1. Overview
Lusia Mae Harris (February 10, 1955 - January 18, 2022) was a pioneering American professional basketball player, widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in the early development of women's basketball. Her career was marked by groundbreaking achievements that challenged existing gender norms in sports and elevated the profile of women's athletics. Harris led Delta State University to three consecutive AIAW National Championships from 1975 to 1977, earning Most Valuable Player (MVP) honors in each of those tournaments. On the international stage, she represented the United States' national team, securing a gold medal at the 1975 Pan American Games and a silver medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics, where she made history by scoring the first points in women's Olympic basketball. Her legacy was further cemented when she became the first and only woman officially drafted by a NBA team, the New Orleans Jazz, in 1977. Although she never played in the NBA, she briefly competed in the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL) with the Houston Angels. For her exceptional contributions, Harris was inducted into both the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, establishing her as a trailblazer who significantly advanced opportunities and recognition for women and African American athletes in basketball.
2. Early life and education
Lusia Mae Harris was born on February 10, 1955, in Minter City, Mississippi, to Ethel and Willie Harris, a sharecropper. She was the tenth of eleven children and the fourth of five daughters in her family. All of her siblings attended Amanda Elzy High School located near Greenwood, Mississippi. Her family had a strong basketball tradition, with all of her brothers and one of her older sisters, Janie, also playing the sport.
Harris began her basketball career at Amanda Elzy High School under the guidance of coach Conway Stewart. During her high school tenure, she distinguished herself by winning the Most Valuable Player award for three consecutive years. She also served as the team captain and was selected for the state All-Star team. In one remarkable game, she set a school record by scoring 46 points. Her leadership and skill led her high school team to the state tournament in Jackson, Mississippi.
After graduating from high school, Harris initially intended to enroll at Alcorn State University, which notably did not have a women's basketball team at the time. However, her talent was recognized by Melvin Hemphill, who recruited her to play for coach Margaret Wade at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. Wade was in the process of rebuilding the collegiate women's basketball program at Delta State. Harris attended Delta State on a combination of academic scholarships and funds from a work-study program, as this was before the implementation of Title IX in collegiate sports, which significantly expanded funding and opportunities for women's athletics.
3. College career
Lusia Harris's collegiate basketball career at Delta State University was marked by unprecedented success and significant contributions to women's sports.
During her first year at Delta State in the 1973-74 season, Harris played a crucial role in helping the Lady Statesmen achieve a strong 16-2 record. Despite their impressive performance, they finished third in the regional tournament, which prevented them from qualifying for the national tournament that year.
The following season, 1974-75, the Lady Statesmen secured a spot in the national tournament held in Harrisonburg, Virginia. They advanced to the championship final, where they faced Immaculata University's Mighty Macs, a team that had won the previous three consecutive AIAW championships. In the final game, Harris delivered a dominant performance, scoring 32 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. Her efforts propelled Delta State to a 90-81 victory over Immaculata, securing their first national title. This 1975 championship game was notably one of the first women's basketball games to be televised nationally, albeit with a delay, marking a significant milestone for the sport's visibility. That season, Delta State achieved an undefeated record of 28-0, making them the only undefeated college team (men's or women's) in the nation that year. Throughout the four games of the national tournament, Harris scored a total of 138 points and collected 63 rebounds, earning her the title of the tournament's Most Valuable Player.
In the 1975-76 season, Delta State and Immaculata University met again in the national tournament final. For the second consecutive year, Harris led the Lady Statesmen to victory, contributing 30 points and 18 rebounds in a 69-64 win. That season, she led the nation in scoring with 1,060 points, averaging 31.2 points per game, including a career-high 58 points against Tennessee Tech.
In her senior year, the 1976-77 season, Harris played a game at Madison Square Garden where she scored 47 points. This game was one of the first women's basketball contests ever played at the iconic venue. In 1977, Delta State reached the national tournament final for the third time in a row. Harris once again was instrumental, with 23 points and 16 rebounds, as Delta State defeated Louisiana State University 68-55, clinching their third consecutive national title.
Throughout her collegiate career, Harris was recognized with numerous accolades. She was named the national tournament's Most Valuable Player for all three championship seasons and was also selected to the All-American first team during each of Delta State's winning campaigns. Her remarkable college career record stood at 109 wins and 6 losses, which included victories over future NCAA Division I powerhouses such as Immaculata University, University of Tennessee, Baylor University, University of Mississippi, Louisiana State University, and Louisiana Tech University. Harris concluded her college career with an impressive total of 2,981 points and 1,662 rebounds, averaging 25.9 points and 14.5 rebounds per game. She also set or held fifteen of Delta State's eighteen team, single-game, and career records. In 1977, she was honored with the inaugural Honda Sports Award for basketball, as well as the Honda-Broderick Cup, which is awarded to outstanding female athletes in college.
During her entire tenure at Delta State, Lusia Harris was notably the sole African American player on the Lady Statesmen team, a fact that underscores her resilience and trailblazing presence in a predominantly white collegiate sports environment at the time.
3.1. Delta State statistics
The following table presents the statistical records of Lusia Harris's college career at Delta State University.
| Year | Team | GP | Points | FG% | FT% | RPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Delta State | NA | |||||
| 1975 | Delta State | NA | |||||
| 1976 | Delta State | 34 | 1060 | 61.9% | NA | 15.1 | 31.2 |
| 1977 | Delta State | NA | |||||
| Career | 115 | 2981 | 63.3% | 66.3% | 14.5 | 25.9 | |
4. National team career
In 1975, Lusia Harris was selected to join the United States women's national basketball team for two major international competitions: the 1975 FIBA World Championship for Women in Colombia and the 1975 Pan American Games in Mexico City, Mexico. On these national teams, she played alongside other notable stars such as high school standout Nancy Lieberman and college talents Ann Meyers and Pat Head. At the FIBA World Championship, the United States team recorded a 4-3 record, finishing in eighth place. However, in the Pan American Games, the United States team performed exceptionally, remaining unbeaten in all seven games to secure the gold medal. This marked their first gold medal victory in the Pan American Games since 1963. The team demonstrated strong offensive capabilities, averaging 86.7 points per game with an average winning margin of 34.4 points.
The following year, Harris was chosen to represent the United States at the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada. This event was particularly significant as it marked the debut of the women's basketball tournament in the Olympic Games. Harris wore jersey number seven for the Olympics. The team featured many of her teammates from the 1975 Pan American Games, including Lieberman, Meyers, and Head. In the opening game against Japan, Lusia Harris achieved a historic milestone by scoring the first-ever points in the women's Olympic basketball tournament. The United States team ultimately won three games and lost two, with their losses coming against Japan and the dominant Soviet Union. The Soviet Union team went undefeated and claimed the gold medal, while the United States team earned the silver medal. Harris played in all five games, averaging 15.2 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
5. Professional career
Lusia Harris's professional basketball career was marked by a unique and historic moment in the sport's history, followed by a brief stint in a women's professional league.
In the 1977 NBA Draft, the New Orleans Jazz selected Harris with the 137th pick overall in the seventh round. This made her the second woman ever drafted by an NBA team, following Denise Long, who was chosen by the San Francisco Warriors in the 1969 draft. However, the NBA later voided the Warriors' selection of Long, which officially solidified Lusia Harris's place in history as the first and only woman ever officially drafted by an NBA team.
Despite this historic selection, Harris did not express interest in playing in the NBA and ultimately declined to try out for the Jazz. It was later revealed that she was pregnant at the time, which prevented her from attending the Jazz's training camp. Her selection was notable as she was chosen ahead of 33 male players, including the Jazz's eighth-round pick, Dave Speicher from the University of Toledo.
Harris never played in the NBA or any other men's basketball league. She did, however, play professional basketball briefly in the 1979-80 season with the Houston Angels of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL). She had been initially picked as the number one free agent by the Angels in 1978, during the league's inaugural season. Her professional career with the Angels was short-lived, as the team disbanded after just one season.
6. Personal life and post-playing career
Lusia Harris completed her academic journey at Delta State University, earning a bachelor's degree in health, physical education, and recreation in 1977. Following her graduation, she remained at Delta State, taking on roles as an admissions counselor and an assistant basketball coach. She furthered her education, receiving a master's degree in education from Delta State in 1984.
After her tenure as an assistant coach at Delta State, Harris transitioned to a head coaching position at Texas Southern University in Houston, where she led the basketball program for two years. Subsequently, she returned to her home state of Mississippi, dedicating her career to education and coaching at the high school level. She served as a teacher and coach at her alma mater, Amanda Elzy High School in Greenwood, as well as within the Greenville Public School District and at Ruleville Central High School.
In her personal life, Lusia Harris married George E. Stewart on February 4, 1977. Together, they had four children: two sons and twin daughters. She was also a proud member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority, a historically Black Greek-letter sorority dedicated to public service.
7. Death
Lusia Harris died on January 18, 2022, at the age of 66. Her death occurred at a therapy facility located in Mound Bayou, Mississippi.
8. Legacy and assessment
Lusia Harris's legacy extends far beyond her individual achievements, profoundly impacting the trajectory of basketball and women's sports. She is widely regarded as a pivotal figure who championed opportunities for women in athletics at a time when resources and recognition were scarce. Her dominance on the court, particularly her role in leading Delta State to three national championships and her historic performance in the first-ever Olympic women's basketball tournament, broke barriers and set new standards for excellence. As the only woman officially drafted by an NBA team, she shattered a significant ceiling, inspiring generations to come to envision greater possibilities within professional sports, regardless of gender. Her persistent excellence and pioneering spirit provided a crucial foundation for the growth and increased visibility of women's basketball. Beyond her athletic prowess, Harris's identity as an African American woman in a predominantly white collegiate sports environment further amplified her influence, making her a symbol of resilience and empowerment. Her story continues to resonate as a testament to the importance of equitable opportunities and the power of individual determination in fostering social progress through sports.
8.1. Awards and honors
Lusia Harris received numerous prestigious awards and honors throughout her life, recognizing her monumental contributions to basketball:
- In 1983, she was inducted into the Delta State University Hall of Fame, acknowledging her significant impact on the university's athletic program.
- In 1992, Harris made history again by becoming the first African-American woman to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, cementing her status among the sport's all-time greats.
- In 1999, as part of its inaugural class of inductees, Harris was honored by the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame. She was inducted alongside her college coach, Margaret Wade, and her national team colleagues Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers, and Pat Head, underscoring her pioneering role in the women's game.
- She was also inducted into the International Women's Sports Hall of Fame, further highlighting her global impact on women's athletics.
8.2. Cultural impact
Lusia Harris's influence extended significantly beyond her athletic achievements, leaving a lasting cultural impact. Her remarkable life story and contributions were brought to a wider audience through the 2022 documentary film, The Queen of Basketball. This film, produced and directed by Canadian filmmaker Ben Proudfoot, featured notable executive producers such as NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal and Stephen Curry. Released on June 10, 2021, seven months before her passing, the documentary won the 2022 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject), bringing renewed attention to Harris's pioneering journey. The film served to reintroduce her inspiring narrative to new generations, emphasizing her resilience, her groundbreaking role as the only woman officially drafted by an NBA team, and her critical contributions to both gender and racial equality within the realm of sports. Her story continues to serve as an enduring source of inspiration for athletes and individuals striving to break barriers and pursue their dreams.
