Thirteen years ago, McKenzie Forbes ’23 joined the Folsom Force, a tornado of tiny sneakers, flailing limbs, and wild enthusiasm. This third-grade basketball team, coached by their mom Sasha, was one of many vibrant communities that formed the player and person Forbes is today. As we marvel at the transformation of Harvard Women’s Basketball this season, with Carrie Moore’s coaching and the team’s near-perfect harmony, we can use Forbes’ insights as reason for the team’s success.
Forbes is not new to the rhythm of the game. Her love for basketball started at a young age. With a grandfather who was drafted by the Lakers, a father who played for the Harlem Globetrotters, and three older brothers who shared the same passion, it was only natural for Forbes to follow in their footsteps. She played on male teams until 8th grade. In high school, Forbes faced a new challenge: a historically unsuccessful team that lacked support from the community. By her senior year, the Folsom Force won the league, and their hard work was recognized by a dedicated community from once-empty stands.
This momentum persisted during Forbes’ college basketball journey, which began at UC Berkeley’s well-established NCAA Division I team, the California Golden Bears. As the only recruit in her class, Forbes relied on seniors for guidance, leadership, and precedent to follow. Despite being the 6th or 7th ranked player and playing for only 20 minutes a game, the team left a lasting impact on Forbes’ athletic career. “They shaped a lot of the player I am here now,” she recalled. “Leadership-wise, they taught me how to handle myself with media and with coaches that I otherwise wouldn’t know how to do. They taught me how to act.”
The California Golden Bears’ journey did not come without challenges. When their head coach, Lindsay Gottlieb, left for the NBA in 2019, the team faced the loss of immense talent and assets, including the graduation of five seniors and the transfer of its last starter. Forbes described the situation as “a sinking ship.” Considering Berkeley’s losses, Forbes began the arduous process of transferring to Harvard. Having to take a gap year, Forbes kept herself busy by taking classes at a community college and coaching a basketball team of 7th and 8th graders with her oldest brother. Forbes noted, “They kept me sane during my time off. I wasn’t on a team but I could still be around one.”
When Forbes finally got accepted, Covid hit, shattering any possibility of a sophomore season. Taking classes online offered no perks or proper introduction to Harvard’s culture, and there was no team to turn to. When junior year rolled around, Forbes was essentially a first-year upperclassman, expected to understand Harvard customs whilst never having experienced them before. “I didn’t know where anything was, I didn’t know anything that juniors should know.”
As is the case with most student-athletes, Forbes emphasized that the team welcomed her with open arms. While each practice and game brought them closer, Forbes felt most united by the retirement of Coach Kathy Delaney-Smith, who served the team for 40 years. New to the team themselves, Forbes welcomed new coach Carrie Moore and encouraged the rest of the team to “buy into” the change. “Moore put so much time in,” Forbes recalled. “We were doing bonding activities nonstop, so the team was bound to get close.”
Forbes felt Moore’s energy and confidence exude over the team. She resonated with Moore’s challenging leadership style, but she also saw herself reflected in the no-nonsense coaching style. “Playing with someone who you have shared identities with, who is so open, made me feel more comfortable being authentically myself,” Forbes said. “That was huge for me and a lot of my teammates.” By her senior year, Forbes came completely out of her shell and formed close bonds with her teammates. She recounts Covid as feeling like a fever dream; and after her successful career on the Women’s Basketball Team, found her unique place in a talented group of athletes.
“There’s a whole new energy and respect for the program,” said Forbes, in regard to the team under Moore’s guidance. This year, the Crimson has advanced to the fourth round of the Women’s National Invitation Tournament for the first time in Harvard history. The Ivy season for the team began on December 31 with a 67-59 win against Princeton, followed by another league victory on January 6, where they defeated Brown with a significant 30-point lead of 89-59. Two losses to Yale and Columbia were followed by a five game-winning streak against Dartmouth, Cornell, UPenn, Yale, and Brown. Fans even got to witness an epic overtime win against Columbia, where Forbes scored three points with 45 seconds left to steal the game. Their historic season (20-12, 9-5 Ivy) ended with a close battle against Columbia (27-5, 12-2 Ivy) in the WNIT Great 8, 77-71.
Coach Moore did more than make her players better athletes. Her catchphrase, “believe it,” extended beyond the athletes’ belief in themselves. Forbes said, “Moore wouldn’t just let us be satisfied with how good we [were at the time]. She can call you out and also be there for you as a person.” Her motto was not only a belief in the possibility of success, or even a belief that they would succeed, but a belief in the struggles and process of competition.
The team’s work ethic, discipline, and chemistry combined with an expectation of success. Despite what fans may think, the team visualized themselves getting into the WNIT tournament. “We talked about believing it all year. To not have done well this year would have been a surprise for us,” said Forbes.
Forbes’ story fits the image of a well-rounded athlete we should all praise; her success on the court translates to her social and academic life. The key to Forbes’ success stems from her ability to adapt to change: her transitions from a budding career as a Pac-12 player to the uncertainty of a transfer student; from a shy teammate to an advocate for the program; and from a junior coach to a successful D1 player demonstrate this malleability.
This ability to navigate the fast-paced environment of basketball translates to life seamlessly, as the most successful plays do not rely on the luck of a jump ball but on the strategy and persistence of the team. Basketball requires the same trust in unpredictability as having the courage to rebrand your image, buy into a new program, and work with an entirely new coach and team.
“There are kids that come to the games that I can recognize now. I know them by name. This year I know that Harvard is my alma mater, and when I come back I have a place in it.” Forbes has watched the program develop; she and her teammates have a hand in how it was remodeled, and thus in how it can be revisited and learned from in years to come.
Aissatou Diallo ’25 (adiallo@college.harvard.edu) wishes she played sports in high school.