The shooting guard from Pittsburgh was an All-American selection at college and the first black player drafted in the NBA, selected by the Boston Celtics.
Seventy years ago, Charles Henry"Chuck" Cooper became the first African American player to be drafted in the NBA, after being selected by thein the second round with the 14th overall pick.
The first African American player to take part in a college basketball game held below the Mason-Dixon line, Cooper played a crucial role in the Dukes twice receiving an invitation for the National Invitation Tournament, back then the most prestigious tournament in college basketball before the advent of the NCAA Tournament.
During Cooper's spell in Boston, the Celtics transformed from also-rans into genuine contenders, reaching the Division Semifinals—the equivalent of the modern-day second round of the playoffs—in each of his four seasons with the franchise and going as far as the Division Finals in 1953.
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