Earl Lloyd

Benedict Tagle

While the majority of NBA players today are of color, this wasn’t always the case. On Oct 31, 1950, Earl Lloyd broke the League’s color barrier when he entered the game for the Washington Capitols against the Rochester Royals (which today are now the Sacramento Kings).

While it marked a historical moment, he described it as ordinary in an interview years later.

"Rochester was a sleepy upstate town where schools were integrated and they were used to seeing blacks and whites playing together," he told Jack Saylor of the Detroit Free Press on the 50th anniversary of the game. "The game was totally, unequivocally uneventful except for the date — Oct. 31. Maybe they thought I was a goblin or something."

Two other black players Chuck Cooper and Sweetwater Clifton also made their debuts in the 1950 season, shortly after Lloyd became the first.

In 1955, the Syracuse Nationals won the NBA title, making Lloyd and teammate Jim Tucker the first black players to play for a championship team. Lloyd played a key role on the team, averaging 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Lloyd was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, recognizing his contribution to the sport. His speech gave credit to his families, teachers, and coaches for their influence on his achievements.

“It’s easy to be successful when you’re surrounded by greatness,” he said in Springfield.

His contributions to the game extended beyond his playing days. When he joined the coaching staff of the Detroit Pistons in 1968, he became the first African-American assistant coach. He was the second African-American head coach in NBA history when he took over the Pistons in 1971.

Lloyd pioneered a new era of basketball. Breaking the color barrier is a feat that will forever be remembered in NBA history.

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Earl Lloyd: The Man Who Broke the NBA’s Color Barrier

sacjwise

Basketball Hall of Fame contributor Earl Lloyd, who became the first African-American to play in the NBA in 1950, passed away on Thursday.

The Sacramento Kings will join the basketball community in remembering the life and impact of Lloyd with a moment of silence prior to the team’s contest against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.

Following the news, Kings personnel joined Chairman Vivek Ranadivé, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and more in expressing their condolences for the NBA pioneer.

“It's a sad day but the milestone he broke, as far as being the first African-American in the NBA, is a great feat to accomplish. It opened up the doors for a lot of us to be able to play this game of basketball at such a high level. It’s a sad day but I also believe in celebrating the life of someone. It’s a blessing he was able to break that barrier for us.”

"It's a sad day. Someone who was a pioneer as the first African-American in the NBA. He doesn't get mentioned as much as Jackie Robinson because baseball at that time was 'America's sport’, but Earl had the same impact of breaking the color barrier. You think about what he did that spearheaded all of the other (firsts); Bill Russell becoming the first (African-American) coach and Wayne Embry becoming the first executive. Those things couldn't happen without Earl Lloyd being the first African-American player. The things he did for us to be able to coach and play are because of what he did early in his life."

"You have to be appreciative for the door being opened for African-Americans in the game of basketball. Those times he played in to open the door for us and go through those trials, we can't really imagine what it was like because we don't have to go through that today. It's truly a blessing and amazing to see how our game has grown and the influence it has. Rest in peace to him, and blessings to his family."

“No matter what race, creed or color you are, you can only admire people who have done groundbreaking things like Earl Lloyd.”

Earl Lloyd

Earl Lloyd: The Man Who Broke the NBA’s Color Barrier

Kings Honor Earl Lloyd