These days, when you look at the racial makeup of the NBA, it’s difficult to envision a time when African-American players didn’t dominate the game. But the America of the fledgling NBA was a different, less tolerant place. In 1950, Boston Celtics upstart rookie coach Arnold “Red” Auerbach used a second-round draft pick to make Duquesne forward Chuck Cooper the first black player drafted by an NBA team. In the ninth round of thate same draft, the Washington Capitols selected West Virginia State forward Earl “Big Cat” Lloyd, and before the start of the 1950-51 season, the New York Knicks signed Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton. Lloyd became the first African-American to play in a NBA game when he came off the bench for the Capitols against the Rochester (N.Y.) Royals on Oct. 31, 1950. The next day, Cooper suited up and played for the Celtics. The door was kicked wide open and things would never be the same.
