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Historic women\u2019s basketball player Lusia Harris Credit: USA Basketball<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\tLusia Harris NBA Draft History Highlighted in New Difference Makers Book<\/p>\n
The historic Lusia Harris NBA draft moment is highlighted in the Difference Makers book series, which introduces readers to the groundbreaking basketball star who became the first and only woman drafted by the NBA.<\/p>\n
Historic women\u2019s basketball player Lusia Harris Credit: USA Basketball<\/p>\n
More than 20 years before the creation of the Women\u2019s National Basketball Association, basketball star Lusia Harris made history as the first and only woman ever drafted by the National Basketball Association.<\/p>\n
Her groundbreaking career is now highlighted in the Difference Makers book series, which spotlights Black historical figures whose achievements helped shape American history. One of the series\u2019 featured titles, \u201cLusia Harris: Star Basketball Player\u201d by Nancy Loewen, introduces readers to Harris\u2019 remarkable journey from a Mississippi cotton farm to the international stage of women\u2019s basketball.<\/p>\n
Harris is widely regarded as one of the most accomplished players in women\u2019s basketball history. Over the course of her career, she was inducted into five halls of fame, including the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Women\u2019s Basketball Hall of Fame and the International Women\u2019s Sports Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n
Born Feb. 10, 1955, in Mississippi, Harris grew up with 10 siblings on a cotton farm where the family worked long hours together. In her spare time, she developed a love for basketball by watching games on television and studying the strategies used by players.<\/p>\n
When she joined her high school team, Harris quickly stood out. At 6-foot-3, she was often bullied by classmates for her height, but she refused to let that discourage her. Instead, she used her size and skill to dominate on the court.<\/p>\n
Harris became the team captain and led her school to a state championship. She was named the team\u2019s most valuable player for three consecutive years and once scored 46 points in a single game, setting a school record.<\/p>\n
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Lusia Harris, pictured during her Delta State University playing days in the 1970s, was the first and only woman ever drafted by the NBA. Her career helped pave the way for generations of female athletes. Credit: Public Domain<\/p>\n
Her success continued at Delta State University, where she played college basketball and was the only Black woman on the team. Harris helped transform the program into a national powerhouse.<\/p>\n
In 1976, she was named the national tournament\u2019s Most Valuable Player as Delta State won the championship. By the time she graduated, the team had compiled a remarkable 109\u20136 record during her college career.<\/p>\n
Harris also gained international recognition. In 1975, she competed in the Pan American Games, where the U.S. team finished undefeated.<\/p>\n
The following year brought another historic moment. The 1976 Summer Olympics marked the first time women\u2019s basketball was included as an Olympic sport. Harris earned a spot on the U.S. roster and made history by scoring the first basket in Olympic women\u2019s basketball competition. The team went on to win the silver medal.<\/p>\n
After graduating from college, Harris reached another milestone when she was drafted by the NBA. Although she ultimately declined the opportunity, the moment marked a historic breakthrough for women in sports.<\/p>\n
Harris later married George E. Stewart, whom she had dated since high school, and the couple raised four children: Crystal, Christopher, Christina and Eddie. All four went on to become athletes themselves.<\/p>\n
Although family became her priority, Harris remained connected to the sport. She played professionally for the Houston Angels during the 1979\u20131980 season before the team eventually disbanded.<\/p>\n
She later returned to Delta State as an assistant basketball coach and admissions counselor. Harris also earned a master\u2019s degree in special education and eventually returned to her alma mater, Amanda Elzy High School, where she taught special education and coached the basketball team.<\/p>\n
The position brought her full circle to the place where her basketball dreams first began.<\/p>\n
Throughout her life, Harris remained humble about her accomplishments. She often said she never set out to break barriers, she simply followed her passion for the game.<\/p>\n
Seven months before her death, a documentary about her life premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival on June 10, 2021. The film, \u201cThe Queen of Basketball,\u201d tells the story of Harris\u2019 extraordinary career and legacy. The documentary later won both an Academy Award and the Critics\u2019 Choice Documentary Award.<\/p>\n
Harris\u2019 achievements came decades before the formation of the WNBA, making her impact on the sport even more significant. Today, her story continues to inspire generations of athletes, especially young women who dream of competing at the highest levels of basketball.<\/p>\n
Readers interested in learning more about Harris\u2019 life and accomplishments can explore Loewen\u2019s book, which introduces a new generation to one of the sport\u2019s earliest pioneers.<\/p>\n
Alex Nellis is a recent communication graduate who grew up in Saint Cloud, Minnesota.\u00a0 He is passionate about social justice and has completed graduate certificates in gender studies and cultural diversity.<\/p>\n
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