CHICAGO — The Chicago Sky are gearing up for another challenging matchup against the New York Liberty. Chicago dropped its last game at Barclay's Center 91-76 after the Liberty put on a second-half scoring tirade. Nevertheless, veteran forward Isabelle Harrison had one of her best performances of the season. Head coach Teresa Weatherspoon got real when she spoke about Harrison's impact as an X-factor for the Sky ahead of Saturday's rematch.
“The energy she brings off the bench [is vital] and knowing her role. Accepting her role and coming in and giving us the scoring she's giving us as far as being physical down [in the paint] and defending. Defending and rebounding have been the most important thing. But she's put in a lot of work to make sure that she's playing at a very high level, and it's been great to see her come in with the confidence she's playing with,” Weatherspoon said before Saturday's Liberty matchup.
Isabelle Harrison ended Thursday's loss in New York with her first double-double of the 2024 season. The 30-year-old forward notched 12 points and 12 rebounds off the bench. Through her first 18 games, Harrison averages 6.1 points and 3.8 rebounds, so her ascent is much-needed. Teresa Weatherspoon understands how important Harrison's efforts have been for the Sky, and the forward's journey from injury makes her contributions even more impressive.
Harrison had surgery to repair a left meniscus injury in May of 2023 and has been revamping her activity ever since. The seventh-year forward progressed well and earned valuable minutes for the Sky early in the 2024 season.
Elizabeth William's season-ending knee injury in June presented a greater opportunity for Harrison, and she is stepping up to the plate.
Isabelle Harrison continues to shine in bench role with Sky
July 11 was not Harrison's first impressive performance of the season. She scored 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench in Chicago's June 6 victory over the Washington Mystics. Fellow frontcourt member and star rookie Angel Reese recognized Harrison for her efforts and sent a motivating message to the veteran forward.
“Being able to have [Isabelle Harrison] come back and watching her rehab every day… just being able to see her work hard [is inspiring]. And I told her, ‘Remind people who you are. I haven't forgotten who you are. I watched you when I was in college and being able to watch you at Tennessee'… I love a comeback story because they're never easy,” Reese revealed after the 79-71 win over Washington.
Energy has been a recurring theme of Harrison's game, as Teresa Weatherspoon praised her impact after the early-June win.
“When her name was called, she came in and gave us the energy, sparked us offensively. She was aggressive and continued rebounding the ball. So all those things we needed at the time, she gave us the energy to get us going. And as she continues to rehab, she continues to be stronger. [Harrison] is going to help us be a better basketball team,” Weatherspoon said.
Isabelle Harrison looks to continue being an X-factor for the Sky. She revealed a positive message that should give Chicago energy ahead of their Liberty rematch:
“Stay the course,” Harrison said after the July 11 loss in New York. “I think looking at the big picture, we have a quick turnaround and we get to see them again… It's really important to have short-term memory. I have confidence in this team and what we can do.”
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