SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 679
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
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 25, 2023.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate