After a long, hard road, Parker Stewart returns to Pitt — where it all began
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Parker Stewart’s early college basketball career was marked by more off-court tragedy and on-court defeat than seems fair for any young man to endure.
He was talented enough to play for Pitt and Indiana in two high-profile, power conferences, but when he was confronted with his final season of eligibility this year, he opted for a greater cause.
He returned this year to Tennessee Martin, where he played the 2019-20 season for his father — and coach — Anthony Stewart, who died suddenly two weeks before the 2020-21 season.
Parker Stewart will be back at Petersen Events Center on Monday night when UT Martin meets Pitt in the opener for both schools.
Why leave a high-profile Big Ten program for the Skyhawks of the Ohio Valley Conference? After all, he led the Hoosiers last season in made 3-pointers (53) while averaging 6.1 points in 31 starts, and he played in the NCAA Tournament.
Believe it or not, deciding to leave was easy because he knew where he was going.
“It all just made sense to me,” he said. “Why not give it one last shot at trying to fulfill my dad’s dream?
“I had already went and played high major twice, flew on all the planes, ate the nice dinners. This meant so much more to me.
“UT Martin means a lot to me because I graduated with two degrees from here,” Stewart said. “My brother graduated from here, my sister did, my mom works for the university, and this place gave my dad his dream job of becoming a Division I head coach.
“In my mind, I owe it to the school to try to help bring a championship here.”
Stewart’s career has been a long, circuitous journey that started at Pitt in 2017, playing on former coach Kevin Stallings’ second and final team.
Stallings assembled seven freshmen (Stewart among them) that season, but they lost 24 of 32 games and all 18 against their ACC opponents.
“I was originally signed to go to Ole Miss out of high school,” Stewart said, “but after some coaching changes I asked out of my letter of intent and reopened my recruitment.
“It came down to Pittsburgh and Georgetown, but I formed a great relationship with Coach Stallings in a short period of time and that ultimately led me to committing to Pitt.
“I learned a lot from Coach Stallings. That season was tough. We had seven freshmen, and most of us were playing the majority of the minutes in a loaded ACC that year.”
Also, senior Ryan Luther, the team’s most experienced player, was injured and played in only 10 games.
“I think we would have had a lot of potential growing together if we had gotten that opportunity,” Stewart said.
After Stallings was fired and replaced by Jeff Capel, Stewart was among many players who transferred.
“I also knew I was going have hip surgery, so I figured transferring and sitting out a year healing and working on my game would be in my best interest.”
After a season of rest, rehab and academics, he joined his father’s team for the 2019-20 season, wore his dad’s collegiate jersey No. 45 and was an immediate star. He averaged 19.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.9 3-pointers per game and was the only Division I player that season to reach those levels in all four categories.
Plus, he has earned two degrees and is the first UT Martin student-athlete to graduate in two years.
But triumph was followed eight months later by tragedy. Anthony Stewart died at age 50 on Nov. 15, 2020. Stewart sat out that season.
“Honestly, I think I took (playing for his father) for granted sometimes,” he said, “and I miss it every day. Playing for my dad, I had the most confidence I had ever had out on the court. And he knew my game better than anybody, so I really got to play to my strengths.”
Actually, Anthony Stewart never pushed his son to play for him.
“It actually never was an option,” Stewart said. “My dad always wanted me to go off and do my own thing. It wasn’t until I decided to transfer from Pitt that he brought up the idea. I’m glad I decided to play for him because I will cherish those moments forever.”
Before he left Pitt, Stewart sat down and spoke with Capel about his future. Stewart said Capel offered him the chance to stay, even reaching out to his family.
“But speaking with my family and everything that went on that year, we felt it would be best to move on from Pitt,” Stewart said. “However, I appreciated the opportunity to return and my time there.
“Coach Capel is a good coach, so I know he’ll have his guys ready (Monday night). They picked up some good transfers, and being an ACC program, it’s a tough matchup for us, but we’re excited for the fight.”
In a bit of serendipity, Stewart has a chance Monday at his former home court to reach 1,000 career points. He needs 18.
“That would be cool, but it would feel even better walking out of there with a win,” he said.
“I came back to win a championship, so that’s my main focus this year, winning and doing whatever I need to do to get that done.
“I know exactly what I’m here for. I’m back home around my family who still lives in Martin and in the community that I know has my back. God willing, we get to hang up a banner this year, and that would be the happiest day of my life.”