Kristi Harrower facts for kids
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Harrower with the Opals in 2012
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| Southside Flyers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Head coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 4 March 1975 Bendigo, Victoria, Australia |
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| Listed weight | 63 kg (139 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 1991–2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coaching career | 2019–present | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| League | WNBL | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As player: | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1991 | Melbourne Tigers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1993 | Australian Institute of Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1994 | Adelaide Lightning | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–2000 | Melbourne Tigers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | Phoenix Mercury | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2001 | Wuppertal | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Minnesota Lynx | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2002–2005 | Aix-en-Provence | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005 | Minnesota Lynx | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Valenciennes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2008 | UMMC Ekaterinburg | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2015 | Bendigo Spirit | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009 | Los Angeles Sparks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 2019 | Diamond Valley Eagles (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | Melbourne Tigers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022–2024 | Melbourne Boomers (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024 | Keilor Thunder | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2024–present | Southside Flyers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
As player:
As coach:
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Medals
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Kristi Harrower (born March 4, 1975) is an Australian basketball coach and a fantastic former player. She was a key member of the Australian Opals, winning four Olympic medals! She earned three silver medals and one bronze medal at four different Summer Olympics. Kristi also played in the top American league, the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), from 1998 to 2005.
Contents
Early Life & Basketball Start
Kristi Harrower grew up in Bendigo, Australia. She was a point guard, a player who leads the team's offense and brings the ball up the court. She was 163 cm (about 5 feet 4 inches) tall.
Kristi received a special scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport in 1992 and 1993. This is a top sports training center in Australia. In 1994, she won the Bob Staunton Award at the Australian Under-20 national championships. This award recognizes outstanding young basketball talent.
Kristi's Amazing Playing Career
Kristi Harrower played professional basketball for more than twenty years! She was a true legend of the game.
Playing in the WNBA
Kristi joined the WNBA, the biggest women's basketball league in the world, without being drafted. This means a team signed her directly.
- Phoenix Mercury: She first played for the Phoenix Mercury in 1998. She played 62 games over two seasons with them.
- Minnesota Lynx: In 2000, she moved to the Minnesota Lynx. She played for the Lynx again in 2003 and finished her time there in 2005. She played 96 games for the Lynx in total.
- Los Angeles Sparks: In 2009, Kristi also played for the Los Angeles Sparks. She even missed a few games that season to attend her grandmother's funeral in Australia.
Dominating the WNBL
Kristi had an incredible 18-year career in the WNBL, Australia's top league.
- Early Years & Return: She started in 1991. After playing for 10 years, she took a break for seven years (2001–2007) before returning in 2008. She continued playing until she retired.
- Awards & Championships: Kristi was named the WNBL's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 2009–10 season. She was also chosen for the WNBL All-Star Five seven times! She won three WNBL championships: in 1994 with the Adelaide Lightning, and in 2013 and 2014 with the Bendigo Spirit. In 2013, she was even named the WNBL Defensive Player of the Year.
- Playing for Bendigo Spirit: Kristi played for the Bendigo Spirit from 2008 to 2015. Her father, Bernie Harrower, was the team's coach for some of that time. She helped lead the Spirit to league titles in 2013 and 2014. In 2014–15, she became an assistant coach for the Spirit, but also played again when other players were injured.
- Retirement: On January 7, 2015, Kristi announced her retirement from the WNBL. She also shared the happy news that she was expecting a baby.
Playing in Europe
Kristi also played basketball in Europe. In 2006, she played for Valenciennes in France. She also played for teams in Germany and Russia during her career.
Representing Australia: The Opals
Kristi was a very important player for the Australian Opals. She was often called the team's "pocket dynamo" because of her energetic play.
- World Championships:
- In 1998, she helped the Opals win a bronze medal at the World Championships in Germany.
- In 2002, she was part of the team that won a silver medal at the World Championships in Spain.
- In 2006, Kristi and the Opals won a gold medal at the World Championships in Brazil!
- Olympic Success: Kristi is famous for her Olympic medals:
- She won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
- Another silver medal came at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
- She earned her third silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
- Finally, she won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.
- Preparing for the Olympics: Kristi was always dedicated to the national team. She participated in many training camps and international games to prepare for major tournaments. For example, in 2010, she toured China, the United States, and Europe with the Opals. She even played against the strong United States team.
Kristi's Coaching Career
After her amazing playing career, Kristi Harrower became a successful coach.
Coaching in NBL1
- Diamond Valley Eagles: In December 2018, Kristi started as an assistant coach for the Diamond Valley Eagles women's team in the new NBL1 league.
- Melbourne Tigers: In May 2019, she became the head coach of the Melbourne Tigers women's team. She couldn't coach in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Keilor Thunder: In 2024, Kristi coached the Keilor Thunder women's team in NBL1 South. She was even named the NBL1 South Coach of the Year for her great work! She plans to coach them again in 2025.
Coaching in WNBL
- Melbourne Boomers: In July 2022, Kristi was appointed an assistant coach for the Melbourne Boomers in the WNBL. She continued in this role for two seasons.
- Southside Flyers: In June 2024, Kristi was named the head coach of the Southside Flyers for the upcoming 2024–25 WNBL season.
Coaching the National Team
Kristi also helps coach the Australian Opals, the national team she once played for. She served as an assistant coach at the 2023 FIBA Women's Asia Cup.
See also
- List of Australian WNBA players
- WNBL Defensive Player of the Year Award
