After Tuesday evening’s comeback victory, a teary-eyed Isabelle Harrison spoke to a bunch of reporters for greater than 10 minutes.
With recollections swirling in her head of previous accidents and sickness that brought about her to overlook a number of WNBA seasons, she felt all of the feelings now that she says she is feeling the most effective she’s ever felt.
She had simply recorded a season-high 13 factors, 5 rebounds and two steals in a 98-84 victory over the Fever to kick off the second half of the season.
Nevertheless it wasn’t all about her stat line.
It was extra so about how her physique is presently feeling after two season-ending leg surgical procedures and an autoimmune sickness that stole the 2018 season from her.
Now, her legs really feel even stronger. The cumbersome braces are gone as she struts across the court docket with only a leg sleeve. And she or he exudes confidence on the court docket every time head coach Sandy Brondello calls her title.
She’s by no means felt higher than this.
“Ever. Quite simply, this is like the best I’ve felt since ever,” mentioned Harrison. “I’m so happy where I am. I don’t want to get emotional, but I’m really, really blessed to be here.”
It’s been tough main as much as this second for the previous twelfth total draft decide.
She spent her rookie season (2015) with the Phoenix Mercury on the sidelines after struggling a proper ACL harm her senior season at Tennessee. She returned the next season to play 26 video games (one begin) in Phoenix underneath Brondello, however logged simply 3.1 factors in 7.5 minutes per sport taking part in behind frontcourt stars Brittney Griner, Candice Dupree and DeWanna Bonner.
After the Mercury dealt her to the San Antonio Stars, she discovered her footing and noticed her scoring surge to 11.4 factors per sport whereas ending third in Most Improved Participant award voting.
Then an undisclosed autoimmune sickness compelled her to overlook the whole 2018 marketing campaign.
She returned to play 4 seasons with the Dallas Wings. She began 63 instances (107 whole appearances) in 124 total video games in that span.
Harrison later landed in Chicago in 2023 however didn’t play a single regular-season sport with the Sky after struggling a torn left meniscus in coaching camp.
She returned in 2024 — with a brace on her left knee — and averaged 6.5 factors and three.9 rebounds in 16.3 minutes for 36 video games (5 begins).
Harrison mentioned whereas she dealt along with her quite a few accidents, Sabrina Ionescu would test in on her earlier than the 2 have been teammates.
“Before I was ever even like close to Sabrina, she would ask me how I was doing during my injuries,” Harrison mentioned. “Even once I was not taking part in within the league in any respect. I didn’t even know if she even knew me. So she would test in on me throughout her huge moments.
“So I was just like ‘I have a lot of respect for Sab.’”
After the robust breaks and shocking test ups from Ionescu, Harrison signed with the Liberty — now becoming a member of the identical group as girlfriend Natasha Cloud and ex-Mercury coach Brondello.
Like all new free-agent signee, it took Harrison a while to get accustomed in Liberty seafoam.
Issues began to show after the group’s first prolonged highway journey of the season whereas with out the group’s engine — Jonquel Jones, who was sidelined for a month because of a proper ankle harm. Jones returned to motion on Tuesday.
Jones’ absence, although, finally meant extra reps and consistency for Harrison.
Harrison performed simply 10 mixed minutes within the first two video games of the highway journey. Then she turned in two of the higher video games of the season to finish the journey: 10 factors, 5 rebounds in quarter-hour in opposition to the Mercury and eight factors, six rebounds, two assists and one steal in 21 minutes in opposition to the Atlanta Dream.
These two video games led to Liberty losses, however Harrison shot not less than 62% in these video games, exhibiting comfortability within the new system.
Even the group’s engine took discover.
“I think she looks — like you said — extremely comfortable,” mentioned Jones. “I do know for a reality like coming into our offense, what we’re working, generally it’s actually onerous to study it and so it takes just a little little bit of time. And also you see the distinction with a participant that’s been within the system some time, and actually understands the expectations, the actions, like ways in which they will have an effect on the sport. And I believe you actually see that with Izzy now, is that she’s actually feeling it, and he or she understands what we’re making an attempt to do on the market.
“She’s looking great.”
All of her success this season is coming with out the leg brace. She’s shifting freely and now not second guesses her actions on the court docket.
She credit that to the Liberty’s participant efficiency workers, particularly Lesley Chander, the group’s sports activities efficiency lead.
“Yeah, honestly, I started off the year in a brace as well. And obviously I needed it so I didn’t hate it, but it definitely, I feel like it was holding me back in a way. But once I got here with Lesley, she’s been like, my life saver. She’s been able to help me get out the brace. And I like, I’m so thankful when I see her every day, because my deficiencies are down. I feel so strong when I’m out there playing.”
Harrison famous that she might not “have made it out of there if my leg weren’t so strong,” referencing an harm scare earlier this month.
“Truly, I think it could have been way worse,” she mentioned.” So like, all in all, I’m simply proud of simply every part right here. I’m so blissful. I can’t say it sufficient.”
She bounced proper again after lacking a sport, and has gotten extra bodily than we’re used to seeing.
That confirmed on Tuesday whereas sharing matchups in opposition to one of many WNBA’s finest facilities in Aliyah Boston, who was tasked to do extra on an evening Caitlin Clark missed because of harm.
Harrison by no means backed down, together with a fourth-quarter sequence that garnered a standing ovation from the house crowd. After bumping and bruising with Boston on the younger star’s made try, Harrison responded on the very subsequent play.
Ionescu handed her the ball on the high of the important thing, then Harrison took two sturdy dribbles downhill previous Boston and completed an and-1 layup along with her left hand. Boston’s bump despatched her to the hardwood and into the stanchion.
Harrison pumped her first, received helped up by her teammates and screamed “Lets go” to the already raucous crowd.
That’s been the story of Izzy’s basketball profession: Stand up each time life knocks her down.
“It just feels good to just have a Liberty fanbase behind me,” she mentioned. “This crowd every night, I just feel like I’m in a concert. It’s just the best energy. And I don’t think they even know how much I appreciate that.”
Initially Revealed: July 23, 2025 at 12:31 PM EDT
