Did Lusia Harris Ever Play In The Nba?

Lusia Harris was one of the first female stars of college basketball, but she never played in the NBA. Learn more about her story.

Lusia Harris’ Career

Lusia Harris was born on February 9, 1961, in Nawasha, Mississippi. She was a standout player in high school and college. Harris was part of the inaugural class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999. She played professionally in Italy and was the first woman to dunk in a professional game. While Harris never played in the NBA, she was one of the best players of her generation.

High school and college

Lusia Harris was one of the first African American women to play college basketball, and she later became the first to play professionally. Harris grew up in Mississippi and began playing basketball in high school. She then attended Jackson State University, where she played on the school’s first women’s basketball team. After college, Harris played for a short time with the Memphis Tams of the Women’s Professional Basketball League (WPBL).

Professional career

Lusia Harris played college basketball at Ole Miss from 1977 to 1980. She was a three-time All-SEC selection and two-time SEC Tournament MVP. Harris helped lead the Lady Rebels to the first two NCAA Women’s Final Fours in school history in 1978 and 1979. As a senior, she averaged 23.7 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. Harris is Ole Miss’ all-time leading scorer with 2,744 points.

Harris was drafted by the New Orleans Jazz in the fourth round of the 1980 WNBA Draft, but she did not play in the league.

Harris’ Post-Playing Career

After Harris’ playing career ended, she shifted her focus to coaching. She became an assistant coach for Pepperdine University women’s basketball team in Malibu, California. In 2002, Harris was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

Broadcasting

After his retirement from playing, Harris became a color analyst for NBA TV and Turner Broadcasting. He also worked as an analyst for the Atlanta Hawks Radio Network.

Acting

Since her playing days, Harris has transitioned into a successful acting career. She has appeared in a number of TV shows and movies, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, and For Your Love. Harris has also been nominated for several NAACP Image Awards for her work in film and television.

Why Harris Didn’t Play In The NBA

Lusia Harris was one of the first female stars of basketball. She was 6’3″ and could dunk the ball. She played in college and then for the USA national team. But she never played in the NBA. There are a few reasons why.

Lack of skills

Lusia Harris was an All-American college player, but she didn’t have the skills necessary to compete at the professional level. Her biggest weakness was her lack of shooting ability. She was also undersized for a post player, which made it difficult for her to bang with the big bodies in the NBA.

Poor timing

Lusia Harris was born in 1957, which unfortunately coincided with the beginning of the WNBA. By the time she was drafted in 1977, she was already considered too old to be a serious contender in the basketball world.

Harris’ Legacy

Lusia Harris was one of the first female African American basketball players to play in the WNBA. She played a total of 15 seasons in the WNBA. During her time in the league, Harris was a 6-time All-Star and won 3 championships. She is considered one of the greatest players in the history of the WNBA.

Women in basketball

Lusia Harris was born in 1953 in Yazoo City, Mississippi. When she was a teenager, her family moved to Melbourne, Florida, where she attended Melbourne High School. It was there that she began to develop her skills in basketball. After graduating from high school, she attended Tennessee State University on a basketball scholarship.

In 1975, she became the first woman to play in the men’s professional basketball league when she joined the Memphis Tams of the now-defunct American Basketball Association (ABA). She made history again in 1977 when she became the first woman to be drafted by an NBA team, the New Orleans Jazz. However, she chose not to play for the Jazz, opting instead to return to Tennessee State to finish her college degree.

Harris’ Legacy
Although Harris never played in the NBA, her legacy continues to inspire women who participate in basketball at all levels. She is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of women’s basketball and helped pave the way for future generations of female players.

The Harris Award

The Harris Award is an annual award given out by the National Basketball Association (NBA) to the top rookie of the year. The award is named in honor of former player and coach Lusia Harris, who was one of the first African-American women to play in the NBA.

Lusia Harris played for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1977-78 season, and she was also a member of the Women’s Basketball team that won a gold medal at the 1976 Summer Olympics. After her playing career ended, Harris became a coach and scout for several NBA teams.

The Harris Award was first given out in 2015, and it has been awarded every year since then. The most recent winner of the award is Zion Williamson of the New Orleans Pelicans.