In Memoriam: Lusia Harris, first woman drafted by the NBA, dies at 66

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Lusia Harris, the first and only woman drafted into the NBA, has died at age 66, her alma mater Delta State announced Tuesday. She died in her native Mississippi.

Lusia Harris death

“We are deeply saddened to share the news that our angel, matriarch, sister, mother, grandmother, Olympic medalist, The Queen of Basketball, Lusia Harris, has passed away unexpectedly today in Mississippi,” her family said in a statement.

“In recent months, Ms. Harris found great joy, including the news of her youngest son’s upcoming wedding and the recognition brought by a new documentary that shared her story worldwide.”

A trailblazer

As a trailblazer in basketball, Harris became the first and only woman officially drafted by an NBA team. In addition, she scored the first basket in women’s Olympic basketball history.

She played collegiately for Delta State and led the team to three straight AIAW national titles from 1975 to 1977. During that run, she averaged 25.9 points and 14.4 rebounds, guiding the team to a 109–6 record. She remains the school’s all‑time leader in scoring (2,981 points) and rebounding (1,662).

In 1975, she earned a spot on the U.S. women’s national team. One year later, she played in the 1976 Olympics, the first year women’s basketball appeared in the Games.

The following year, the New Orleans Jazz selected her with the 137th pick of the 1977 NBA Draft. She declined to try out because she was pregnant at the time.

In 1992, Harris entered the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, becoming one of the first two women inducted, alongside Nera White.

She later became the subject of a 2021 documentary short titled The Queen of Basketball. The film debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival and brought renewed attention to her legacy.