Marie Ferdinand-Harris

I am a proud example of someone who has dealt with many adversities throughout childhood but used education and sports as a vehicle to win in life.

Marie Ferdinand-Harris, a Miami native who led Miami Edison High School to a state basketball championship as a sophomore and was named Florida Player of the Decade in the 1990’s. Marie is the first and only Haitian-American to play in the WNBA. Marie shares her story of being a Haitian American female, from a low socioeconomic environment who dreamed big regardless of her circumstances, which resulted in graduating from college, becoming a leader at Louisiana State University and a professional player in the WNBA. Teachers and sports taught her to never quit and make the most of any opportunities that came her way. At the age of 13, in middle school, an announcement made over the intercom changed the course of Ferdinand-Harris' future. She dreamed of an opportunity to go to college whereas education was two-fold – first to secure a better future for her family. Second was to be a trailblazer for other students like her who never imagined or dared to dream big and lacked hope. Raised by her mother, a single parent, the fifth child of eight children, in a school district with very low expectations for students like her, Ferdinand-Harris was always looking for an opportunity to succeed instead of having an excuse to fail. The intercom announcement for basketball tryouts offered that opportunity and forever changed her life. These invaluable experiences taught her how to become the “Ultimate Teammate” both on and off the court. Marie has a passion to share her story and lessons learned on “how to RISE to the top” Through her “message of hope”. Ferdinand-Harris attended Louisiana State University (LSU) where she became a Two-time recipient winner of the Scholar-Athlete award, a Kodak All-American, a SEC Great, a USA Gold Medalist winner and Inducted into the LSU Sports Hall of Fame. In 2001, Ferdinand- Harris was drafted in the WNBA by the Utah Starz as their 8th overall pick. She later retired in 2013 after being named a WNBA All-Star in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Since her retirement from professional basketball, Ferdinand-Harris has started Ultimate Teammate Lecture Series which offers an impactful professional development team workshop that teaches the value of becoming an Ultimate Teammate. Geared towards Athletes, Business, and Schools. She has tailored her passion to do what she enjoys doing which is inspiring people and impacting students and athletes. Marie share with student all over the world to “not use their circumstances as an excuse to fail, rather look for those opportunities”. Marie’s unwillingness to give up drove her to prove the “Nay Sayers” wrong and she wrote her own story and her story is just beginning. IT’S BIGGER THAN BALL!