As a student-athlete at Louisiana State University (LSU), first-round WNBA draft pick, and professional basketball player, all Marie Ferdinand-Harris thought about was winning. She was several years into her WNBA career before she took time to appreciate her teammates, enjoy her surroundings, and think about different aspects of life.
“During my pro career, it was never playing for fun; it was always chasing a championship and not knowing how to do both,” Ferdinand-Harris said. “Now, whenever opportunities come about and I can get back on [the] court and play, it gives me that opportunity to compete, win, relax and enjoy the game, connect, and make friends.”
With her mindset focused on enjoying life’s moments, Ferdinand-Harris went into the recent Athletes Unlimited (AU) Celebrity Hoops Classic intent on having fun. AU is a new hub for women’s sports, and this winter, AU Basketball served as a competitive outlet for current and aspiring WNBA players. She was invited to compete on one of the celebrity teams.
Heading into the game, she envisioned playing four possessions and then checking out. Instead, she played four quarters, went five-for-six on 3-pointers, made several steals, and was named MVP.
“I had to do it for the team. CJ was willing me and giving me the endurance to do all the things I was able to do,” said Ferdinand-Harris, referring to her oldest son, CJ Harris, who died in 2021. On receiving the MVP trophy, she shared CJ’s story of being that kid who cared about others and always wanted to make everyone feel welcome. One of her passions is her Be Like CJ Foundation.
Ferdinand-Harris recently released her memoir, ”Transformed: The Winning Side of Losing,” in which she describes her journey from the Haitian slum in Miami where she grew up to LSU and the path to a brighter future that few people around her could even hope to achieve. She played 11 years in the WNBA and several overseas seasons before moving into life as a wife and mother. In the book, she describes her losses, including CJ’s death, and how she used them as life lessons to understand and achieve greater purpose.
“My life goal is to assist individuals in mastering the ‘failure quotient,’ guiding them to cultivate resilience and achieve transformative success,” she said. “This upcoming fall, I want to visit colleges and universities, and speak to student-athletes about the subject.”