By Vivian Shipe
KNOXVILLE, TN — Candace Parker played for the greatest women’s basketball coach of all time, Pat Head Summit, at the University of Tennessee.
She now plays for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA and though she’s playing in the bubble away from her fans,
Parker has not forgotten to reach back and help others.
Knoxville is reaping the benefits of her desire to make a difference in the lives of others.
Over the weekend, with the help of Project Backboard and the 2K Foundation, a dream basketball mural was created on the grounds of the Cal Johnson Recreational Center.
The Project BackBoard team, complete with project designer and their paint team who flew in from all across the country, worked with the Public Parks Director, Sheryl Ely, Mayor Indya Kincannon and community volunteers to create a mural on the courts of the inner city center.
People young and old came from all over the city to give a few hours in the heat to lay down some paint in a team effort to complete the project over the weekend.
There are only six courts like it in the United States. Lebron James has one of their designs on his court.
When the season ends and the time is right, Parker will once again return to Knoxville and do the ribbon cutting on a court others can only dream about and children can dream on while they play.
