It was on this date in 1950 that Celtics wing luminary Chuck Cooper became the first African American drafted into the NBA, aken out of Duquesne by Boston with the 14th overall pick.
Cooper joined Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton and Earl Lloyd as the first African Americans to play in the league that season, making his debut on Nov. 1 against the then-Fort Wayne Pistons.
Cooper would play for the Celtics for four seasons, averaging 6.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game over that stretch, and would be elected to the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2019.