Isabelle Harrison on Candace Parker, being last Lady Vol to play for Pat Summitt in WNBA

Isabelle Harrison could have called it quits last season when she needed surgery on her knee. 

The former Lady Vols star already sat out two of her eight WNBA seasons. Now a torn meniscus would sideline Harrison during her first season with the Chicago Sky. But Harrison was determined to step on the court again.  

"I just want to make sure if I do go out, I'm going out on my terms. This is just something that I knew I wasn’t ready to be done," Harrison said. "So despite all the pain, tears and just long days that nobody saw, I stayed committed and I’m proud of it."

When she finally played for the first time this season for the Sky this season, it was a surreal moment. It had been her hardest rehab yet, even harder than the torn ACL as a senior at Tennessee. 

Sometimes the 30-year-old Harrison feels like she’s playing catch up. But she's still in the WNBA, where it gets harder to earn a spot every season. And she's now the only one left in the WNBA who played for legendary Lady Vols coach Pat Summitt.

Why Isabelle Harrison always looked up to Candace Parker

Harrison was a rookie when Lady Vols legend Candace Parker won her first WNBA championship in 2016 and gave her famous tearful tribute to Summitt, who died that summer after a five-year battle with Alzheimer's. 

Parker retired in April after 16 years in the WNBA, leaving Harrison to carry on Summitt’s legacy as her only former player in the league. It was a fact Harrison found out about on X, which she hated. She was already sad about the retirement of Parker, who was always her favorite player. 

"It's like, man, now I feel like that load is now on me, and it just keeps everything in perspective," Harrison told Knox News. "I'm doing this not only for my family, but also for the game of basketball and Tennessee fans and of course, Pat Summitt."

The WNBA is seeing record-breaking viewership and attendance numbers this season, a tipping point of the steady progress the last few seasons. Harrison wishes Parker could have played one last season to enjoy the "hype and buildup and she's helped create" since she was the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2008.

"(I wish) new fans and everybody across the world could just know who Candace Parker is, because she is a legend, an icon," Harrison said.

Parker is the reason the phrase "big guard" exists, Harrison said. Parker's ability to handle the ball, shoot, pass and drive at her size while still being a great post is something Harrison has always tried to emulate.  

Parker retired as a three-time WNBA champion, and she is still the only player to win both Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season in 2008, when she also won her first of two Olympic gold medals. Parker was MVP again in 2013, the 2016 Finals MVP and the 2020 Defensive Player of the Year. 

Due missing three seasons, the 6-foot-3 Harrison only played against the 6-4 Parker for six seasons, but there are still more than enough pictures of the pair guarding each other.

"I always wanted to score on Candace," Harrison said, laughing. "Man, had I known she would retire, I don't know if I would have went at her harder or what. I just wish I had more games just to play against her as a sign of respect."

'I wish every day that she was still here'

It's bittersweet for Harrison to see college coaches come to games to support their players in the WNBA. On one hand, it's beautiful to see. On the other, it’s a reminder that her coach isn't here to do the same. 

She appreciates it on a deeper level when she sees South Carolina coach Dawn Staley or UConn coach Geno Auriemma.

"I wish every day that she was still here. I really do," Harrison said of Summitt. "I see how players now can have their coaches around and coming to games, and I think that's so special. But I'm carrying the Tennessee legacy in everything that I do ... What did Pat used to always say, defense and rebounds win games? And that's something I make sure I do every single game."

Whenever Harrison sees coaches at games, she takes it as a reminder of her roots and lessons she’ll always carry with her from Summitt and Tennessee. When she plays against other former Lady Vols, she makes sure they connect and snag a picture.

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Harrison wishes Summitt was still here to come to her games and to visit at Tennessee.

"But, you know, maybe it's just my goal and my passion, my purpose to carry on her name through my play," Harrison said. "Because I went through those years and those things for a reason. I'm just going to continue to keep it with me."

Cora Hall covers University of Tennessee women’s athletics. Email her at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @corahalll. If you enjoy Cora’s coverage, consider a digital subscription that allows you to access all of it.