It’s never a bad time to share a touching story about legendary Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt, especially from the last active WNBA player to have suited up for her at Tennessee.
Former Lady Vols basketball star Isabelle Harrison talked about her favorite memory during her career at Tennessee from 2011-15 in a video posted on X by the Women’s Champions Classic. Tennessee is set to play in the showcase for a second straight season this December.
Advertisement
The Women’s Champions Classic is played at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, which is also the home of the WNBA’s New York Liberty, where Harrison signed in free agency in February.
Harrison’s favorite memory happened after she tore her ACL in February her senior season. Summitt wasn’t actively on staff anymore, having resigned as head coach after the 2011-12 season due to her Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2011. But she was still around, holding the title of women’s basketball head coach emeritus.
Harrison was part of the last freshman class to play under Summitt, who decided to pay Harrison a visit at her dorm as she rehabbed her knee.
“Dogs are not allowed at dorms at all at Tennessee,” Harrison said. “Of course, Pat Summitt showed up with her dog, Sadie, and walked up to my room and checked on me while I was going through my rehab. Obviously at that time, she was dealing with dementia.
Advertisement
“For her to take the time out of her day to come and see me, how I was doing, is just a testament to who she is as a coach, as a mom, as a woman in general. She was the best.”
PAT SUMMITT: How Pat Summitt launched Danielle Donehew’s Hall of Fame career by saying she’d be ‘terrible coach’
Harrison won four SEC titles, two tournament and two regular-season, including the 2012 SEC Tournament championship in Summitt’s final season. The Nashville native was a two-time All-SEC first team selection as a junior and senior. Harrison was also the SEC Tournament MVP in 2014.
Harrison was a first-round draft pick, going No. 12 in the 2015 WNBA Draft by the Phoenix Mercury. Her nine-year WNBA career has also included stints with the San Antonio Stars, the Dallas Wings and the Chicago Sky before playing for the Liberty.
Advertisement
Harrison is averaging 4.3 points and 2.9 rebounds in 10.1 minutes per game this season for New York, although that has increased to 8.0 points on 60.5% shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 steals in 14.6 minutes over the last seven games.
Cora Hall is the University of Tennessee women’s athletics reporter for Knox News. Email: cora.hall@knoxnews.com; X: @corahalll; Bluesky: @corahall.bsky.social. Support strong local journalism and unlock premium perks:knoxnews.com/subscribe
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Former Lady Vols star Isabelle Harrison shares favorite Pat Summitt memory
