Bill Text: TX SR679 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
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-Introduced.html
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-Introduced.html
88R32966 JRI-F | ||
By: Paxton | S.R. No. 679 |
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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 88th Texas 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 by the | ||
Texas Senate. |