TOKYO, Japan — Former Lady Vols and Olympic champions Candace Parker and Kara Lawson are heading to Tokyo as part of NBC's Olympic basketball analyst team.
Both women know a little something about going for the gold. Both were on the 2008 Olympic championship teams, and Parker also won gold as part of Team USA in 2012.
Parker, 35, is still playing in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky. She was a superstar at Tennessee, making headlines as the first woman to dunk in an NCAA Tournament game and the first woman to dunk twice in the same college game. In 2004, she beat out the men by winning the McDonald’s High School All-American slam dunk contest.
After her time as a Lady Vol, Lawson spent 12-years in the WNBA and also worked as a television analyst for ESPN. She was an assistant coach for one season for Boston Celtics and is now the head coach for the Duke women's basketball team.
"I'm looking forward to being a part of NBC's coverage of the Tokyo Olympics," said Lawson. "It will be a lot of fun to chronicle the U.S. women as they go for their seventh straight gold medal. I can't wait for the games!"
Lawson will also be coaching the U.S. women's team in the new Olympic 3x3 basketball competition.
The two will join former NBA and Olympic star Vince Carter as analysts alongside Bob Fitzgerald, who will work his fifth Olympics and will handle play-by-play duties.
"We are excited to have this distinguished trio of U.S. Olympic basketball stars join our commentary team in Tokyo. Vince, Kara and Candace will bring viewers their unique perspectives on what's happening on the court while also telling the stories about what it takes to make it to the medal stand – from tryouts, to practices and qualifying, to medal-round play," said Rebecca Chatman, Vice President and Coordinating Producer of NBC Olympics production.
