Lusia Harris, who became the sole lady to be formally written by AN NBA team and scored the primary points in women’s basketball history at the Olympic Games, died Tues, her family proclaimed. She was 66.
“We are deeply saddened to share the news that our angel, matriarch, sister, mother, grandma, Olympic medalist, The Queen of Basketball, Lusia Harris has passed away unexpectedly today in Mississippi,” the family said in a statement. “The recent months brought Ms. Harris great joy, together with the news of the future wedding of her youngest son and therefore the outpouring of recognition received by a recent documentary that brought worldwide attention to her story.”
Harris, who died in her native Mississippi, was written by the new orleans Jazz in the seventh spherical in 1977, however didn’t attempt for the team as a result of she was pregnant at the time. The San Francisco Warriors tried to draft Denise Long in 1969, however the NBA blocked it as a result of she didn’t meet the standards to be written — partially due to her gender.
Lusia Harris was written by the city Jazz within the seventh spherical in 1977 however didn’t attempt for the team as a result of she was pregnant at the time.
Harris helped Delta State University win 3 straight national titles within the 1970s and attained a prize for the us at the city Olympic Games in 1976.
Harris was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 because the initial black woman to earn that honor. She was later enshrined into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
“She are going to be remembered for her charity, for her achievements each on and off the court, and therefore the light she dropped at her community, the state of Mississippi, her country because the initial lady ever to attain a basket within the Olympic Games, and to girls who play basketball round the world,” the statement aforementioned.
Lusia Harris lead Delta State University to win 3 straight national titles within the Seventies and attained a prize for the us at the city Olympic Games in 1976.
Harris averaged 25.9 points and 14.4 rebounds at Delta State, lifting the team to a 109-6 record throughout her time there. She’s still the school’s incomparable leader in rating (2,981 points) and rebounding (1,662).
Harris was named to the U.S. women’s team in 1975. the subsequent year, women’s basketball created its Olympic debut and Harris scored {the initial|the primary} points within the first game of the tournament.
She was the topic of a 2021 short film titled “The Queen of Basketball” that elaborate her career.
Lusia Harris was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992 because the initial black woman to earn the honour, as she was later placed into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
