On April 25, 1950, Charles “Chuck” Cooper made history as the first African American basketball player ever drafted by a National Basketball Association (NBA) team. Selected by the Boston Celtics in the second round, Cooper’s entry into the league marked the breaking of a major color barrier in professional sports. A standout at Duquesne University, Cooper’s talent and composure helped pave the way for future legends like Bill Russell, Oscar Robertson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His selection came just three years after Jackie Robinson integrated Major League Baseball, continuing the broader struggle for racial equality in American athletics.
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