Bill Text: TX SR679 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Recognizing Delmer W. Harris for his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-25 - Reported enrolled [SR679 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-SR679-Enrolled.html
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| 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. | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| ________________________________ | ||
| Member, Texas Senate | ||
