The First Black Female Basketball Player

Lusia Mae Harrisn(February 10, 1955  January 18, 2022) was an American professionalnbasketballnplayer. Harris is considered to be one of the pioneers ofnwomen's basketball. She played fornDelta State Universitynand won three consecutivenAssociation for Intercollegiate Athletics for Womenn(AIAW)nNational Championships, the predecessors to thenNational Collegiate Athletic Associationn(NCAA) championships, from 1975 to 1977. On the international level, she represented thenUnited States' national team. She was on the team which won thengold medalnin then1975 Pan American Games. In addition, she was a member of the team which won thensilver medalnin then1976 Olympic Games, the first women'snbasketball tournament in the Olympic Games. She played professional basketball with thenHouston Angelsnof thenWomen's Professional Basketball Leaguen(WBL) and was the first and only woman ever to be officiallyndraftednby thenNational Basketball Associationn(NBA). For her achievements, Harris was inducted to thenNaismith Memorial Basketball Hall of FamenandnWomen's Basketball Hall of Fame.[1]