NCAAW: Rori Harmon, Laila Phelia ready to lead Texas Longhorns

The final year of college is a major time in the life of most student athletes, whether or not they have any intention of playing their sport after graduation. But for those incredible few who are predicted to not only keep playing but to play at the highest level possible, the final year is it: The time to leave it all on the court knowing you did the best you could have possibly done.

Texas senior guard Rori Harmon is absolutely prepared to do just that, with her head held high and her intention clear. At the time she spoke to Swish Appeal, the NCAA had just approved a waiver that would allow her to stay on for a fifth season if she chooses, a request she sent largely due to the fact that she missed most of the 2023-24 season after she tore her ACL.

The waiver approval “was nice,” Harmon says. “Obviously, I’m very grateful it was obtained and it was granted.” When I asked if she intends to take advantage of that extra year, the faintest expression of what might be surprise, or even skepticism, flits across her face. She points out that the WNBA is the goal of any woman who is serious about basketball, and she always thought her shot would come in 2025, right when it was always meant to.

“That’s where the best of the best is,” she explains. “So when you…