Delmer “Sonny” Harris graduated from Plainfield in 1955,
completing a high school career that included competing on the basketball,
baseball, and cross-country teams, as well as several other school clubs and
activities. Del went on to play basketball at Milligan College before starting
a long and storied career in coaching.
After several successful years in the high school and
college coaching ranks, Del made his way to the ABA/NBA in 1975 where he would
coach until 2012. That span included time as the head coach for the Houston
Rockets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Los Angeles Lakers, in addition to a number of
assistant coaching roles. Throughout Del’s professional coaching career, he had
the opportunity to help develop legendary talents such as Moses Malone, Kobe
Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal. Today, Del serves as Vice President for the Texas
Legends of the NBA G-League.
Honors earned during Del’s career include induction into
Plainfield High School’s inaugural Hall of Fame class, the Indiana Basketball
Hall of Fame, the Milligan College Hall of Fame, and the National Association
of Intercollegiate Athletics Hall of Fame. He is a three-time Puerto Rican League
champion as a coach, 1995 NBA Coach of the Year, 2014 Coach Wooden “Keys to
Life” Award winner, and 2020 Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award winner.
This weekend, that list of accomplishments grows when Del is
enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2022.
Please join the Red Pride Booster Club in saying
congratulations to Del Harris for this well-deserved recognition. Thank you,
Del, for your many contributions to the game of basketball. Plainfield is
honored to call you one of our own.
If you have a Del Harris story or memory, please feel free to share in the comments.
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