All the Lady Vols who made US Olympic basketball teams from Pat Summitt to Candace Parker

Kellie Harper never forgot the first play of her decorated career with Lady Vols basketball.

It wasn't an official game, and it wasn't even against another college team. It was an exhibition against the 1996 U.S. Olympic team, and former Tennessee star Nikki McCray-Penson was guarding her.

Harper looked to pass into the post, like Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt had told her to, but she didn't get the chance.

"As I was looking for the post, Nikki McCray – best defensive player in the world – took the ball from me and went and shot a layup," Harper said. "So that was my introduction to, I don't know if it's college basketball or USA Basketball. I'm not real sure – I got an introduction, though."

It's a memory Harper, now the coach of the Lady Vols, will share with her team before they get their chance to play against the U.S. national team in an exhibition Sunday (6 p.m. ET, SEC Network) at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. It's a unique opportunity as the national team prepares for the Paris 2024 Olympics.

While there are not any former Tennessee players in the national team player pool, 33 Lady Vols have played for the U.S. in various competitions, plus Summitt, who was also the coach of the 1984 team.

Here are all the Lady Vols who have made U.S. Olympic team rosters.

Cindy Brogdon – 1976 (Silver)

Cindy Brogdon played with Summitt at the 1976 Olympics and then went to play for her at Tennessee. In her two seasons at UT, Brogdon scored 1,458 points and went to the AIAW Final Four twice.

Patricia Roberts – 1976 (Silver)

Patricia Roberts also went to play for Summitt after playing alongside her in 1976. Roberts averaged 29.9 points and 14.2 rebounds – the highest averages in program history.

Pat Summitt – 1976 (Silver), 1984 (Gold)

Summitt, a co-captain for the U.S., won a silver medal at the 1976 Olympics, which was the first to include women's basketball. Summitt then coached the USA women to their first Olympic gold in Los Angeles in 1984. She became the first female coach to be inducted to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of Fame in 2022.

Jill Rankin, Holly Warlick – 1980 (Boycott)

Holly Warlick and Jill Rankin made the Olympic roster in 1980. They never got to play because of the U.S.-led boycott of the summer Olympics to protest the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Cindy Noble – 1980 (Boycott), 1984 (Gold)

Cindy Noble got her chance to play in the 1984 Olympics after the 1980 boycott, and she won a gold medal playing for Summitt again. Noble was a Kodak All-American and led Tennessee to three AIAW Final Fours and two runner-up finishes.

Lea Henry – 1984 (Gold)

Lea Henry went to three Final Fours at Tennessee before graduating in 1983. The next summer, she got one more chance to play for Summitt and won a gold medal at the 1984 Olympics.

Bridgette Gordon – 1988 (Gold)

Bridgette Gordon won an Olympic gold medal during an unprecedented college career. She led Tennessee to four straight Final Fours and won NCAA championships in 1987 and 1989 – and she won a gold medal in 1988 in between.

Daedra Charles – 1992 (Bronze)

Daedra Charles won a bronze medal at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics a year after winning the 1991 Wade Trophy as a senior at Tennessee. Charles was also part of the 1989 NCAA championship team with Gordon.

Nikki McCray-Penson – 1996 (Gold), 2000 (Gold)

McCray-Penson was a key member of the 1996 Olympic team, which led to the creation of the WNBA. After winning gold in 1996, McCray-Penson returned in 2000 to help lead the team to a repeat gold medal run.

Carla McGhee – 1996 (Gold)

Carla McGhee is one of the great comeback stories in basketball. She was in a coma for 47 hours after a car crash in the summer of 1987 and was told she would never play again. But McGhee went on to win a second NCAA championship in 1989 and a gold medal with the 1996 team.

Chamique Holdsclaw – 2000 (Gold)

USA won all eight games en route to the 2000 gold medal, but Chamique Holdsclaw was unable to compete due to a right foot stress fracture. However, Holdsclaw did get to play in 1998 when the U.S. won gold at the FIBA World Championships.

Tamika Catchings – 2004 (Gold), 2008 (Gold), 2012 (Gold), 2016 (Gold)

Tamika Catchings is one of the most decorated basketball players ever, winning four Olympic gold medals from 2004-16. She also won an NCAA championship, a FIBA World Cup and a WNBA championship.

Kara Lawson – 2008 (Gold)

Kara Lawson was a key member of the 2008 team. She led the team with 15 points in the gold medal game against Australia, shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line.

Candace Parker – 2008 (Gold), 2012 (Gold)

What Candace Parker accomplished in 2008 will never be repeated. Parker won the 2008 NCAA Championship, an Olympic gold medal and both the WNBA Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. After winning her second gold medal in 2012, Parker was snubbed. She didn't make the final roster in 2016, which Parker believes was because of UConn coach Geno Auriemma, who was the USA coach that year.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Lady Vols on US Olympic basketball teams: Candace Parker, Pat Summitt