Isabelle Harrison was the first of three Tennessee Lady Vols to hear their names called in Thursday’s WNBA draft.
Before the No. 12 overall pick smiled alongside WNBA president Laurel J. Richie for her first photo as a member of the defending champion Phoenix Mercury, she pulled the brace off her right leg and handed her crutches to a bystander. The 34th draftee in Lady Vols history stood unassisted.
“I knew one day, five years, 10 years down the line, I was going to look at that picture, and I didn’t want to be reminded why my senior year ended,” Harrison told the News Sentinel in a phone interview from Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
The torn ACL that spoiled the tail end of Harrison’s collegiate career failed to tarnish her professional introduction. It didn’t even drop her to the second round despite the fact she will have to sit out as a rookie. She was the first round’s final pick.
“It was amazing,” she said. “To have that special moment in my life, and for everyone to be able to see it made it that much more special.”
Two of her teammates experienced the same rush soon after. The Los Angeles Sparks selected forward Cierra Burdick No. 2 in the second round, No. 14 overall. The Atlanta Dream took point guard Ariel Massengale No. 5 in the third round, No. 29 overall.
“It was honestly kind of a blur,” Burdick said. “I was so stoked for (Harrison), just to see her walk across that stage, and to be a firstround draft pick despite the injury, then to see my name go across the screen two picks later, it was kind of surreal.”
The sharpshooting Massengale could appreciate her team going 3-for-3 in the draft.
“We’ve been through so much together on and off the court,” she said. “I was just as happy to hear their name called as mine.”
Harrison’s Phoenix draft class included Wichita State guard/forward Alex Harden, Slovakian forward Zofia Hruscakova and ArizonaState guard PromiseAmukamara.
“They have amazing players already,” Harrisonsaid. “Obviously, thatshowed with them winning last year. I just want to come in and fill my role.”
Along with Burdick, Los Angeles selected Central Michigan guard Crystal Bradford and Dayton guard Andrea Hoover. Burdick also joins former Lady Vols All-American Candace Parker.
“Any time you get to play with a Lady Vol, it’s huge,” Burdick said.
Massengale’s fellow Atlanta draftees include Iowa guard Samantha Logic and James Madison center Lauren Okafor. Massengale’s selection made Thursday’s draft the first since 2012 that three or more Lady Vols were selected. (Shekinna Stricklen, Glory Johnson, Kelley Cain and Vicki Baugh were drafted that year.) “That’s crazy,” said Harrison, who became the Lady Vols first first-round pick since 2012. “We all worked so hard. Everywhere we went is going to fit us. That has to be a blessing.”
Added Burdick: “I think it just adds to the legacy we have been trying to leave. All that we have had to go through, we stuck together, from the beginning. We stuck by (former coach) Pat (Summitt) through her illness. We stuck by Holly (Warlick) through her new beginning. And now, we have all been drafted into one of the most competitive leagues in the world.”
tennessee’s isabelle Harrison, right, holds up a Phoenix Mercury jersey with WNBa president laurel J. richie after the Mercury selected Harrison as the No. 12 pick in the WNBa draft on thursday in Uncasville, conn.