On April 25, 1950, Boston Celtics owner Walter Brown drafted Chuck Cooper out of Duquesne. One owner piped in and said "Don't you know he's colored?"
"I don't care if he's striped, plaid, or polka dot!" Brown is said to have responded. And like that, the NBA began the long path towards integration. Then the Washington Capitols drafted Earl Lloyd, and four weeks later, the New York Knicks signed Nat "Sweetwater" Clifton from the Harlem Globetrotters. In 2025, the NBA celebrated the 75th anniversary of these men's historic arrival.
As you might imagine, it wasn't as simple as getting drafted and living happily ever after. Lloyd would play only seven games that year before being drafted into the Army for nearly three years. While Syracuse Nationals star Dolph Schayes was out with an injury, Lloyd led the team in scoring. When Schayes returned, Lloyd voluntarily went back to his reduced role.
Clifton, who had entertained thousands as a Harlem Globetrotter, was asked to "tone down all that stuff."
NBA 2K26 has added these three legends to MyTeam in celebration of Black History Month. The locker code NBA Pioneers grants players an option pack that allows them to select one of the three. The other two can be unlocked through in-game challenges.
Many gaming companies realize the importance of celebrating these milestones, as do I. A whole lot of people made sacrifices, so I had the right to get an education and sit in the seat I now occupy. In this Black History Month, we'll celebrate the achievements of these and other pioneers. I can't wait to share their stories with you.