The composition of race and ethnicity in the National Basketball Association has changed throughout the league's history. The first non-white player to play in the league was an Asian American, Wat Mi
Asian American point guard Wat Misaka broke basketball's color barrier as the first non-white player to play in the NBA in 1947.
Earl Lloyd (right) was the first African American to play in the NBA in 1950.
Robert Johnson became the first black majority NBA team owner in 2004.
Earl Lloyd
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Earl Francis Lloyd was an American professional basketball player and coach. He was the first African American player to play a game in the National Basketball Association.
Race and ethnicity in the NBA
…training camp and did not play professionally. On May 24, Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton was the second African American player to sign an NBA contract. Earl Lloyd was the first to play in the NBA. Hank DeZonie also played that year. In 1953, Don Barksdale became the first African American to play in an NBA All-Star…
Lloyd circa 1950
Lloyd meets Vice President Joe Biden at the White House in 2010