Remembering an Olympian,
Hall of Famer, Legend, and Neighbor:
Lusia “Lucy” Harris

While the name Lusia Harris may not ring a bell beyond the borders of Greenwood, Mississippi, the heart and soul of the Delta, the locals who knew her affectionately called her ‘Lucy ‘. She was a familiar face as the mother of Crystal, Christina, Christopher, and George Jr., and as the dedicated special education and high school basketball coach. But perhaps what most people in Greenwood remember about her is her infectious smile and laughter.

Yet, if you ask someone outside of the city of Greenwood if they recognize her name in association with the game of basketball, they might surprise you and respond, “Oh yes! The Olympian.”

Lucy, often hailed as the “Queen of Basketball” by her former coaches, teammates, and sports fans, was a true marvel. From 1975 to 1977, she played for Delta State University and won three consecutive Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) National Championships, the predecessors to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships. As a three-time AIAW National Champion, she was a formidable force on the court, paving the way for women’s basketball and athletics.

Women’s basketball made its Olympic debut in the 1976 Summer Games. Lusia “Lucy” Harris, a small-town girl from the Mississippi Delta, was chosen to represent her nation as an inaugural U.S. Women’s Olympic Basketball Team member. She packed her bags and headed to Montreal. There, Lucy made a significant mark in women’s basketball by scoring the first point ever in a Women’s Olympic Basketball game with the entire world watching. Lucy and her teammates brought home the silver medal that year, the first Olympic silver ever awarded in the event.

“That’s a record that can never be beat,” Lucy reflected with a smile during the 2021 short film about her life titled “The Queen of Basketball,” which went on to win the 2022 Academy Award for Best Documentary (Short Subject).

After the games, Lucy continued playing basketball at Delta State, where she and her teammates broke record after record. Outselling the men’s team, the Delta State women’s team would fly to their games while the men rode buses. When asked about those glory days, Lucy replied with a wink, “I guess the women were bringing in the money.”

Following graduation and with the WNBA still decades away from formation, Lucy was eager to find somewhere to continue playing her game—that is, competing with other women in basketball. However, the universe had something else in mind. After playing her final game at Delta State, Lucy was presented with an unimaginable opportunity to participate in the NBA draft. In 1977, she was selected as the seventh-round draft pick by the New Orleans Jazz, making her the first and only woman (ever) to be officially drafted by the NBA.

Many believed she could succeed because of her natural talent and skillset, not to mention her incredible height, standing tall at 6’3. However, she viewed the Jazz’s decision to draft her as nothing more than a publicity stunt. As a result, Lucy declined the offer to join the NBA and chose a simpler life dedicated to her family. At the time, the Associated Press quoted her as saying, “I play pretty well on the women’s level, but with the men, well, that’s something different.”

Even though Lucy never played professional basketball, she was still inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, escorted by her hero, Oscar Robertson in 1992 in Springfield, Mass. Lucy’s other accolades include being inducted into Delta State’s Hall of Fame in 1983 for her achievements and contributions to the university. In 1992, she became the first African-American woman inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1999, Harris, along with her college coach, Margaret Wade, and her national team teammates, Nancy Lieberman, Ann Meyers and Pat Head, were among the 26 inaugural inductees to the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. She was also named to the International Women’s Sports Hall of Fame.

We often wonder what life would have been like if we were born in a different time, or under different circumstances. How would our talents propel us forward? What opportunities would we not have? It’s easy to assume Lucy had these same thoughts, but when asked in the Shaquille O’Neil-produced short film, she had a simple and characteristically humble response. “Maybe the world would’ve known my name had I continued playing… but I didn’t,” she said with a giggle. “So I don’t speculate.”

All of us who live in Greenwood are proud to have a legend, Olympian, and trailblazer associated with our small town. But what makes us beam is the fact she called Greenwood her home. Lucy was an amazing ball player, yes, but more so than that, she was a great neighbor and friend to all of us in Little Ole Greenwood, Mississippi.

Come see the place Lusia loved most by planning your own visit to Greenwood today. For more information about Greenwood, Mississippi click here.