As Pat Summitt sat at the press conference at Thompson-Boling Arena on April 19 where she stepped down as Tennessee women’s basketball coach, evidence of her legacy was all around.

Her eight national title banners were hanging in the rafters, along with quite a few more denoting Final Four appearances and SEC Championships. Her players were sitting in matching orange and white warm-ups near the front row. The press conference was even happening on a court named after her.

But maybe Summitt’s biggest legacy was sitting to her left: her son Tyler, who officially accepted an offer as an assistant coach for the Marquette women’s basketball team the day before.

“Wasn’t it interesting as I stepped aside as head coach, my son Tyler stepped into a game as an assistant with Marquette women’s basketball?” Pat said. “I can tell you I’m so proud of Tyler.”

Tyler, a graduating 21-year-old, flew to Milwaukee the weekend before last to interview for the spot, and got the offer from Golden Eagles coach Terri Mitchell that Monday before accepting the offer.

“I think she (Pat) was really proud of me,” Tyler told The Daily Beacon. “She’s always told me that I need to go away and prove myself and earn everything I get.”

Tyler grew up in Pat’s shadow. That’s just the way it works when your mom is an American sports icon. Even though he had to endure chants like, “Mamma’s boy!” from opposing fans in high school basketball games while playing at the Webb School of Knoxville, his determination to follow in her footsteps never wavered.

“I’ve never really questioned God’s plan. I really feel like this is what I’m meant to do — this is my purpose in life,” Tyler said. “If that changes down the road, that’s fine, because part of coaching basketball is also about leadership and relationships…”

Tyler played basketball as a walk-on at UT, but not in the sense outsiders would typically expect (an undertalented player getting a bench spot because of his name). No, Tyler has had it in mind to get into the family business for a long time. Walking on for the Vols was simply a means to get a better insight into behind-the-scenes action in college basketball so that he could land a coaching gig like the one at Marquette.

“There was no doubt in my mind he was going to get to that level,” said UT men’s basketball coach Cuonzo Martin. “He works extremely hard at it. He understands the game. He’s studied the game … but he’s a good guy and he puts the time into it. Anytime a guy puts the time into it like he does he has a chance to be successful.

“He lives in the house with one of the best that’s ever coached the game, so some of it has to rub off on him.”

Some of it definitely rubbed off.

Tyler coaches a U-17 AAU girls’ team, and at a recent game where most of the team was taking their ACTs, Tyler only had five players to work with. One of them showed up late, though, and per Tyler’s rules, she couldn’t start, leaving just four players on the court at tip-off.

“The refs, the other coach and everybody in the stands were looking at me like I was crazy,” Tyler said. “But something my mom always instilled in me was that discipline comes first. You set the standards and you keep them there.”

He’ll certainly try to keep the standards high as he heads off to coach at Marquette, keeping his mother just a phone call away.

“As far as Marquette goes, I’m very excited to start,” Tyler said. “She’s got a few pointers for me and we’ll see what happens.”

“I don’t know if I have any pointers for him,” Pat responded. “He studies the game all the time and I’m proud of him and wish him the best.”

After Tyler graduates in May, he’ll head off to follow in his mom’s illustrious footsteps.

“Tyler,” Dave Hart, UT athletic director, said, “all you’ve got to do is post 1,099 wins and you’ll blow past your mother.”

Pat and Tyler laughed, high-fived each other and held on for a few seconds longer.

Many probably entered Thompson-Boling that day expecting something like a funeral. What they got, though, was more like a graduation ceremony. At least in this moment, it was obvious that one door closed just as another one opened.