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Tennessee Lady Vols hot board: Candidates to replace Holly Warlick

By Caleb Calhoun

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 12: Head coach Nikki Caldwell of the UCLA Bruins reacts while taking on the Stanford Cardinal in the championship game of the 2011 Pacific Life Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 12, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 12: Head coach Nikki Caldwell of the UCLA Bruins reacts while taking on the Stanford Cardinal in the championship game of the 2011 Pacific Life Pac-10 Women's Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 12, 2011 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Women’s Sports Foundation
Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Women’s Sports Foundation /

On the Board Part II (Candidates Who Are Outside the Box)

These are candidates the Tennessee Lady Vols should look at who would be totally out of left field and not a conventional hire.

Kara Lawson; Television analyst (ESPN, Washington Wizards)

She never did win a national title with the Tennessee Lady Vols. But Kara Lawson is one of the greatest players Pat Summitt ever had and just had to labor through the Diana Taurasi years with the UCONN Huskies. Lawson is a very smart player and clearly a great leader, so you could see her coming in to coach the team.

At the same time, she would bring a bit of unity to the program that hasn’t been there for a while. Lawason is very well-respected in the women’s basketball game and would certainly keep up the tradition of the program.

Tamika Catchings; Television analyst (SEC Network)

Tamika Catchings brings Kara Lawson’s profile as a former player and great public ambassador for the university to the program. On top of that, she was a WNBA star, so she would bring the total package as a head coach.

Add in the fact that Catchings did win a national championship on Rocky Top and was part of the greatest team in women’s history, and she can sell a bit more to recruits. So watch out for her as an outside hire.

Becky Hammon; NBA assistant coach (San Antonio Spurs)

Would she do it? Becky Hammon is a rising star in the NBA and on track to become the first female head coach in the league. However, Pat Summitt reportedly rejected offers to become the first female coach in a men’s league because she felt her profile was better used building up the women’s game.

If that’s where Hammon would like to put her priority, there’s no better program than the Tennessee Lady Vols. This team historically played a huge role in propping up women’s basketball, so Hammon could still maintain a legendary status coming to Knoxville. And as a Gregg Popovich protege and former WNBA player, she is definitely qualified for the job.