basketball. I know everyone that’s been in contact with her can agree: She changes the individual. She’s changed the way I look at life and the way all of her players do. She’s not someone who just talks the talk; she walks the walk as well. She does exactly what she says she’s going to do. The way she’s acting through Alzheimer’s is the way she’s lived her entire life, and that’s strong. We need to do exactly that: We need to be strong.

On how playing at Tennessee prepares you for WNBA success:

Coach definitely prepares you to play. There [are] a lot of talented players out that there, but being a Lady Vol brings a mental aspect. I think you have to have that work ethic and coach instilled that in us. Her favorite quote to say was, “Success is not a destination; success is continuous work.”

GLORY JOHNSON

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On her favorite Pat story:

I think a favorite memory:  In college we were able to have one team meal over the course of the year, the players with the coaches. Pat would have everyone come over her house and she always would make her spicy corn. It was always funny because somebody would ask for the recipe and Pat was like, “It’s a family thing. Nobody’s getting the recipe.” And I never really liked spicy food. But one day I tried her spicy corn and it was absolutely amazing. I had been missing out on it for three years and I didn’t try it till my senior year. … I was just missing out on something that much just because I didn’t want to try something new. And I think that was kind of a lesson in itself. I missed out on it, but I absolutely loved that jalapeno corn. Everyone will tell you that that’s what it is.

I haven’t tried [to cook it] because I don’t want to embarrass myself. There’s no way anyone could come close to making that jalapeno corn after she made it herself over all those years. Nobody can imitate it, but they’ll try. Fans and everyone else can tell you about Pat Summitt’s jalapeno corn.

On what it was like the last time she saw her:

I saw Pat the day before I left for training camp. It was the first time I was really taking the babies out of the house. We took the babies to go see Pat and she was able to hold Solei Diem and rock Ava to sleep. She didn’t miss a beat. She did exactly what she was supposed to when I put them in her hands. It was automatic. It was just a feeling that I really appreciate because not too many players have the opportunity to have their children and then share that experience with Pat Summitt while she’s still able to say their names and say how cute they are and say how heavy Ava Simone. It was a great situation and I’m so happy that they had the opportunity to experience that. It was on the 20th of April.

On how playing at Tennessee under coach Summitt helped her in her WNBA career:

Everything is about being pushed, and Coach would push us to be the best players we could be. For me, it was about establishing a mindset, and Pat Summitt wouldn’t accept anything but your all every time you stepped on the floor. She was able to motivate us to play like that and play hard for her and for each other.