An Opals legend in her own right, Harrower helped Australia to three silver medals and one bronze across four Olympic campaigns from 2000 to 2012.
Her exploits on the international stage made way for stints in the WNBA and in Europe, before the experienced point guard returned to Australia to add two of three WNBL titles to her résumé.
Having played alongside the likes of Lauren Jackson and Penny Taylor, the 47-year-old knows exactly what it takes to succeed at an elite level, and the secret, she feels, lies abroad.
"I loved Europe, absolutely loved it," Harrower told Megan Hustwaite during the latest episode of TAB Courtside 1v1 on SBS, which will premiere on on Thursday April 14 from 7pm (AEST).
"I was in France for five years; I loved the style because I felt it was more like here in Australia.
"It was more defensive orientated, very structured in the offense which is the way I was brought up.
"Whereas in the WNBA, I struggled to get minutes - it was a learning experience. I think the time that I went through the WNBA, it [the style] was probably a little bit more individual, where now it's more 'team' basketball.
"Of course, you're going to get the individuals that are great but there's a lot more structure to be able to score.
"I don't know if it's because I went there [the US] and maybe took a step back instead of going there with confidence.
"But when I played in Europe - I mean, you're there for such a longer period; you're there for eight months and the WNBA is only four - I think the European style was more my style.
"I think the difference with Penny and Lauren is they were absolute superstars and mentally ready, they showed up every night to do it.
"And I think that's what made the Opals great because when you play overseas in Europe - I was playing in the French league and then the EuroCup and EuroLeague - I'm probably playing around 60 games a season, and then I go to the WNBA and even though I'm not playing a lot, I'm playing 30-something games, so you're playing nearly 100 games a year.
"But when I look at the players here now, they're playing 20-something games a year and then they'll go back and play NBL1 which is not helping their game - no disrespect to NBL1, but it's not helping their game go to the next level.
"So, I think a lot of players should be playing overseas in some way. Bec Allen does it, Sami Whitcomb was doing it and you can see the difference in their game.
"They're professional, they play at a high level every day, you're training twice a day, every day in Europe. It's tough but it prepares you for when you come back to the Opals program."
In the full interview with host Hustwaite, Harrower talks about her Olympic accomplishments, her time playing under her father, and the more memorable moments from her 24-year career.
Hustwaite, who has been covering all levels of Australian basketball for the past 13 years as a reporter, commentator and journalist, will helm the weekly show – every Thursday at 7pm (AEST) via SBS Sport Facebook - where she interviews stars of the past, present and future.
How to watch TAB Courtside 1v1 Season 2 with Megan Hustwaite
- Episodes premiere each Thursday from 7pm (AEST) via the page
- Catch up on previous episodes via the SBS Sport Facebook page
