Del Harris
1995 NBA Coach of the Year | 2022 Hall of Fame Contributor
Del Harris was born on June 18, 1937, in Orleans, Indiana. Harris built an NBA career across Houston, Milwaukee and Los Angeles after coaching in the ABA. He later advised or assisted coaching staffs in Dallas, Chicago and New Jersey.
Overall NBA regular-season head-coaching record: 556–457. Assistant service and non-NBA leagues are excluded from this NBA regular-season total.
Coaching Career
Harris appeared on the final Utah Stars ABA staff; those assistant games are not part of his NBA head-coaching record.
Harris worked on Rudy Tomjanovich-era teammate and coach Tom Nissalke’s Houston staff before succeeding to the head job.
Notable Players Coached
Harris went 141–187 in four seasons; the Moses Malone-led Rockets reached the 1981 NBA Finals as Western Conference champions.
Notable Players Coached
He joined Milwaukee’s coaching staff before taking over the head-coaching position in 1987.
Notable Players Coached
Harris went 183–145 across four full seasons and 8–9 over the first 17 games of 1991–92; his total Milwaukee record was 191–154.
Notable Players Coached
Harris guided the young Lakers, including the transition to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, winning 224 of 340 regular-season games. He earned NBA Coach of the Year for 1994–95.
Notable Players Coached
He spent seven seasons on Dallas’s staff under Don Nelson and Avery Johnson, including the Mavericks’ 2006 Finals appearance.