Leah Harmon remembers the exact moment she became interested in playing basketball. Growing up in Paterson, New Jersey, Leah remembers attending her brother's matches and always being captivated by the game. There was something about the sport's competitiveness, the culture it fostered, and the energy it created that was indescribable. For Leah, that quickly fueled her desire to embark on a journey of her own in the space. This was just the start. As she began to learn about the ins and outs of basketball from her father, see her progression on the court during their training sessions, and discover the opportunities that basketball could bring her later on in life, Leah became more committed than ever to reach her highest potential in the game. She was all in. It was during her time in high school, at Sidwell Friends, where Leah recalls working day in and day out to find her game, elevate her basketball IQ, and strengthen her leadership skills. Sure enough, she did just that. Throughout her time at Sidwell Friends, Leah led the team to back-to-back DCSSA State Championships, earned All-Met First Team honors, and contributed to the program's No. 1 ranking in the nation. Along with this, as she highlights, she found her game by: "adjusting to the tempo and intensity of the game, finishing through contact and above taller defenders, finding separation, and outplaying someone without getting tired."
Even with these incredible feats, Leah stayed focused on her goal of playing at the next level. After her junior year, Leah transferred to IMG Academy for her senior season. She hasn't looked back since. In November of 2023, Leah committed to the University of Miami and is looking forward to carrying all the lessons from her high school career at Sidwell Friends and IMG Academy to this new chapter of her basketball career.
Take us back to your journey early on! At Sidwell, you won back-to-back championships and also helped lead the team to its first one in school history. What was that experience like and what did earning those honors mean to you?
It was great! I was playing behind a bunch of great players and just seeing and being recognized within those players—being able to stand out amongst all those other players really gave me a lot of confidence—showed me that all my hard work paid off. It was like, “I know I'm surrounded by all these great players, but I can do other things that make me also stand out as well as being a part of this winning team.” Winning the state championship meant a lot since it was the first in school history. I think it was a great opportunity. In 2022, we got a lot of recognition because it was kind of the first year Sidwell came out on top—we were the No.1 team in the country. (Although) we were getting a lot of other championships and recognition from the outside, we had one big goal which was to win the state championship. We kind of just stayed locked in and didn’t focus on the outside (noise). It meant a lot to get one for our seniors on that team that year. We did it for them and it felt great. All the hard work we did in practice, did after practice…it all panned out.
How do you think your game has elevated throughout your time in high school to prepare you for the next level?
Coming in as a freshman, I was always smaller than everyone so it would be a little harder for me to score and to play defense. It was just something I had to get used to. As I've grown (over the years)—and am in my senior year—, I feel like my game grew a lot. I've always had the skills. I could dribble. I could always shoot. You know, I was able to get to the basket and finish. But to be effective at the higher level, you gotta be stronger, be faster, be (more) physical. You need to do different things to be able to score because everyone at that level can shoot, can dribble, and can finish at the basket. My leadership has definitely grown (as well). I’ve learned how to be a great leader, encourage my teammates, and give my teammates that person that they can ask questions to—(somebody) to lean on and know that they're always there for them. I want the best for them. Also, I’ve worked on being more aggressive on defense and on offense—just being a better all-around player. I think that's the main thing going through high school: my shooting got better, my handles got better, my way to finish at the basket got better. With my leadership, that's something I had to learn throughout all four years.
Along with this, you are already committed to the University of Miami and will be embarking on your collegiate journey there. What were some things that drew you to the University of Miami? How did you know that you wanted to call it home for the next four years?