Wikipedia

Kristi Harrower

Kristi Harrower (born 4 March 1975[1]) is an Australian professional basketball coach and former player. She was a decorated player with the Australian Opals, winning three silver medals and one bronze medal at four Summer Olympics. She played in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1998 to 2005 for the Phoenix Mercury and Minnesota Lynx.

Kristi Harrower
Harrower with the Opals in 2012
Southside Flyers
PositionHead coach
LeagueWNBL
Personal information
Born (1975-03-04) 4 March 1975 (age 49)
Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
Listed height163 cm (5 ft 4 in)
Listed weight63 kg (139 lb)
Career information
High schoolWhite Hills (Bendigo, Victoria)
Bendigo (Bendigo, Victoria)
Playing career1991–2015
PositionPoint guard
Coaching career2019–present
Career history
As player:
1991Melbourne Tigers
1992–1993Australian Institute of Sport
1994Adelaide Lightning
1995–2000Melbourne Tigers
1998–1999Phoenix Mercury
2000–2001Wuppertal
2001–2003Minnesota Lynx
2002–2005Aix-en-Provence
2005Minnesota Lynx
2005–2007Valenciennes
2007–2008UMMC Ekaterinburg
2008–2015Bendigo Spirit
2009Los Angeles Sparks
As coach:
2019Diamond Valley Eagles (assistant)
2019Melbourne Tigers
2022–2024Melbourne Boomers (assistant)
2024Keilor Thunder
2024–presentSouthside Flyers
Career highlights and awards
As player:

As coach:

Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Representing  Australia
Olympic Games
Silver medal – second place 2000 Sydney Team Competition
Silver medal – second place 2004 Athens Team Competition
Silver medal – second place 2008 Beijing Team Competition
Bronze medal – third place 2012 London Team
World Championship
Gold medal – first place 2006 Brazil Team Competition
World Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 1993 Seoul Team Competition

Early life

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Harrower hometown is Bendigo.[2]

Playing career

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Early years and profile

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Harrower played as a point guard[1][3] was listed as 163 centimetres (64 in)[1][4] and 139 pounds (63 kg).[4]

Harrower attended the Australian Institute of Sport on a scholarship in 1992 and 1993.[5][6][7] At the 1994 Australian Under-20 national championships, Harrower won the Bob Staunton Award.[8]

Professional

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Harrower played professional basketball for over twenty years.[2]

WNBA

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Harrower entered the WNBA as an undrafted player.[4] Her first team she played with was the Phoenix Mercury, whom she signed with before the start of the 1998 season.[4] In her two seasons with the team, she played in 62 games.[4] She joined the Minnesota Lynx in 2000 along with Mercury players Marlies Askamp and Angela Aycock as part of a trade that saw Tonya Edwards and Trisha Fallon go from Minnesota to Phoenix.[4][9] She played for the Lynx in 2003, where she averaged 2.8 points and 2.3 assists per game.[4] She ended her Lynx career in 2005 having played 96 games while averaging of 3.8 ppg, 2.4 apg and 1.8 rpg.[9]

In 2009, Harrower was playing for the Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA.[10] She missed three games that season in order to attend her grandmother's funeral in Australia.[10]

WNBL

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Harrower's 18-year WNBL career began in 1991. After 10 years in the league, she was absent for seven years (2001–2007) before returning in 2008 and continued until retirement.[11] Harrower was league MVP once (2009–10) and was selected seven times for the WNBL All-Star Five. She played on championship teams in 1994 with the Adelaide Lightning, and 2012–13 and 2013–14 with the Bendigo Spirit.[12] In 2013, she was the WNBL Defensive Player of the Year.[11]

Harrower played for the Bendigo Spirit in the 2008–09 season[13] and the 2009–10 season, where she was the WNBL's MVP.[14][15] She resigned with the Spirit in October 2009.[15] With the Spirit in the 2010–11 season,[16][17] she had a three-point shooting percentage of 23%. She played injured most of the season, with problems in her shoulder and knee. She averaged 13.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists per game.[17] She was the team's general manager that year.[2] She again played for the Spirit in 2011–12.[1][18][19][20] Her father, Bernie Harrower, was the team's coach.[21] In January 2012, she made a clutch shot for her team that helped them beat Canberra.[21] Harrower led the Spirit to league titles in 2013 and 2014.[22] For the 2014–15 season, Harrower became an assistant coach for the Bendigo Spirit, but also returned as a player after injuries to guard Kelly Wilson prevented her from playing in the first part of the season.[23]

On 7 January 2015, Harrower announced her retirement from the WNBL, also stating that she was 16 weeks pregnant.[22]

Europe

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In 2006, Harrower played for Valenciennes in France.[24]

National team

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Harrower was a member of the Australia women's national basketball team and has been described as the national team's pocket dynamo.[15] She was a member of the 1998 Australian Senior Women's Team that won a bronze medal at the World Championships in Germany.[25] She was a member of the 1999 Australian senior women's team.[25]

She was a member of the 2000 Summer Olympics team that won a silver medal.[18][25] Going into the Olympics, her team was ranked third in the world.[26] In 2002, she was a member of the Australian Senior Women's Team that won a silver medal in the World Championships in Spain.[27] She was a member of the Australian senior team that won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.[18][28] She played in eight games at the 2004 Games, where she averaged 8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.[4]

Harrower was a member of the 2005 Opals.[29][30] In 2006, she was a member of the Australian women's senior team that won a gold medal at the World Championships in Brazil.[31] In March 2007, she was named to the national team what would prepare for the 2008 Summer Olympics.[32] In 2008, she did not participate in the Good Luck Beijing 2008 held in China in the lead up to the Olympics because of a commitment to her European club.[33] She was a member of the 2008 Summer Olympics Australian women's team that won a silver medal at the Olympics.[18][34][35][36]

In June 2010, Harrower was viewed by national team coach Carrie Graf as one of a quartet of strong players that would represent Australia in a tour of China, the United States and Europe in the next few months.[37] In July 2010, she participated in a four-day training camp and one game test match against the United States in Connecticut.[37] In 2010, she participated in the Salamanca Invitational Basketball Tournament in Spain. Her team beat Spain 85–64. They also beat the United States. She missed the game against Spain because she injured her ankle.[38] In 2010, she was a member of the senior women's national team that competed at the World Championships in the Czech Republic.[39] She missed a three-game test series against China in Queensland in July 2011 because of an injury.[40] In July 2011, she participated in the Olympic qualification competition. She was returning to the team following an injury.[40][41]

Harrower was named to the 2012 Australia women's national basketball team.[42] In February 2012, she was named to a short list of 24 eligible players to represent Australia at the Olympics.[1] She was scheduled to participate in the national team training camp held from 14 to 18 May 2012 at the Australian Institute of Sport.[3] She made the 2012 Olympic Squad cut down to 14 players, and won the bronze medal.[43][44]

Coaching career

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NBL1

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In December 2018, Harrower joined the Diamond Valley Eagles women's team as an assistant coach for the inaugural season of the NBL1 in 2019.[45]

In May 2019, Harrower left the Eagles to take up the position of head coach of the Melbourne Tigers women's team for the final 10 games of the NBL1 season.[46][47] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was unable to coach the Tigers in 2020[48] and subsequently stepped down as coach prior to the 2021 season.[49]

In 2024, Harrower served as head coach of the Keilor Thunder women's team in the NBL1 South.[50][51] She was named NBL1 South Coach of the Year.[52] She re-signed with Keilor for the 2025 season.[53]

WNBL

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In July 2022, Harrower was appointed an assistant coach of the Melbourne Boomers ahead of the 2022–23 WNBL season.[48] She continued as Boomers assistant in 2023–24.[54]

In June 2024, Harrower was appointed head coach of the Southside Flyers ahead of the 2024–25 WNBL season.[55]

National team

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Harrower served as an assistant coach of the Australian Opals at the 2023 FIBA Asia Cup.[51]

WNBA career statistics

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Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game  RPG  Rebounds per game
 APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game  BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game
 TO  Turnovers per game  FG%  Field-goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 Bold  Career best ° League leader

Regular season

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
1998 Phoenix 30 0 11.8 .365 .344 .750 0.7 1.7 0.5 0.1 1.0 2.3
1999 Phoenix 32 3 20.8 .364 .279 .808 2.0 3.0 0.8 0.1 1.4 4.5
2001 Minnesota 4 1 18.0 .467 .500 1.000 1.0 2.8 0.8 0.0 0.8 5.3
2002 Minnesota 27 6 17.8 .389 .333 .400 1.7 2.0 0.4 0.0 1.0 3.6
2003 Minnesota 31 0 16.1 .368 .372 .615 1.3 2.3 0.6 0.1 1.3 2.8
2005 Minnesota 34 34 24.5 .351 .324 .778 2.4 2.8 1.1 0.0 1.6 4.6
2009 Los Angeles 31 26 16.8 .360 .205 .818 1.8 2.2 0.5 0.0 0.9 3.1
Career 7 years, 3 teams 189 70 18.1 .367 .316 .760 1.7 2.4 0.7 0.1 1.2 3.6

Playoffs

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG TO PPG
1998 Phoenix 6 0 13.0 .600 .429 .000 1.0 1.2 0.8 0.2 0.7 4.5
2003 Minnesota 3 0 21.7 .364 .286 .500 2.3 1.7 0.3 0.0 1.0 3.7
2009 Los Angeles 5 2 11.8 .500 .333 .000 0.2 2.2 0.4 0.0 0.8 2.6
Career 3 years, 3 teams 14 2 14.4 .512 .353 .500 1.0 1.6 0.6 0.1 0.8 3.6

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "London 2012 – 2012 Australian Opals squad named". Australian Olympic Committee. 16 February 2012. Archived from the original on 24 April 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  2. ^ a b c Basketball Australia; Smith-Gander, Diane, eds. (2011). "Harrower Shows the Spirit for Best Season Ever". IiNet WNBL Finals Series (2010/2011 ed.). WNBL: 14–15. Official Programme
  3. ^ a b "AUS — Opals announce training camp squad". FIBA. Archived from the original on 4 November 2013. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h "Lynx: Minnesota Lynx Re-Sign Guard Kristi Harrower". Wnba.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  5. ^ Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 41. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  6. ^ Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 63. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  7. ^ "Past Athletes : Australian Institute of Sport : Australian Sports Commission". Ausport.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  8. ^ Brad Graham Creative, ed. (2012). "The Bob Staunton Award". Play up (19–25 February ed.). South Melbourne, Australia: Basketball Australia: 8. Official Event Program
  9. ^ a b "Lynx: Lynx Renounce Rights to Guard Kristi Harrower". Wnba.com. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  10. ^ a b "Los Angeles Sparks guard Kristi Harrower out three games to attend grandmother's funeral". ESPN. 26 August 2009. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  11. ^ a b "Player Profile Kristi Harrower". WNBL. Archived from the original on 7 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  12. ^ "Kristi Harrower Announces Retirement". Basketball Australia. 7 January 2015. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  13. ^ Nagy, Boti (31 December 2008). "Pin-up girls hit market". The Advertiser. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  14. ^ Basketball Australia; Smith-Gander, Diane, eds. (2011). "2010 NBL/WNBL Awards Dinner". IiNet WNBL Finals Series (2010/2011 ed.). WNBL: 17. Official Programme
  15. ^ a b c Nagy, Boti (6 October 2009). "Kristi Harrower shows a new Spirit". The Advertiser. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  16. ^ "Jackson, Taylor to lead Opals into worlds — ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  17. ^ a b Basketball Australia; Smith-Gander, Diane, eds. (2011). "Bendigo Spirit". IiNet WNBL Finals Series (2010/2011 ed.). WNBL: 10–11. Official Programme
  18. ^ a b c d Travis King (May 2012). "Fit Kristi eyes off London Olympics — Local News — Sport — Basketball". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
  19. ^ Travis King (17 February 2012). "Kristi eyes fourth Games — Local News — Sport — Basketball". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  20. ^ Tanya Paolucci (15 October 2011). "Spirit strives to silence Bulleen's big guns — Local News — Sport — Basketball". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  21. ^ a b Travis King (18 January 2012). "Harrower relives last-second shot in Spirit's dramatic victory on Canberra's court — Local News — Sport — Basketball". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  22. ^ a b Bourke, Adam (7 January 2015). "Bendigo sporting great Kristi Harrower announces retirement". Bendigo Advertiser. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  23. ^ Warren, Adrian (15 October 2014). "Kristi Harrower, 39, poised for WNBL return". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 January 2015.
  24. ^ "'Warhorse' Jackson heads team for world champs — Basketball — Sport". The Sydney Morning Herald. 8 August 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2012.
  25. ^ a b c Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 51. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  26. ^ Schaefer, Stephen (July 2000). "Having a Ball!". Sports Woman. 1 (3). Brisbane, Aust.: 26–27. ISSN 1443-1823.
  27. ^ Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 50. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  28. ^ Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 49. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  29. ^ "Anstey in from the cold to join Tigers — Basketball". The Age. 10 March 2005. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  30. ^ "Jessica Foley Selected To 'Price Attack' Opals Team For 2005 :: Foley has set a school record with 66 three-pointers this season". Cstv.com. 9 March 2005. Archived from the original on 12 October 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  31. ^ Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 48. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  32. ^ "Phillips keeps Opals place". The Advertiser. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  33. ^ "News Article". SportsAustralia.com. 8 April 2008. Archived from the original on 19 December 2013. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  34. ^ Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 46. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  35. ^ "Top-strength Opals set for last frontier". The Canberra Times. 4 July 2008. Archived from the original on 15 March 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  36. ^ "Jackson, Taylor to again lead the Opals". Wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 March 2010. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  37. ^ a b "Opals hit road for world title lead-up". Wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 July 2015. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  38. ^ "Opals down Spain in final tune-up". Wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  39. ^ Australian Institute of Sport; Basketball Australia (2011). AIS Basketball 2011. Canberra: Australian Sports Commission. p. 45. This is a booklet published by the Australian Sport Commission, has a copyright notice on the page following the cover page.
  40. ^ a b "Flanagan ruled out of Opals series — ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 27 July 2011. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  41. ^ "Opals count down to Olympics". Wwos.ninemsn.com.au. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2012.
  42. ^ "Basketball Australia : 2012 Squad". Basketball Australia. 2012. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
  43. ^ "Opals squad trimmed to 14". Fox Sports. 20 May 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2012.
  44. ^ "London 2012 Women's Basketball". International Olympic Committee (IOC). Retrieved 25 August 2014.
  45. ^ "KRISTI HARROWER JOINS THE EAGLES IN 2019". Diamond Valley Basketball Association. 15 December 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  46. ^ "Harrower Leaves The Nest To Spread Her Wings". Diamond Valley Basketball Association. 27 May 2019. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  47. ^ Pinda, Anthony (24 May 2019). "Sport briefs: Harrower coaches Tigers, Herbert in Denmark and Miners hosts bulls". bendigoadvertiser.com.au. Retrieved 13 June 2024. Harrower takes over the role from Mark Wright, who stepped down mid-season because of personal and business pressures.
  48. ^ a b "BOOMERS ADD BASKETBALL LEGEND TO COACHING PANEL". wnbl.basketball/melbourne. 30 July 2022. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  49. ^ "Melbourne Tigers appoint senior coaches for 2021". tigersbasketball.co.au. 18 January 2021. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  50. ^ "Kristi Harrower set to lead Keilor". NBL1.co.au. 31 August 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  51. ^ a b Hersz, Tom (7 May 2024). "On head coaching and giving back: Kristi Harrower is ready for the WNBL". pickandroll.com.au. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  52. ^ "Congratulations to the NBL1 SOUTH 2024 Coach of Year Award Winners". facebook.com/nbl1south. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 10 August 2024.
  53. ^ "Coach of the Year re-signs for 2025". NBL1.co.au. 4 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  54. ^ "KRISTI HARROWER'S REFLECTIONS ON THE SEASON THAT HAS BEEN AND WHAT'S LEFT TO GIVE". wnbl.basketball/melbourne. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
  55. ^ Iancoutts (5 June 2024). "KRISTI HARROWER OUR NEW COACH". wnbl.basketball/southside. Retrieved 13 June 2024.
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