On Tuesday morning, Pat Summitt passed away at the age of 64 after a battle with Alzheimer's Disease.
Summitt will be best known for being the head coach of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team from 1974-2012 and is an icon in the game of basketball as a whole, not just within the women's game.
While coaching the Lady Vols, Summitt led them to eight NCAA championships (1987, 1989, 1991, 1996–1998, 2007, 2008) and finished her career with a record of 1098-208. When she retired in 2012, Summitt won the most NCAA championships as a head coach and still currently has the most wins of any Division I women's basketball head coach.
What you may not know is that she also worked for the Mystics from 2002-2005.
Washington Sports and Entertainment's Team President Susan O'Malley hired her as a player personnel consultant on April 4, 2002. In her role, Summitt influenced many personnel decisions, including drafts, trades, and other related matters.
Some of the players the Mystics drafted at the time include WNBA All-Stars Stacey Dales and Alana Beard, as well as 2005 Rookie of the Year Temeka Johnson. The Mystics also made the 2002 Eastern Conference Finals during her time with them.
Numerous Wizards and Mystics players have reacted on social media:
Just putting this out there pic.twitter.com/VxDTsQsOUQ
— Albert L. (@aleeinthedmv) June 28, 2016
What she did and what she stands for, Pat Summit is a legend. Rest in peace #PrayForPat
— stefanie Dolson (@bigmamastef) June 28, 2016
Rip to one of the most legendary coaches the women's game has ever seen. Thank you for all you have done for our game! #RIPPatSummitt
— Natasha Cloud (@T_Cloud4) June 28, 2016
RIP Pat Summitt - impossible to overstate how much we all owe her, how many lives she affected, both in and outside of her program.
— Eric Thibault (@ET_hoops) June 28, 2016
Rest in Peace Coach Summitt, and thanks for being one of the best pioneers in the game of basketball.