Parker Ratcliff grew up in Sevier County, Tennessee playing basketball his entire life. He played high school basketball all four years at Pigeon Forge High School. Parker graduated from high school in 2012 and from there enrolled at the University of Tennessee. During 2013 thru 2016 Parker served as a student manager with the University of Tennessee Men’s Basketball Program.  In 2016 he was promoted to graduate assistant where he continued his duties thru 2018.

Parker’s first year with the UT men’s team was under Coach Cuonzo Martin as a Student Manager. The following season he worked with Coach Donnie Tyndall. Parker was involved in logistics, player workouts, on-campus recruiting visits and filming of both practices and games. The last three years that Parker spent with Tennessee was under Coach Rick Barnes. During Coach Barnes' first season as head coach at Tennessee, Parker became more heavily involved in scouting and with player individual workouts.

Parker graduated in 2016 from the University of Tennessee with a bachelor's degree in Sport Management-with a minor in Business.  In May of 2018, Parker received his master’s degree in Sport Management.