Free-agent forward Isabelle Harrison signs with Sky: bringing the center to Chicago

Free-agent forward Isabelle Harrison is signing with Chicago Sky, she announced on social media Thursday. Here’s what you need to know:

• Harrison averaged 8.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per game for Dallas last season, starting 18 games and averaging 18.4 minutes.
• Harrison was traded to the Wings in 2019 after missing 2018 with an autoimmune condition.
• She averaged career highs of 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in 2017 with San Antonio.

backstory

Harrison’s minutes took a nosedive at the end of the season, going from 21 minutes per game in the first 20 games of the season to half that in the last 10. As an athletic 6-foot-3 forward, Harrison could bring a lot of value to a franchise an expanded role.

the athlete‘s instant analysis:

Why didn’t Harrison return to Dallas?

Harrison had one of the funniest public critiques of her coaching staff in recent seasons last season, when she took to Twitter to respond to fans with her confusion about her lack of playing time and then did a TikTok about Vickie Johnson only officiating games for the guards. Johnson is out of Dallas, but the spate of bigs blocking Harrison’s playing time isn’t, so it made sense for Harrison to find a new spot. — dealer

What does heaven get?

Harrison has the mobility of a power forward and is 6-foot-3, but she’s played the majority of her minutes down the middle. She’s a strong anchor of a shifting defense and can keep up when opposing guards drive to the basket, but struggles a bit against burly centers who can field her. As a goalscorer, she does most of the work in color and has shown little inclination to extend her reach to the perimeter. If Emma Meesseman returns, Harrison’s strengths will complement hers quite well leading up to Chicago. – Merchant

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(Photo: Meg Oliphant/Getty)