As Women’s History Month continues, we are taking a moment to look back at the monumental legacy of Lusia Harris-Stewart, the woman affectionately known as "The Queen of Basketball." Recognized as the first Black woman and the first female college player ever inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992, her impact on the game created the blueprint for the stars we see today.

Every women’s professional basketball player of the modern era owed a debt to Harris-Stewart. If you’re not sure why, consider this: almost two decades before the WNBA was launched, Harris-Stewart became the first woman ever drafted into the NBA, when the New Orleans Jazz selected her in the seventh round of the 1977 NBA Draft. While other teams had attempted to draft female players in the past, those moves were often blocked by the league.

Harris-Stewart remains the only woman to be officially drafted by an NBA team, though she ultimately declined to try out for the roster as she was pregnant at the time.

On her way to that milestone, Harris-Stewart put up staggering numbers at Delta State University. During her tenure in the 1970s, she led the team to a 109-6 record and three consecutive national championships. She still holds the school’s all-time records for scoring with 2,981 points and rebounding with 1,662 boards. Throughout her collegiate career, she averaged a massive double-double of 25.9 points and 14.4 rebounds per game.

Beyond the college ranks, Harris-Stewart was a trailblazer on the global stage. When women’s basketball made its Olympic debut at the 1976 Montreal Games, she etched her name in the record books by scoring the first points in the history of the tournament. She eventually helped lead the United States to a silver medal, solidifying her status as an international icon.

The Mississippi native passed away in 2022 at the age of 66, leaving behind a resume that looks like a work of fiction. Her family described her as an "angel, matriarch, sister, mother, and grandmother," noting that her final months were filled with the joy of an upcoming family wedding and the worldwide recognition brought by the 2021 documentary detailing her life.

Inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 1999, she is remembered not just for her scoring titles but for the light she brought to her community. From being the subject of the Oscar-winning short film The Queen of Basketball to her decades of service as a teacher and coach, her legacy ensures that the path she cleared will never be forgotten by the generations of hoopers who follow in her footsteps.