Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This day honors the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his role in the civil rights movement. Many people have the day off, and the NBA takes today as an opportunity to celebrate MLK. The NBA has 13 games today, starting early in the afternoon and running til late at night.
It's no secret that the NBA is considered a sport usually dominated by African-Americans. While Jackie Robinson and baseball get most of the recognition for breaking the color barrier in 1947, the NBA hasn't been far behind. 1950 saw the beginning of integration for the NBA. The first black player drafted by an NBA team was Chuck Cooper, picked in the second round of the 1950 draft by the Boston Celtics. In the eighth round of the draft, Washington chose Earl Lloyd of West Virginia State. At about the same time, the New York Knicks signed Nat "Sweetwater'' Clifton from the Harlem Globetrotters. Lloyd made his debut on Oct. 31, 1950, becoming the first black to play in an NBA game. Cooper made his debut a day later. Clifton, the first to sign a contract, played his first game on Nov. 4, 1950.
There are currently 10 black NBA head coaches, while there are only 8 black head coaches in the other major professional sports combined.
And it isn't just about black players. The NBA is full of foreign players too. It is a great mix of people from all races and backgrounds.
So even if you don't particularly enjoy the NBA, at least you can appreciate that MLK would be proud to see the sports world today, especially the NBA.
