TITLE: Recognizing Delmer W. Harris for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

SUMMARY: Recognizing Delmer W. Harris for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to recognize Delmer W. Harris for his September 2022 induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and for a lifetime of achievement as a player, coach, and executive; and WHEREAS, We recognize that Coach Del Harris joined the Houston Rockets organization as an assistant coach in 1976, became head coach in 1979, and took the team to the playoffs in his debut campaign; that set the stage for the 1980-1981 season, when Houston defeated the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers two games to one and the heavily favored San Antonio Spurs four games to three in the opening rounds of the playoffs; then, on April 29, 1981, the Rockets defeated the Kansas City Kings four games to one in the Western Conference Finals; with that triumph, the Rockets advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history; Harris took on two more NBA head coaching jobs, leading the Milwaukee Bucks from 1988 through 1992 and the Los Angeles Lakers from 1995 through 1999, and he was selected as the 1995 NBA Coach of the Year; along the way, he mentored legends such as Moses Malone, Elvin Hayes, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant while directing his teams to 556 career victories and 11 postseason appearances in 14 seasons; and WHEREAS, Coach Harris spent more than three decades in the NBA, including 13 years as an assistant coach, and while serving in that capacity with the Dallas Mavericks, he helped the team advance to the 2006 NBA Finals against Miami; and WHEREAS, Coach Harris would later join the Texas Legends developmental league and at age 74 became the oldest head coach in the history of the NBA system; he is still affiliated with the Texas Legends as Vice President; and WHEREAS, Prior to becoming an NBA head coach, Delmer W. Harris was an All-Conference and All-American basketball player at Milligan University; he went on to join the coaching ranks and worked in a variety of capacities, including overseeing the Earlham College basketball program for nine years, coaching teams internationally, and serving as an assistant for the Utah Stars in the American Basketball Association; and WHEREAS, In recognition of his many accomplishments in the sport of basketball, he was honored with the 2020 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Basketball Coaches Association; moreover, he is a renowned clinician and lecturer who has authored numerous articles and books; and WHEREAS, As his Naismith Hall-of-Fame bio reads, Coach Harris is an "innovator and a believer, a man of faith who stayed true to basketball's most fundamental principles while adapting the game to fit his personnel"; and WHEREAS, As a resident of Frisco, Del Harris has given back to the community through his involvement with the Del and Ann Harris Foundation for the Promotion of Christian Principles; and WHEREAS, In 2023, the Houston Rockets are celebrating the 42nd anniversary of their inaugural appearance in the NBA Finals in 1981, and the Dallas Mavericks are celebrating the 17th anniversary of their inaugural appearance in the NBA Finals in 2006, and this occasion offers a particularly fitting opportunity to pay tribute to Coach Harris for his role with two Texas NBA franchises and to salute the other highlights of his career; and WHEREAS, Through a lifetime of achievement, Del Harris has left an indelible mark on the sport of basketball, and it is indeed a pleasure to join in recognizing this revered coach and mentor; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 88th Legislature, hereby honor Delmer W. Harris for helping the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks advance to the NBA Finals and for his many other contributions to the sport of basketball; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for Coach Del Harris as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Paxton President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 25, 2023.