Oct 29, 2025
On October 31, 1950, Earl Lloyd stepped onto the court and into history as the first Black player to play in an NBA game, becoming a Pioneer in the NBA. Fellow NBA Pioneers, Chuck Cooper made his debut for the Boston Celtics on Nov. 1, and Nat Sweetwater Clifton made his debut on Nov. 4 for the New York Knicks. Stephen Curry, Jaylen Brown and Karl-Anthony Towns reflect on the 75th anniversary of these barrier-breaking debut games.