Ms. Basketball — All in stride

A little girl was asking Michelle Harrison for her autograph in the same gymnasium where, just a few minutes earlier, parents heckled the teenage basketball player any time she missed a shot or made a mistake.

While they yelled about her not looking much like an All-American, little girls were telling her they wanted to be like her someday.

That's what being a superstar is like. People look at you with envy and admiration and talk about you with compliments and criticism. You are constantly being measured, tested and scouted. If you are as good as they say you are, you aren't allowed to be mortal.

This year's Deseret Morning News Ms. Basketball has earned nearly every accolade a high school player can — including being named a McDonald's All-American. And while the one goal she set for herself this season eluded her — a state title — that doesn't change how she feels about her prep career. She does not hear or see the hecklers; she only sees the smiling little girls, the possibility, the opportunity.

"I feel so lucky," said the 6-foot-2 Mountain View forward, whose senior year was peppered with experiences like signing with Stanford in October, breaking the state's blocked-shots record in December, helping her teammates deal with the controversial loss of their head coach in January and leading her teammates to a region title and second-place finish in the 5A state tournament in February.

"I dreamed about it when I was younger, and I wanted it, but I never thought I'd be here. I'm very, very grateful. I don't think I'd change anything — even losing the state game. It has all made me a better person and a better player. I've met a lot of great people through the process, and it has all been a great experience."

Harrison played in 94 games in her high school career, scoring 1,682 points, which is fourth most all-time. She had 1,053 rebounds, which is second all-time in the state. She's now No. 1 in career blocked shots with 463.

In her senior season, she scored 674 points, with a 17.8 points-per-game average and a 53 percent field-goal percentage. She averaged 11.9 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.4 steals and 4.9 blocked shots per game. She was an adidas All-American twice, was invited to participate in USA Basketball's development festival and was named a Street and Smith's All-American two years in a row.

For some, carrying the expectations of others would be a burden, but Harrison sees it as an honor. She's done it for so long, and just like those double- and triple-teams down low, she doesn't know any different.