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
		________________________________
		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