Earl Lloyd
Earl Francis Lloyd was a pioneering figure in American basketball, known for being the first African American to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born and raised in Virginia during a time of strict segregation, Lloyd demonstrated exceptional talent in basketball while attending West Virginia State College, where he led the team to multiple championships and earned All-American honors. Drafted by the Washington Capitols in 1950, he made history on October 31, 1950, when he became the first African American to compete in an NBA game.
Lloyd enjoyed a nine-year playing career in the NBA, achieving notable success with the Syracuse Nationals, where he contributed to the team’s championship victory in 1955. After his playing career, he made history again by becoming the first African American non-playing coach in the NBA in 1971. Throughout his life, Lloyd faced and overcame significant racial barriers, paving the way for future generations of African American players and coaches. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, and his legacy continues to inspire many in the sport. Lloyd passed away on February 26, 2015, at the age of eighty-six.
Earl Lloyd
- Born: April 3, 1928
- Birthplace: Alexandria, Virginia
- Died: February 26, 2015
Basketball player and coach
Lloyd broke the color barrier in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the first African American to play in an NBA game, and he and teammate Jim Tucker were the first black players to win an NBA championship. He also was the first African American assistant coach and the first black, nonplaying coach in the NBA.
Early Life
Earl Francis Lloyd was born and raised in Virginia amid strict segregation. He earned an education degree from West Virginia State College in 1950. With his fierce determination to succeed, Lloyd led West Virginia State to two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association basketball championships, in 1948 and 1949. He earned all-conference honors three years in a row (1948–50) and was named an All-American twice (1949 and 1950). During the 1947–48 season, West Virginia State was the only undefeated team in the United States.
After turning down an offer to play for the Harlem Globetrotters, Lloyd was drafted by the Washington Capitols of the National Basketball Association (NBA) as the 107th pick in 1950. Two other African Americans also were drafted that year,Chuck Cooper by the Boston Celtics and Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton by the New York Knickerbockers. Because the Capitols opened the season one day before the Celtics and Knicks, Lloyd made history when he became the first African American to play in an NBA game, on October 31, 1950. He played only seven games for the Capitols before the team folded on January 9, 1951.
Life’s Work
In 1952, Lloyd was signed by the Syracuse Nationals. During the 1952–53 season, he played in sixty-four games, averaging 7.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game, and established himself as a top defensive player. The speed and defending skills of the 6-foot, 5-inch forward earned him the nickname “The Big Cat.” In the 1954–55 campaign, Lloyd helped lead the Nationals to the NBA title. He averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He and teammate Jim Tucker were the first African Americans to play on an NBA championship team.
During his NBA career, Lloyd was known for setting jarring screens, grabbing rebounds, and playing tough, stingy defense. After playing for the Nationals for six seasons, Lloyd was traded to the Detroit Pistons for cash in 1958. Lloyd finished his career with the Pistons in 1960. During his nine years in the NBA, he played in 560 games, scored 4,682 points, collected 3,609 rebounds, and made 810 assists. Although his numbers were not spectacular, Lloyd had a solid NBA career and will be remembered for breaking the NBA color barrier.
After serving as an assistant coach with the Pistons for several seasons, Lloyd was named the team’s head coach in 1971. Although Bill Russell had broken the color barrier for NBA coaches when he served as player-coach for the Boston Celtics in the late 1960s, Lloyd became the first African American nonplaying coach in the NBA. After compiling a record of twenty-two wins and fifty-five losses with the Pistons, Lloyd was fired in 1973. The Pistons hired him as a scout, and he helped rebuild the team over the next five seasons. During the late 1970s and 1980s, he worked as job-placement director for the Detroit public school system.
Lloyd was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003 for his contributions to the sport. For his contributions to collegiate and professional basketball, he was named to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) Silver Anniversary and Golden Anniversary teams. On December 1, 2007, the basketball court at T. C. Williams High School in Lloyd’s hometown of Alexandria, Virginia, was named in his honor.
On February 26, 2015, Lloyd passed away at the age of eighty-six in Crossville, Tennessee.
Significance
Although his role in the integration of the NBA is often overlooked, Lloyd paved the way for future African Americans players and coaches in the league. He quietly endured the slights and exclusions of racism and segregation. As of the 2010–11 season, 78 percent of NBA players were African American, according to the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports.
Bibliography
Demby, Gene. "Earl Lloyd Was Basketball's Jackie Robinson. Why Isn't He Famous?" NPR. NPR, 11 Mar. 2015. Web. 23 Dec. 2015.
Goldstein, Richard. "Earl Lloyd, N.B.A.'s First Black Player, Dies at 86." New York Times. New York Times, 27 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Dec. 2015.
Kirchberg, Connie, and Jim Barnett. Hoop Lore: A History of the National Basketball Association. Jefferson: McFarland, 2007. Print.
Lloyd, Earl, and Sean Kirst. Moonfixer: The Basketball Journey of Earl Lloyd. Syracuse: U of Syracuse P, 2009. Print.
Thomas, Ron. They Cleared the Lane: The NBA’s Black Pioneers. Lincoln: U of Nebraska P, 2004. Print.