All Things Basketball with GD - Week 15 Player Spotlight, NBA Pioneers

Chuck Cooper (00:45)

SF/PF - 6'5", 210 lb

Born 9/29/26 in Pittsburgh, PA (birth name: Charles Henry Cooper)

Grew up in a segregated Pittsburgh area; attended Westinghouse HS

Enrolled at WV State College, a HBCU where he stayed only one semester

Was drafted by the US Navy to serve during World War II

After his tour of duty he went back home to Pittsburgh & attended Duquesne University

4 year starter scoring a school record 990 points; Led his team to 2 NIT tourneys

Was the 1st Black player to play a college game south of the Mason-Dixon line

In the 1950 Draft he became the 1st Black player drafted by BOS (2nd round, 13th overall)

Also drafted: teammate Bob Cousy (4th), Bill Sharman (17th), Earl Lloyd (101st)

Made his NBA debut on 11/1/50, one day after Lloyd

Played for 4 seasons in BOS before being traded to Milwaukee Hawks for 1 1/2 seasons

Was released & signed with Fort Wayne Pistons but played only 32 games there & then retired from the NBA

Would go on towards a life of social activism, particularly in the Pittsburgh area

Inducted into the PA Sports Hall of Fame in 1974 & the Naismith HoF in 2019 as a contributor; #15 jersey retired in 2001

Died 2/5/84 of liver cancer in Pittsburgh at the age of 57

Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton (13:33)

PF - 6'7", 220 lb

Born 10/13/22 in England, AR (in the Little Rock area); birth name: Clifton Nathaniel

Got the nickname Sweetwater because of his mixing water with sugar & not from his love of soda which was previously reported

His family migrated to CHI at age 8; played both basketball & baseball at DuSable HS

CHI Daily News called him one of the 2 greatest HS basketball players in Illinois history

Attended Xavier University (of LA), a HBCU, for one season before being drafted by the US Army to serve during World War II

After his service he started playing with the Dayton Metropolitans, NY Rens & Harlem Globetrotters from 1948-50

In the offseason he played baseball with the CHI American Giants (Negro Leagues)

Globetrotters owner Abe Saperstein sold his contract to the NYK for $12,500 ($2500 to Clifton)

Clifton thus became the 1st Black player to sign with the NBA

An integral part of the team; made the NBA Finals in his 1st 3 seasons 

Ended up making one All Star appearance during his 7 seasons with NYK

Was traded to DET where he played only one season due to his unhappiness with his role; retired after the season

Post-NBA he went back to the Negro Leagues; came out of retirement from basketball to play in the ABL, for the CHI Majors in 1961

A knee injury forced him to retire for good from all sports

With no pension from the NBA he became a taxi driver serving the CHI area

Inudcted into the Naismith HoF in 2014 as a contributor

Died 8/31/90 In Chicago at age 67

Earl  Lloyd (25:10)

SF - 6'5", 200 lb (nicknames: Big Cat, Moon Fixer)

Born 4/3/28 in Alexandria, VA (birth name: Earl Francis Lloyd)

Attended Parker-Gray HS, a segregated school in Alexandria

Drafted in the 1950 Draft by the Washington Capitols (9th round, 101st overall)

Played his 1st pro game on 10/31/50; one day before Chuck Cooper & 4 days before Nat Clifton

Only played 7 games as a rookie; team folded in 1951

Was drafted to serve in the US Army to fight during the Korean War

Had his most successful season in 1954-55 as SYR won the NBA title

He & teammate Jim Tucker became the 1st Blacks to play in a NBA Finals

Played 6 seasons in SYR before being traded to DET for cash; played 2 seasons there until he retired in 1961

Inducted into the Naismith HoF as a contributor in 2003

Died 2/26/2015 in Fairfield Glade, TN at age 86

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