KNOXVILLE — Chamique Holdsclaw was the primary catalyst for three of Pat Summitt’s unprecedented eight national championships as Tennessee’s women’s basketball coach.
The former Lady Volunteers’ star may be more grateful to her former coach for how she helped her long after her college career ended.
Summitt, 64, passed away early Tuesday morning following a five-year battle with early onset dementia, Alzheimer’s type, and the legacy she leaves behind and the impact she had during her career perhaps is best felt by those who played for her during her 38-year coaching tenure.
During an interview with ESPN on Tuesday, Holdsclaw, a four-time All-American and the Naismith Player of the Century, credited Summitt for helping her get her life back on track as she battled depression during her professional career and some legal troubles after her WNBA career ended in 2010.
“That’s Coach Summitt. She’s our superhero. She comes in always and saves the day,” Holdsclaw told ESPN. “I remember like it was yesterday the day I was at UT’s campus and she was saying to a group of us, ‘Dementia has never met an opponent like Pat Summitt.’ We all believed that.