On Saturday morning, ESPN’s College GameDay will be live from Knoxville, Tenn., ahead of No. 15 Tennessee’s matchup with No. 6 Georgia.
Both teams are 2-0, and the Vols are seeking their first win over the Bulldogs since 2016. Former Tennessee women’s basketball star Candace Parker will serve as the guest picker on Saturday’s show.
A true Tennessee legend 👏@Candace_Parker won two national titles with the Lady Vols and now she's coming back to Knoxville as this weekend's guest picker 🍊 pic.twitter.com/SWSkLdE7Ax
— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) September 11, 2025
Parker played at Tennessee for four seasons before enjoying a prolific career in the WNBA. Let's take a look at Candace Parker's roots to see why she was chosen as 'GameDay's' guest picker.
Where is Candace Parker from?
Parker was born in St. Louis, Mo., but moved to Naperville, Ill., at age 2. She starred at Naperville Central High School, leading her team to Class AA state titles in 2003 and 2004. She finished her prep career with 2,786 points and earned two national player of the year honors.
Unsurprisingly, she caught the attention of Lady Vols legendary head coach Pat Summit, who recruited her to Tennessee. After Summit's death in 2016, Parker shared a handwritten note Summit sent her while she was recruiting her:
You held true to your promises...and some. Thank you Coach for always being the perfect role model I love you. #RIP pic.twitter.com/HvA1mODwfP
— Candace Parker (@Candace_Parker) June 28, 2016
Candace Parker Tennessee, WNBA career
Parker cemented herself as one of the best college basketball forwards in the game. She took a redshirt season as a freshman in 2004. From 2005-08, she amassed 2,137 career points, including 972 total rebounds.
She helped lead the Vols to back-to-back national titles in 2007 and 2008, and won various awards such as the Final Four's most outstanding player awards in 2007 and 2008, the Associated Press Women's College Basketball Player of the Year and the Naismith College Player of the Year in 2008. She forwent her fourth and final season of eligibility to enter the WNBA.
She was drafted No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Sparks, just one day after winning a national title for the Vols. She enjoyed a 15-year WNBA career, winning three league championships. She was also a seven-time WNBA All-Star and a two-time WNBA MVP. Parker won gold medals with Team USA at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics.
The home Tennessee crowd should be fired up to have Parker back in Knoxville.