As the all-time leader in points and rebounds at the University of Tennessee, Chamique Holdsclaw certainly knows how to play the game of basketball. Holdsclaw, who was also the WNBA rookie of the year, also knows that sports are not the only thing in life.

When Chamique was eleven years old, her parents separated, and she went to stay with her grandmother, June, in Queens, New York. Although her grandmother's house was only fifteen minutes from her parent's house, the move left her without her old friends. During her first summer living with her grandmother, Chamique hung around with her older cousins. One of her cousins liked to go to the local playground, and she would follow along. She would watch her cousin and his friends play basketball all day. After they finished, Chamique would go on the court and play basketball by herself. After a while, the players at the court noticed that she could really play. Soon, she was playing basketball with her cousin and his friends, and honing her skills against good opponents.

While Chamique worked on her game, her grandmother worked hard to support her and her cousins. Mrs. Holdsclaw worked at the hospital and at part-time jobs to make sure that Chamique could go to a private school and get a good education. Chamique went to high school already labeled as a great basketball player, but her grandmother emphasized that there was more to life than basketball. Knowing it was for the best, Chamique soon adjusted to her grandmother's rules. She had to do her homework right after school and attend church every Sunday. As her grandmother liked to say, "That's why you are who you are." Her grandmother's instruction got good results as Chamique did well not only on the court but also in the classroom. She led her high school basketball team to an unprecedented four straight championships. Soon, many colleges were recruiting her. She eventually chose the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.

Usually, all players have trouble adapting to the more difficult college level, but this girl was not to be denied. She started winning from the beginning, leading the Volunteers to three straight national championships. She picked up all kinds of awards for excellence and won fans from all over the world with her unique moves.

After leading Tennessee to a 39-0 record as a junior, many people thought that Chamique would go to the WNBA. However, she knew the value of education and returned for her senior season at Tennessee. Her best moment of the year occurred when, during her final home game, she walked to center court amid a rocking home crowd, knelt, and kissed the court. Although she barely lost her chance at winning a fourth championship (Tennessee lost in the NCAA tournament), she did complete her senior year and received her degree, an even better accomplishment.

She graduated and went to the WNBA. She finished third in rebounding and sixth in scoring. Although her team, the Washington Mystics, completed the season at 12-20, they finished strong and know they will compete next year.

She returned to her old playground court to remember her childhood. After playing a while, it was no longer her watching the guys. This time it was the guys watching her.