The Tennessee Vols' search for a new women's basketball coach is underway and there are already some names getting thrown around that don't make a lot of sense.
One name, specifically, that keeps popping up is particularly perplexing.
I've seen numerous fans suggests that Lady Vols legend Candace Parker should be the hire.
And I don't get it.
This makes no sense for a litany of reasons.
For starters, Parker is still playing in the WNBA.
Parker missed a large chunk of last season with a foot injury, but she'll be back with the Las Vegas Aces in 2024 after signing a one-year deal earlier this offseason.
"I'm looking forward to continuing to play the game I love while competing alongside my teammates and coaches," said Parker in a statement in February. "My family and I are excited to be back in Las Vegas and ready for another great season."
Parker isn't done competing as a player. And it would be unfair to her to ask her to cut her playing career short -- you never get another chance to compete at that level once you retire -- to move into a coaching role. Competitors compete and that's what Parker intends on doing in 2024.
Secondly, and this is the point that drives me crazy when these types of suggestions are made, Parker has zero coaching experience. She's never once been a head coach or an assistant coach. What makes her qualified to take over as the Lady Vols' head coach? Just because she played at Tennessee? Or because she was a great player at UT and has been a great player in the WNBA?
Great players don't always equal great coaches (in fact, it seems to rarely work out that way). We have no clue how Parker would fare as a head coach. We don't even know if that's something she'd be interested in doing. Coaching is a calling, it isn't something you decide to do on a whim. And it isn't easy. It's a grind.
If the Lady Vols are going to return to relevancy, the program needs a proven coach. Even if Parker wanted to coach, we have absolutely no idea if she'd do well or not. There's zero evidence to point to that supports the idea that Parker could elevate the Lady Vols' program.
Coaching is a gift. We know Parker is a gifted player, but we don't know if she's a gifted coach.
Tennessee athletic director Danny White needs to make the right choice, not the popular choice. It seems like the popular choice almost never works out.
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