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

Chuck Cooper (00:45)SF/PF - 6'5", 210 lbBorn 9/29/26 in Pittsburgh, PA (birth name: Charles Henry Cooper)Grew up in a segregated Pittsburgh area; attended Westinghouse HSEnrolled at WV State College, a HBCU where he stayed only one semesterWas drafted by the US Navy to serve during World War IIAfter his tour of duty he went back home to Pittsburgh & attended Duquesne University4 year starter scoring a school record 990 points; Led his team to 2 NIT tourneysWas the 1st Black player to play a college game south of the Mason-Dixon lineIn 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 LloydPlayed for 4 seasons in BOS before being traded to Milwaukee Hawks for 1 1/2 seasonsWas released & signed with Fort Wayne Pistons but played only 32 games there & then retired from the NBAWould go on towards a life of social activism, particularly in the Pittsburgh areaInducted into the PA Sports Hall of Fame in 1974 & the Naismith HoF in 2019 as a contributor; #15 jersey retired in 2001Died 2/5/84 of liver cancer in Pittsburgh at the age of 57Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton (13:33)PF - 6'7", 220 lbBorn 10/13/22 in England, AR (in the Little Rock area); birth name: Clifton NathanielGot the nickname Sweetwater because of his mixing water with sugar & not from his love of soda which was previously reportedHis family migrated to CHI at age 8; played both basketball & baseball at DuSable HSCHI Daily News called him one of the 2 greatest HS basketball players in Illinois historyAttended Xavier University (of LA), a HBCU, for one season before being drafted by the US Army to serve during World War IIAfter his service he started playing with the Dayton Metropolitans, NY Rens & Harlem Globetrotters from 1948-50In 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 NBAAn integral part of the team; made the NBA Finals in his 1st 3 seasonsEnded up making one All Star appearance during his 7 seasons with NYKWas traded to DET where he played only one season due to his unhappiness with his role; retired after the seasonPost-NBA he went back to the Negro Leagues; came out of retirement from basketball to play in the ABL, for the CHI Majors in 1961A knee injury forced him to retire for good from all sportsWith no pension from the NBA he became a taxi driver serving the CHI areaInudcted into the Naismith HoF in 2014 as a contributorDied 8/31/90 In Chicago at age 67Earl 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 AlexandriaDrafted 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 CliftonOnly played 7 games as a rookie; team folded in 1951Was drafted to serve in the US Army to fight during the Korean WarHad his most successful season in 1954-55 as SYR won the NBA titleHe & teammate Jim Tucker became the 1st Blacks to play in a NBA FinalsPlayed 6 seasons in SYR before being traded to DET for cash; played 2 seasons there until he retired in 1961Inducted into the Naismith HoF as a contributor in 2003Died 2/26/2015 in Fairfield Glade, TN at age 86