Lusia "Lucy" Harris, the first and only woman drafted by the NBA, died on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by her family. She was 66.
"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," the statement read.
"The recent months brought Ms. Harris great joy, including the news of the upcoming wedding of her youngest son and the outpouring of recognition received by a recent documentary that brought worldwide attention to her story," the statement continued.
Harris led Delta State to three back-to-back Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) national championships from 1975 to 1977.
Standing at an impressive 6'3," the three-time All-American played the center position and averaged 25.9 points, 14.5 rebounds and shot 63.3% from the field during her 115 college games, Delta State Athletics reports.
As a member of Delta State's women's basketball team, she was elected to the U.S. Olympics team in 1976, and the team won the silver medal that year.
At the end of her collegiate career, the New Orleans Jazz chose Harris in the seventh round of the 1977 NBA draft. But she declined the Jazz's offer, choosing to start a family.
"I just thought it was a publicity stunt, and I felt like I didn't think I was good enough," she confessed in The Queen of Basketball, a short documentary detailing her life and career. "So I decided not to go. Yeah, I said 'no' to the NBA."
"The NBA, I don't regret not going. Not even a little bit," she added.
After the news of her death, Twitter users were shocked to learn of her remarkable basketball career and were in disbelief they had not learned of her sooner.
Why have I never heard of her up until this point?#RIPLusiaHarris
— NYC is in for some dark days ahead. (@truedmockracy) January 19, 2022
The NBA really don't talk about this! WHY
— ???? (@MaybeAntonio) January 19, 2022
Oh, I need a biopic.
— MJB Super Fan (@YaMamaBlack) January 19, 2022
And y’all only ever spoke of her ONCE pic.twitter.com/lgBdZl5Aoe
— Negus = ROYALTY (@stillneguss) January 19, 2022
Why this my 1st time hearin bout this !? pic.twitter.com/sCWVt1JUx1
— John P. Kelly (@SantinoRanks) January 19, 2022
Harris, a native of Minter City, Mississippi, was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame In 1992 and the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999.
She continues to hold the records of scoring 2,891 points and 1,662 rebounds during her college career at Delta State.
"She will be remembered for her charity, for her achievements both on and off the court, and the light she brought to her community, the State of Mississippi, her country as the first woman ever to score a basket in the Olympics, and to women who play basketball around the world," her family said in a statement.
