Harmony Turner, welcome to the Courtside Club.
Las Vegas Aces pick Harmony Turner.
Did you see your name on television?
Is that how you found out?
I didn't think I was gonna get drafted.
So me seeing my name on the TV,
I was like, oh my God, that's me, I got drafted.
It's really what Harmony's doing off the court
that makes her a special player.
Have you been able to kind of sit back
and kind of soak in everything that's happening?
It's been a little stressful, a little overwhelming,
but I asked for this, so I wouldn't trade it for the world.
I'm super grateful for everything that's coming my way.
There's Turner, oh my!
Harmony Turner and Fuego!
What influence do you wanna have
on the younger generation?
I want them to know that I face a lot of humility
when it comes to myself, my growth,
but also through that humility,
see me persevering through everything.
Harmony Turner, welcome to the Courtside Club.
Thanks for having me, I'm super excited.
Girl, and you have been so busy lately,
so I appreciate you taking the time.
Did you not just get back from Kelsey Plum's dog class?
Yes, like I got back at midnight, actually.
It went straight to class a few hours later.
Oh my gosh, well, how was it?
I was seeing all the clips on social media,
but I need the breakdown of what was really going on there.
Honestly, like what you saw is what was really going on.
Like we were not funny
for the camera, it was so much energy there,
so much joy, so much competitiveness,
and like a lot of great like preparation,
especially for the W.
Shout out to Kelsey and her staff.
And I'm really grateful for the opportunity
because I felt like it gave me just a little bit of insight
of what to expect at that next level.
How do you get selected for something like that?
Honestly, I think she hand selected us.
So yeah, like she hand selected us.
The dog class has been a vision of hers for many years,
and it finally came through, I think, three years ago.
So yeah, she hand selects us and like is really intentional
with the group that she has.
So yeah, I'm just really grateful that I got selected.
No, I feel like that's really cool to get selected
by someone like Kelsey, who is now, you know,
a veteran in the WNBA.
And you guys were training alongside of her.
I also saw some clips.
I think, I mean, I saw a lot of things.
There was stretching, there was photo shoots,
there was like on-court workouts,
there was you guys dying, there was scrimmages.
There's a lot going on, but she's in the mix with you.
Did she give you any like good advice or inspiration
as you are preparing for the W?
Yeah, honestly, like on the basketball side of things,
like physically, we did more stretching and recovering
more than playing basketball, it felt like.
And she just made it known that that's more important
than actually playing basketball,
like taking care of your body
so you can play for a longer jeopardy.
And that kind of opened my eyes a lot.
I mean, you always hear like your parents saying,
hey, you need to stretch more, you need to do this
in order to be great at the next level.
But like actually seeing a pro do it
and be consistent in that area and her like,
essentially flying by with like the stretches we were doing,
and like, I was dying, but seeing her flying by
and then like also seeing it paying off on the court
is like, OK, like this is what it takes to be a pro.
So it was really nice to see firsthand and up close.
Yeah, that's something, too, like you don't have
that much time going off of your college season,
going into your WNBA season.
And that's something that's so unique in women's basketball
in general is like the turnover from college to pro,
is insane you were just drafted last week by the way congratulations thank you it probably feels
like you've lived two lives even from last week so have you been able to kind of sit back and
kind of soak in everything that's happening um not necessarily sit back and soak in but definitely
grateful um for my name being called obviously and being invited to camp like that's that's an
an award um reward by in itself but you know like with finals here and um me just finishing school
that's really been at the tip of my frontal lobe right now when it comes to what I need to knock
out um and it's been a little a little stressful a little overwhelming but like again like I said
I asked for this so I wouldn't trade it for for the world I'm super grateful for everything that's
coming my way and also like
to be honest I like being busy because I don't like to hear myself think all the time because
my thoughts are very loud um so so this is you know I guess therapy in a way
you have a lot of good distractions right you know exactly everything's a distraction right
now to keep you from the reality exactly take it whatever it's healthy distractions right
I do want to take it back to draft night because
thought it was kind of hilarious I saw this on Twitter actually so I saw this tweet it said
Nikki Fargus said the aces weren't able to get a hold of Harmony Turner on the phone but noted that
she has such a tremendous story and has all the attributes you want in a point guard from three
level scoring ability to court vision and speed and then you replied you said guys I'm so sorry
my phone was literally freezing what happened dude literally that like and I was just like
this would be the day it's like showing up to work late you know
like on your first day and I'm just like oh my gosh like I really hope this is not like really
you know pivotal or important for me to like make a team or not you know what I mean like I
immediately started to think that I I honestly could not do anything with my phone it was freezing
I wasn't receiving any calls I don't know what was going on it was probably because I dropped my phone a lot so
I probably need an upgrade but like I honestly could not I don't know what was going on with
with my phone um and it happened for like a long duration usually like when it freezes it like
freezes for a few minutes I'm like okay and then like I'll go back to my phone and everything will
be cool but like it was actually freezing for like a long period of time I'm just like whatever I
don't know what else to do so I just kind of just gave up um but my dad was trying to keep me
updated with um my agent and stuff uh about like them communicating with each other because I
couldn't use my phone um and when I saw that I had two missed calls from Nikki I was like
oh my god let me let me try to call her back um yeah so I I definitely feel so bad um
but at the same time I didn't know what else to do it was out of your control for sure but is
actually find out was it the fact that you like your dad was communicating with your agent or was
it when you called them back and they were able to tell you what's going on did you see your name
on television is that how you found out like what was that moment there's a video on instagram with
like literally my authentic reaction I didn't think I was gonna get drafted um so me seeing
my name on the tv I was like oh my god like that's me I got drafted um so that's
when I first found out everything I didn't think they were gonna call my name mind you like
there were only four picks left um in the draft as a whole so I was just like dang low-key losing
hope a little bit um and getting slightly discouraged but uh when I saw my name pop up I
was like wait that's my name like on tv and in the draft um and yeah you can find that video on my
page it's me reacting to it and that's my honest like first impression first reaction because I
didn't even think I was gonna get drafted
that's so cool though had that always been a dream of yours to play in the WNBA possibly get drafted
yes like getting drafted has always been a number one priority of mine since I was a little girl
um and obviously playing in the WNBA but not just playing but making an impact in it
um respecting the legends that came before me um but going out there and showcasing what my
talents and and you know putting that emphasis that nerds can hoop and
really being intentional with that and yeah that's that's been a dream of mine since I was a girl so
seeing my name on on the screen again like has been it was crazy it was very rewarding and I'm
super grateful what was your first reaction when you heard that it was the aces of all teams a
powerhouse in the WNBA have you spoken to any of the coaches any of the players there yet yes um
Asia reached out to me and
oh my gosh like I'm so embarrassed because when she reached out she was like hey it's Asia like
welcome to the aces let me know if you need anything you know showing really great hospitality
and my first response to her was like it said like Wilson question mark I was like no this
can't be happening I'm like why would you send that and I sent it she said girl yes I said I'm
so sorry this is all new to me and I'm super excited um but I appreciate you guys so much
you're reaching out xyz I cannot believe I did that like I took I'm so embarrassed
but yeah just take your phone somebody take your phone like you need an assistant just to like
communicate for you I was like like we'll say because mind you like I'm like I I'm a fan of
her I'm a genuine fan of her and I'm like she I consider her the go to basketball of women's
basketball like she's outstanding what she has done um in a few years like so to see her like
text me I'm like this can't be happening for real um I can't believe that's so cool you're like yeah
Asia actually I do need a new phone but other than that like excited to practice like excited
to get the gym with you right no that's so cool the WNBA is is so different in a sense of where
you might get drafted but there's still some work that you need to do to really solidify
your spot on this aces roster what do you think it is about your game that can really help out
this team and get you into that final roster spot yeah that's a really great question but um I think
my versatility and my will to win at all costs um and when I say winning it doesn't have to do
anything with it has nothing to do with scoring um just making winning plays
and having that dog mindset um that there's nothing that you as the opponent can do that's
going to stop me from winning and this team from winning um so I think just going in there
going into camp with that mindset um obviously being a team player putting the team first and
doing whatever that needs to be done so that we can win a championship um so yeah I think that
and then I think I said also my versatility my ability to score my ability to
play both ends of the floor my ability to pass my ability to get stops and rebounds um even as
an undersized guard um I feel like that's something that I really pride myself on
and just making those winning plays and hope hopefully um me doing that in training camp
will solidify a position or a spot on the team that's one thing in Vegas I feel like this is
the perfect spot for you because they are all about winning they're all about working hard
and doing the dirty work and coach Becky Hammond is tough you know and I think that's something that
she needs players who are going to be able to she's a tough coach you're going to be able to
handle that get the job done hustle get out there and then obviously have players to surround some
of the superstars that they already have and be able to elevate your game alongside of them so
I think it's really exciting it seems like a great fit so far yeah I mean I I agree with you I'm
super excited I feel like I'm in the perfect position and I know that God wouldn't put me
in a position that I can't handle um and I think that's something that I really pride myself on
and you mentioned coach uh Hammond's tough coaching I mean I can't wait to test to see
or compare if she's as tough as uh tougher than my mom when it comes to stuff like that um I think my
mom did a really great job of prepping me um for tough coaching throughout my entire year uh career
of basketball so I'm really excited to be playing under her and really excited to be playing with a
lot of vets and a lot of experienced people as well so I can learn from them and from my
mom so I'm really excited to be playing with a lot of vets and from my mom so I can learn from them
tomorrow for Vegas yes is that the plan I leave tomorrow my flight's at seven in the morning
oh wow yeah are you ready do you have your things are you done with your school work like
what's what's the plan there um no uh I I'm actually packing as right now well obviously
not right now but you know packing up my dorm right now um giving away a lot of my things
because I've I've been doing a lot of my things and I've been doing a lot of my things and I've
been doing a lot of my things and I've been doing a lot of my things and I've been doing a lot of my
I realize I haven't touched half my clothes that I wore um and uh yeah and then in terms of school
work I have a lot of assignments I have to do them remotely um and my professors are very
understanding like shout out them um because they understand you know like my schedule leading
leading uh up to um the end of the school so I really appreciate them for that um but yeah like
I still have a lot a lot of
a lot of things to do um but like I said before like I signed up for it so you know just glass
half full for sure so while you close your chapter at Harvard I want to take a halftime break and
talk about Harvard a little bit before we make this next leap is that cool yeah okay so I don't
I don't know much about Harvard I can't say I attended Harvard I didn't get into that school
was it all my right a lot of us can say that though right so I want to talk about a little
bit give us a little insight about Harvard firstly I want to know the toughest class that you took
at Harvard oh man which one should I pick um I feel like Harvard does a really great job of
challenging us um here they know that we are really great students um in the classroom so
uh the professors are very much in line with us so I feel like Harvard does a really great job of
that obviously um I think there was this one class my freshman year that was on um linguistics
which is vaguely the study of words and um it was very challenging for me to like comprehend
stuff like that um I'm also like dyslexic so like I can't it's hard for me to you know read
certain words and uh really comprehend them all the way uh and I took that my first year I don't
know what I was doing I should not have done that but I took that my first year I don't know what I
would have taken that my first year that's probably like a class I take senior junior year
um but I didn't know any better and yeah I mean it was interesting the the part that I
didn't understand which was not much but very hard very difficult that's that's also really
impressive though that you said that you are dyslexic overcoming that and being able to
you know succeed in the way that you have academically I feel like that might stunt others
yeah like I recently found out that I was like I was wondering why I was having like
issues with certain words and like reading and um things like that um and I was like let me just
like get tested and see uh but yeah like again you know I have a lot of things that are people
will probably say are wrong with me I don't necessarily look at it in that in that way
um I just look at it as like another attribute of mine that I try to you know persevere with
and don't let it define me as much as I can so it's hard but I mean it's life you know
no no that's awesome okay so what about the average hours that you spent a day studying
I don't even calculate that stuff honestly like I just know it's a lot and my teammates when I
say teammates I mean the ones at Harvard they're gonna think that I don't be studying because
we have a lot of inside jokes but um I do study
and it's honestly just every day for many hours like I I can't give you like a
oh maybe like a couple hours here a couple hours there no I just feel like I'm always studying or
always in my books if I'm not in the gym um and when I go back home I'm always telling them I'm
either in the library the gym or in my bed so I can't give you an answer I'm sorry okay so just
pretty much anytime you're not playing basketball you can assume that you're studying yes
okay so aside from academics and basketball what is one thing that Harvard taught you
oh that's a really great question I think Harvard taught me a few things
not to compare my life to others and to take advantage of resources in networking
um the first one about not comparing myself to others literally everyone here
is prestige in their own way um and a lot of times we have you know that imposter syndrome
where we feel like we're not doing enough um and we see what people are are putting
up on social media or like we see our emails of like different people accomplishing things
you're like oh my gosh you're happy for them but you're like oh my gosh what am I doing
with my life right um I think Harvard in a way uh without obviously verbally telling
us hey don't compare yourself to others I think made me realize that I
shouldn't do that um and understand that my journey is different from everyone else's um
and and so is my route so just just really honing in to my personal beliefs um my careers um who I
want to inspire what I want to do and once I really started to like dial in on that I started
to see a lot more doors opening up for me um and I think something that intertwines with that is
just the resources and networking I didn't realize how intense and uh the networking was since I got
here and when I got here I was like okay this is what everyone is talking about and honestly like
yes the classes are are tough and challenging but I think what makes Harvard Harvard is the
networking um reaching out to people um that are in fields that you want to pursue potentially in
post-collegiate um years and really taking advantage of those people because they really
want to help um the resources here are very helpful they want to help you succeed in all
aspects of your life so I think that's what that those that's those two things are like
the separators and what kind of made me who I am in a way that's cool and I'm sure the like
the advice and the connections that you're making at Harvard is like next level than even some of
schools yeah it's pretty it's pretty top-notch not gonna lie for sure okay so lastly I have to ask
how accurate is the movie Legally Blonde okay so don't hate me for this but I've never seen that
movie oh no like I know the part where it's like Harvard Law what like it's hard like I know that
part because duh like everyone does that's in Legally Blonde right yes yeah I haven't seen the
whole thing I haven't seen the whole thing I haven't seen the whole thing I haven't seen the
I know I'm sorry it's so okay so when do you graduate May 29th okay so when you graduate
when you're finished with finals when you're not having to study because I know like anytime you're
not in the gym right now you're studying doing finals doing all the things when all of that is
behind you you need to watch the movie okay okay I'll watch it I promise you I'll make this promise
I did not break my promises I will watch it before I graduate I will okay I love the
love that too yeah or if you have time to watch before it's such a good movie but also I want to
know from somebody who actually attended Harvard like is it are they is it accurate is what's
really going on I mean maybe not Elle Woods maybe not the main character because she's a little
you know you know but so Harmony you were the first Harvard women's basketball player in 20
years to win Ivy League player of the year congrats on that did you always know that you wanted to
go Ivy League for academics for sports for both no I Harvard was Ivy League was the last
thing I was thinking about honestly I wasn't even thinking about it much less Harvard um I was like
can I swear sure okay I was like hell no to Harvard like I was like no I'm not going here
and I think what made me it was kind of like a defense response because
like I didn't think I would be able to succeed here I didn't think I was I could fit in
whatever that meant at that time I'm 18 so I don't know any better but like fit into this
environment I'm automatically assuming like everybody here is smarter than me like I can't
get into this school this is ridiculous and what made me decide to go here was my father I tell
this story every time someone asks but like I remember in fifth grade where I was cut from
a team and I was playing under under this coach for for a pretty long time and it was it was a
select team and in fifth grade they cut me from it and they said I was too small not strong enough
and they're looking for bigger guards mind you I don't think I hit my growth spurt till by like
high school uh so they're looking for bigger guards stronger guards for their team and um I
remember crying to my dad telling him like hey like I don't
hey I don't know if I want to do this anymore like I got cut like they don't think I'm good
enough and he sat me in his office and he said do you trust me so I'm crying and I'm saying yes I
do trust you um and he said well you'll start to see that God's gonna open doors for you that are
meant for you and everything's gonna work out so even though I had probably about a muster seat
of trust um in what he was saying mind you I'm in fifth grade at the time um I still just
I was like you know what I'm just gonna trust with this muster seat so lo and behold years down the
line I ended up making a team that was better than the one that cut me and I got invited to
USA three times so I was just like oh okay I do trust my dad you know um so he's never brought
those those words or that question up to me ever until he realized like Harvard was not on my mind
he realized he started to see that I was deteriorating away from Harvard and so when he
was like I'm gonna go to Harvard I was like dad I'm not trying to go there like I don't want to go
there they kept sending me brochures and I was just like f the brochures respectfully like I'm
not going to Harvard um so he sat me down he was like do you trust me I said oh it was one of those
moments and like I kind of felt it like in the back of my neck I thought my hair was coming up
that he was gonna ask that question oh so I'm rolling my eyes I'm just like yeah I trust you
whatever I trust you
he was like dude you don't know that Harvard will be the best decision you ever made in your life
and I'm just like dang okay fine so I initially I committed because of my dad
and I was just like all right I'm going to Harvard like yay um and luckily I got accepted
mind you I had to take the SAT like six times um so luckily I got accepted and I told him I said
if I get accepted I'll go so I applied got accepted and now I'm here
and I'm starting to realize what he was saying and I thank God for that I thank God that I have
parents that really have their best interest in me um and honestly like I would recommend Harvard
to anybody I think it's a great school I think it's you meet so many great people so many great
friends and it's it's lovely to see you and your in your peers you know be successful together um
so yes that's the long version
I love that and because I feel like now after four years if you ask yourself again like he said
this will be something that changes your life this will be the best thing for you I think that you
would agree with him and I think it's also cool what you've done as well because I talk about my
story a lot like I did not pick the right school in college we didn't have transfer portal we
didn't have whatever and that's what ended my basketball career because I didn't feel like I
picked the school that was right for me and I was probably somebody more like I was like I was like
more like you where I actually did care about academics a lot I went to a school that didn't
really care about that at all and so I realized when I got there I can't even major in what I
wanted to even though you guys told me I could because it didn't fit in with practice schedule
now I'm here and I'm not like fulfilling the rest of Rachel not just basketball Rachel and I feel
like there's so many men and women in college sports who love whatever sport they're playing
but they're also so much more than just
a player you know a basketball player football player whatever that is so it's like finding that
right fit and so I feel like you've also you know even if you do have a 20 year long career
in the WNBA like say you play till the wheels fall off diet atrocity level legend status you
still have a lot of life left after that you know yeah even if you play until your 40s and so
setting yourself up with a degree like Harvard meeting the type of people that you did
you also have that to build off of after your basketball life too so I just I think it's so
cool and also just the impact that you made on the court you know you had such a incredible season and
getting drafted to the aces I think you should be really proud it's really cool thank you thank you
so much and I am very grateful of course what influence do you want to have on the younger
generation of basketball players
um the influence that I want to have is being an inspiration to the younger generation through
my story not just basketball but me as a person um my goal in life is to inspire at least one person
a day see what I can do with that and I want them to know that I face a lot of humility
when it comes to myself my growth what I've done and what I've done in my life and what I've done
through my traumas um but also through that humility see me persevering through everything
and I think that's the legacy that I want to leave behind yes basketball is great and I'm
very obsessed with that and I love basketball but me as a person like I want to be that avenue um
for for kids to to see and look at and be like hey like my life my childhood may have been tough
but I can get through this harmony got through it I can get through it
and that's the legacy that I want to leave behind yeah I know that you I don't want to get too deep
into it because I I don't want to keep you too much longer but I know that you did go through
a lot and basketball was one outlet for you that really helped you what what else would you say
really got you through those tough times that you had when you were younger man um honestly like I
don't if I wasn't in sports I don't think I'll be here today um
mind was so you know premature and it didn't
grasp onto a lot of people that I thought didn't love me um but really did um it didn't grasp onto
that do you know what I mean like I couldn't really see those those people that loved me um
at that time I think my dad is it plays a huge role in me also being here today um and when my
now adopted mom came into my life I think she played a tremendous role um yeah but you know
at that time when you're going through it you don't realize how many um people are in your
corner but you also you only see though the people that are are abusing you you only see the the ones
that are giving you those traumatic experiences um it's hard to differentiate the two um at that
age but I guess you can say I also had a lot of people that were abusing me and I also had a lot of
people that were abusing me and I also had a lot of people that were abusing me and I also had a lot of
a little bit of hope that it will be over um so I mean I'm here by the grace of God and I give all
my praise to him because I think in a way that it shaped me to be who I am today I think if I
didn't go through those things I wouldn't have pretty insecure I wouldn't have my non-profit
um so yeah like it sucked at the time I didn't deserve it but it created a different different
avenues and outlets to to where I am today so yeah how how is everything going with pretty
insecure great everything's great um obviously we have our moments because you know it's it's
it's a organization that that's through mental like development health health development um
and getting better at that and working through those traumas so you have those moments where we
we discuss and it's hard it's tough tears are tears are there but
we also have those moments where we set uh our girls up for success where that where that is
scholarships for college or different avenues if they want to be certified in uh certain things
like we give them these different um outlets that they can uh pursue and allow them to not
let those traumas define who they are because that's essentially what pretty insecure is about
we're not going to let those traumas define
who we are um it can be part of our testimony but it's not it's not part of who we are um so yeah
all in all it's great no I yeah no I love that you've done so much at such a young age and I feel
like your story through what you've been through and then seeing how successful you are today and
how outspoken you are and how happy and grateful you are for the positions that you've been is
is just so inspirational not only to younger girls but just anyone
in this space and I think it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's it's
so I'm just excited to see where the rest of your journey takes you you're blazing a trail
and it's really excited to see we will be cheering you on with the Las Vegas Aces and I know that you
have to get back to packing and doing all of those things before I let you go I have a couple
buzzer beaters for you okay okay cool so firstly I want you to break down your ideal courtside fit
oh you're putting me on the spot um
because I don't be honest with you I am terrible with clothes um so I don't believe honestly like
I'm telling you like it's bad like I just wear sweats every single day and I'm okay with it
and my mom hates it because she's like oh my god you need to dress up every now and again I'm just
like I don't care about it you know um so any like I'm gonna get flamed for this any essential gear
like any essential hoodies or anything like that I don't care about it I don't care about it I don't
care about it I don't care about it I don't care about it I don't care about it I don't care about it
nice sweats and some sneaks like honestly being comfortable is probably my ideal pre-game uh
outfit I think my mom's gonna try to get me to wear some clothes now that I've entered the W but
uh yeah that's that's honestly tunnel walks now you have the tunnel I can't be pulling up in like
pajamas or you can I mean everyone has their own style you can't be pulling up in like pajamas
you see some NBA guys who wear flip-flops and you know whatever but they go out and drop 40 so
that's what I'm saying like I told my mom that could be your little swag maybe we can like you
know me halfway you know whose style I do love though um and I'll it's probably very controversial
but um I love Billie Eilish's style I love how she's like very authentic with herself um and
kind of like that TLC chili like I know I love her style as well I feel like that's more me
so if I do start to like you know dress up a little bit it'll probably mirror those two people
I like that I think you should go all in on that I think that'd be great I don't know we'll see
okay okay we're ready for it who is one person dead or alive that you would love to sit courtside
with Michael Jackson oh that'd be fun for a Lakers game I mean for any game honestly I wouldn't even
be looking at the game I'll just be staring at him like
oh no I'm just kidding
that is one event in history that you would have loved to have been courtside for this could be
a sporting event or this could be something else I would have loved to have been courtside
for the Dallas Mavericks and Heat finals game in 2011 so this is with Dirk Nowinski when Dirk
Nowinski willed his team to a championship
as a Texan as a Dallas fan that was amazing to see on TV
for sure I was gonna say this was the this was the Dirk was this his last championship
yes he had one after that I think he only had one I think yeah I think he only had one champ
championship if I'm not mistaken but yeah well he has a statue have you seen that out front of
American Airlines yes well deserved yeah well deserved
and uh we won't talk about the Mavs any further no because I don't know
I'm triggered it's all it's all of us it's not even diehard Mavs fan I think
all basketball fans were hurt by that one or you think okay anyways yeah anyways we won't end on a
downer Harmony thank you so much once again for coming on courtside let everyone know where they
can find you on social media and also where like anything else that you're working on let us know
where we can find it yeah uh you just find my socials at harmony turner um that's across all
boards all socials um yeah just stay tuned for what's coming next uh i can't voice it right now
but i'm very excited and yeah thank you all for the support thanks for having me on course side
i had so much fun thank you so much and good luck this week thank you