Kristi Harrower is a retired Australian basketball player. She was part of the Opals that won three consecutive Silver medals at the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympics respectively. She played as a point guard. Harrower played international basketball for over two decades in Australia, France, Russia, and America. She revolutionized women’s basketball with her playing style and dedication. She has been an important figure in Australian women’s basketball.  The Four-time Olympic medal-winning Kristi Harrower is one of Australia’s most decorated players.

Early Life Of Kristi Harrower

She was born to Bernie Harrower and Janice Harrower on 4^th March 1975 in Bendigo, Victoria. Basketball was always a family affair for her. Kristi started playing basketball when she was only three years old. She was coached by her parents.

Kristi was always a stand-out player. She would train rigorously and often sleep on the court when her parents worked late on the Bindigo basketball court.

Early Career Of Kristi Harrower

She demonstrated skills of the highest standard in every age group basketball competition. The 17-year-old young girl busted on the courts when she won the coveted scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport in 1992-93. The AIS deem her as one of their success stories.

Kristi was a fierce competitor who always played for the win. In 1994, at the Under 20 National Championships, she won the Bob Staunton Award.

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Kristi Harrower’s Career In The WNBL

• Playing For The Adelaide Lightning

After spending two years in the AIS, the talented Kristi unleashed her skills at a higher level by joining the Adelaide lightning WNBL in 1994.

In her debut season in the WNBL, she helped the Lightning win the WNBL championship- such was her impact. The Lightning defeated the Tigers by 84-77 in overtime. However, she didn’t renew her contract with the lightning.

• Playing For The Melbourne Tigers

She joined the Melbourne Tigers and remained with the team from 1997-2000. She played remarkably for the Tigers with consecutive four WNBL All-Star appearances.

• Playing For The Bendigo Spirit

She played for Bendigo Spirit in the year 2008 to 2015 where she was cheered as the local girl. Bernie, Kristi’s father, coached the spirit.

Kristi and Bernie together cultivated a culture of selflessness in the team which helped the Spirit get to seven consecutive playoffs in the WNBL.

Continuing her brilliant run with the spirit she won three more WNBL All-Star awards in 2009, 2010, and 2013 respectively. She also won the Robyn Maher Defensive Player of the Year award in 2013.

She gave a different outlook to her hometown’s team the spirit. Harrower led the Bindigo Spirit to Two consecutive WNBL titles in the season 2013 and season 2014 respectively.

Kristi Harrower’s Career In The WNBA

After proving her prowess in the WNBL, she went a step ahead to showcase her talent on an even bigger platform i.e. WNBA in America. She signed up for the Phoenix Mercury in season 1998-99. She played 62 games for the Mercury in two seasons.

Kristi didn’t sign up for the Mercury next season and chose to sign a contract with the Minnesota Lynx in 2000. Harrower along with other two Mercury players named Marlies Askamp and Angela Aycock were also traded to the Lynx. She played 96 games for her team.

In 2009 she was picked up by the Los Angeles Sparks. She missed some of the games of the season and returned to Australia to attend her grandmother’s funeral.

Kristi Harrower Playing For The Opals

Harrower was destined to wear green and gold given her skills at the AIS and WNBL. She was part of the Opals in the 1998 world championship in Germany. Overall, she was third for assists averaging 2.3 a game.

She had a profound insight into the game coupled with her tempo made her captain of the Opals in the 2002 world championship. She led her team to winning a bronze medal in the championship.

In the 2006 World Championship in Brazil, Harrower was instrumental in guiding the Opals to a gold medal win against Russia in the final. She scored 15 points with five assists and a steal.

She was part of the Opals in the 2010 World Championship in Czech Republic.

Kristi Harrower Playing In The Olympics For Australia

Krisi has a phenomenal record in the Olympics. In the Silver medal match against the USA in the Summer Olympics of 2000, she scored a tournament-high nine points. Opals overcame the challenge of the USA and won a Silver medal.

At the 2004 Summer Olympics, she played eight games with an average of 8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.8 assists a game. Australia managed to win a silver medal at the Summer Olympics.

Harrower was a proud member of the Opals in the 2008 Summer Olympics team. Australia won a silver medal in the Summer Olympics.

Her brilliance on the court made her feature as a basketball star on myFiba in 2008. In 2012 she made it to the 14-member squad for the Olympics. Opals won bronze this time.

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Retirement Of Kristi Harrower

In a game against the Dandenong in the WNBL, the 39-year-old Kristi Harrower drew curtains on her illustrious career, in 2015, which spanned over 24 years. She played almost 300 games on the international level.

Coaching Career Of Kristi Harrower

After her retirement in 2015, she had coaching stints with Diamond Valley and the Melbourne Tigers. She had her commitment to the Tigers as a coach in 2020 but meanwhile, Covid-19 hit and she felt to be at home with kids thus quitting as a coach.

For the WNBL season 2022-23, the Melbourne Boomers announced the Aussie great Kristi Harrower as the Assistant Coach joining head coach Chris Lucas.

Kirsti Harrower Induction Into Australian Basketball Hall Of Fame

On 27^th October 2017, Kristi Harrower was inducted into the hall of fame in a graceful ceremony along with five other Aussie Sportspersons.

Kristi Harrower is a role model for young female basketball players in Australia. She displayed extraordinary game skills and leadership skills at the national and international levels. Her passion, perseverance, and dedication to the game helped Australia win many games. Her name will live on in Australian Basketball annals as one of Australia’s great players.