WBB: Alex Harden - Shocker Hall of Fame

[1972Shocker]

I submitted the following bio in nominating Alex Harden for the Shocker Hall of Fame back in July 2022. Alex actually had already been voted into the Hall of Fame 3-years earlier when she first became eligible. However, she had not been inducted due to conflicts with her overseas playing career. That time has finally come when Alex will be officially inducted into the Shocker Hall of Fame. Without a doubt a no doubter:

Alex Harden, the best player WBB player in school history IMO, apparently has been eligible for the previous 3 years. She enrolled in the Fall of 2011. I am actually somewhat surprised that she is yet to be inducted. I think I am going to have to submit a nomination for Alex.

Career Stats and Rankings (2011-15):
Points - 1,708 - #1
Free Throws Made - 386 - #2
Free Throw % - .799 - #3
Rebounds - 683 - #7
Assists - 436 - #3
Blocks - 113 - #5
Steals- 278 - #2

The Swiss Miss Army Knife of Shocker's WBB.

Team Record 2011-2015: 99-35 (Average 24.75 wins to 8.75 losses)

Post Season: Led the Shock to 1 WNIT ands 3 NCAA Tournaments (representing 4 of the Shockers 8 post-season appearances and all 3 of their NCAA appearances.

Career Awards:

Senior Season:
Associated Press All-America Honorable Mention
2015 MVC Player of the Year
2015 MVC Tournament MVP | Three-Time MVC Tournament MVP
2015 MVC First Team
2015 All-Defensive Team
2014 USVI Paradise Jam All-Tournament Team
NWBC Good Works Team Nominee
MVC Player of the Week - Nov. 17
MVC Player of the Week - Jan. 5
MVC Player of the Week - Jan. 12
MVC Player of the Week - Feb. 16
MVC Player of the Week - Feb. 23
College Basketball Madness MVC Player of the Week - Nov. 17
College Basketball Madness MVC Player of the Week - Jan. 5
College Basketball Madness MVC Player of the Week - Jan. 12
2014-15 MVC Preseason Player of the Year
Two-Time WSU Defensive Player of the Year
Three-TIme All-MVC
Harden’s Records:
All-Time Leading Scorer at WSU
Single-season Steals Record - 108
Has third and fourth-best scoring seasons
11 Steals vs. Indiana State tied Game Record - Jan. 2
Only Shocker with more than 1,440 points, 600 rebounds, 350 assists, 100 blocks, and 200 steals
7th in NCAA in steals/game - 3.27

Junior:
2014 MVC Tournament MVP
2013-14 MVC Defensive Player of the Year
2013-14 All-MVC First Team
2013-14 MVC All-Defensive Team

Sophomore:
2013 MVC Tournament MVP
2012-13 MVC Defensive Player of the Year
2012-13 All-MVC First Team
2012-13 MVC All-Defensive Team

Freshman:
2011-12 MVC All-Freshman Team
MVC Player of the Week: Jan. 22, 2013
MVC Newcomer of the Week: Feb. 20, 2012

[1972Shocker]

Hall of Fame Feature: Alex Harden

https://goshockers.com/news/2024/1/23/womens-basketball-hall-of-fame-feature-alex-harden.aspx

Sounds like Alex got some great coaching from her Dad:

Wilbert Harden guided his daughter's basketball game with two main directives starting at age 5 at the YMCA in Springfield, Ill.

First and foremost, defense wins games. Second, point guards play like Magic Johnson and Jason Kidd, not Allen Iverson.

"You've got to make the players around you better," he said. "That's your job. She took to it. She always made players around her better."

With dad coaching and prodding her through cone drills in the driveway and gym, Alex Harden grew into that type of basketball star for Wichita State. Playing for coach Jody Adams, Harden headlined the program's first three NCAA Tournament teams from 2011-2015 as a 5-foot-11 do-it-all force. She ranks first on the WSU career list for points (1,708), second in steals (278), third for assists (436) and seventh in rebounds (683).

When her Dad coached her basketball teams, he usually filled her team with four less-talented players for scrimmages to help them improve and help his daughter grow as a leader.

"You're the quarterback," he said. "You've got to know everybody's job and where they're supposed to be."

She learned her lessons well.

[1972Shocker]

Here is your mission should you choose to accept it. Name the 5 former Shocker players in the photo on the bottom right.

I know 3 of them for sure. Here are my guesses from left to right:

Haleigh Lankster, Jazimen Gordon, Alex Harden, Jamillah Bonner and Kelsey Jacobs.

Not total sure about Haleigh and Jamillah.

Haleigh was a senior in 2011-12 which was Alex's freshman year so haven't seen her in over 11 years. But she is from Tulsa not far away. There are a couple of other possibilities (Jalessa Chapel and Jasmine Jones) but I'm going with Haleigh.

Jamillah, a Wichita Southeast product, played her first two years at Butler County but shared her junior and senior years with Alex, and was one of the best juco transfers to play at Wichita State. I feel pretty good about this guess but not totally sure.

If I have properly identified this group I would take them as my starting lineup.