The NBA announced on Monday six new awards to be presented to the teams which win each of the league’s six divisions (Atlantic, Central, Southeast, Southwest Northwest, Pacific) that will be named after pioneering Black players drawn from the 75 years of history they played in the league, several of which are to be named for Boston Celtics alumni.
In addition to those named for players that never suited up for the Celtics — the Atlantic Division’s ‘Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton Trophy,’ the Southeast Division’s ‘Earl Lloyd Trophy,’ and the Southwest Division’s ‘Willis Reed Trophy’ — there will be a total of three more named for players who donned the green and white for at least some of their careers.
That includes the Central Division’s ‘Wayne Embry Trophy,’ the Northwest Division’s ‘Sam Jones Trophy,’ and the Pacific Division’s ‘Chuck Cooper Trophy.’