Earl Lloyd could be considered the Jackie Robinson of the NBA. The man who paved the way for guys like Wilt Chamberlain, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and Lebron James died on Thursday at the age of 86.
Lloyd first suited up on Halloween of 1950 for the Washington Capitols. Lloyd’s ten-year career saw stops in three different cities, as he played for the Capitols, Syracuse Nationals, before finishing his playing days with the Detroit Pistons.
Lloyd faced harsh conditions during his playing days, mainly from fans.
“(They) would say stuff like, ‘Go back to Africa,’” Lloyd told NBA.com before his death. “I’m telling you, you would often hear the N-word. That was commonplace. There were a lot of people who sat close to you who gave you the blues, man.”
Following his playing days, Lloyd later became one of the NBA’s first African-American coaches, coaching the Pistons from 1971 through 1972. He was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2003.
Lloyd is survived by his wife and three sons.
