It takes someone special to go neck-to-neck with the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler. Yet Blades Brown, who has played just 9 events on the PGA Tour so far, has kept up with the 2025 PGA Tour Player of the Year. Brown’s rapid rise in professional golf has sparked curiosity about the woman who shaped the competitive foundation behind his success. Long before scorecards and leaderboards, his mother, Rhonda Brown, was already making history of her own on a national stage.

Meet Blades Brown’s mother, Rhonda Blades

Rhonda Blades Brown is a former WNBA player, who holds the distinction of being the first player in league history to hit a three-pointer. Her story spans basketball stardom, coaching success, and family athletic legacy.

Born on October 29, 1972, in Springfield, Missouri, Rhonda Blades grew up playing basketball with boys. Back then, the WNBA was not a thing. The NBA board officially approved the WNBA’s founding on April 24, 1996. Therefore, professional opportunities in the 1980s or early 1990s were limited. However, it didn’t stop Blades was on her first team at the age of 10 with the Boys and Girls Club. But her love for the game started way before that.

She helped her father, Tony Blades, build a gravel court at her home. It was Rhonda Blades’s father who developed her passion for basketball. He taught her elite dribbling on the gravel court. She continued playing the sport first at Parkview High School and then at Vanderbilt.

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Rhonda Blades has been married to Parke Brown for over 22 years. Parke Brown is a Nashville businessman and avid golf supporter. They have two children: son Blades Brown and daughter Millie Brown. Blades Brown credits family sports roots for his success.

Rhonda Blades’ basketball career

Her college career began at Vanderbilt from 1991 to 1995. Thanks to her brilliant skills and hard work, Blades’ mother was a four-year starting point guard and captain. She averaged 7.7 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.7 steals per game across 132 games. During the four years, she helped win two Southeastern Conference (SEC) titles. Besides that, she also reached the 1993 Final Four and earned honorable mention All-American as a senior. But basketball isn’t the only thing she was pursuing in college. She also completed a nursing degree (MSN and RN) in 1996.

When Rhonda Blades completed her college degree, the hype around the WNBA was at its peak. The NBA board had just approved the WNBA, and the teams were scouting talent for the inaugural 1997 season. And so, teams were in search of some top recruits. Rhonda Blades debuted with the New York Liberty in the WNBA’s 1997 inaugural season.

She scored the league’s first three-pointer in a win over the Los Angeles Sparks. In that match, she made 3 points, 1 assist, and 1 steal. After a brilliant 1997 season, she was selected first overall in the 1998 expansion draft by the Detroit Shock. With them, she played two WNBA seasons, which included 57 games, 2.6 PPG, and 1.2 APG. After that, she played abroad in Israel (2000-2001) and Turkey before retiring in 2001.

Like the WNBA mom, the son, Blades Browns, also made history when playing at the US Amateur in 2023. Brown fired a course-record of 8-under 64 to win the co-medalist honors at the 123rd U.S. Amateur. He even shattered the course record at the 2026 American Express by firing a bogey-free 12-under 60 to take the title from Rickie Fowler.

Rhonda Blades’ coaching achievements

After retiring in 2001, Blades took on coaching responsibilities to pass on her skills to upcoming women’s basketball players. She coached Brentwood Academy’s girls’ varsity basketball in Brentwood, Tennessee, for 23 seasons. She has a 361-162 record. The jewels of her legacy are the 5 state titles her team won under her coaching. These came in 2006, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2018. Apart from that, her team was also runner-ups 4 times.

Rhonda Blades also taught anatomy and health classes there. Notably, sessions were added because of her popularity. Her daughter, Millie, who is now at UNC Asheville, also takes coaching from her. To celebrate her legacy, Blades was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in 2023. Finally, in 2024, she stepped down from her role as a coach and now enjoys a relaxed life with her family. She is also seen at many of Brown Blades’ events.