Earl Lloyd was the first african american to play in the NBA
Earl Lloyd was the first black NBA player in 1950. *Became the first African-American to play in an NBA game on October 31, 1950 *Became the first African-American to win an NBA championship (1955 with Syracuse) *Became first African-American Assistant Coach with Detroit Pistons (1968-70) *Became second African-American head coach and first African-American bench coach with Detroit Pistons (1970-71) Earl Lloyd, who in 1950 became the first African-American to play in a NBA game with the Washington Capitols, was instrumental in integrating professional basketball as a player and coach.
Chuck Cooper was one of the first African-American males in the NBA.
He was the first African American NBA star
nat sweetwaters
shaquille o'neil
Earl Monroe
Bob pettit
bob mcadoo
Japanese-American player Wat Misaka played for the NBA's (or BAA as it was known at the time) Minneapolis (now Los Angeles) Lakers in 1947. The first African-American player to be drafted in to the NBA was Chuck Cooper in 1950 by the Boston Celtics. The first African-American to sign an NBA contract was Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton in 1950 with the New York Knicks. The African American to play in an NBA game was Earl Lloyd of the Washington Capitols on October 31, 1950.
Previous tallest african-american basketball player in the nba was Ralph Sampson who was 7'4
Bill Russell, who was a player-coach for the Boston Celtics from 1966 to 1969. He was the first African-American head coach to win an NBA title, earning back-to-back championships in 1968 and 1969.