While NBA pioneer Charles Cooper — better known as “Chuck”– may no longer be with us, the impact he left on the game is indelible. Cooper would play his college ball at West Virginia State and Duquesne, drafted from the latter with the 14th overall pick of the 1950 NBA Draft. Chuck Cooper broke the NBA color barrier — and he did it right here in Boston. This was historic because Charles Cooper was the first person to be drafted into the NBA as an African American. Charles Cooper may refer to: . He averaged 9.6 points and 8.5 rebounds in 66 games that season. These moves rejuvenated Cooper's career temporarily. Cooper joined an NBA that was comparatively more diverse than other sports leagues, and began to form relationships with his teammates. Louis Hawks and Fort Wayne Pistons, broke the NBA… SB Nation is the largest independent sports media brand, consisting of SBNation.com, MMAFighting.com and over 300 fan-centric team communities. He played for Fort Wayne in the 1956 NBA championships but remained frustrated. Charles Henry Cooper was an American professional basketball player. Ben Kageyama. He then played for a year with the all-black Harlem Magicians squad before leaving basketball for good after suffering a back injury in a car crash. That impact … Charles Harrison Cooper (September 29, 1926 - February 5, 1984), better known as Chuck Cooper, was one of three players with legitimate claims to be the first African American Basketball player in the NBA. Charles Henry Cooper (September 29, 1926 – February 5, 1984) was an American professional basketball player. Read up on Charles Cooper's biography, career, awards and more on ESPN. Charles Barkley was 'pissed' at Kenny Smith for walking off set as NBA players protested Jacob Blake shooting Barkley made his comments on a podcast earlier this week Come fan with us. The First Black Player to Be Drafted Into the NBA. “I don’t give a damn if he’s striped or plaid or polka-dot, Boston takes Charles Cooper of Duquesne,” Brown retorted in an unusual civil rights speech. Cooper was traded to the Milwaukee Hawks for the 1954-55 season and to the Fort Wayne (Indiana) Pistons the following year. Chuck Cooper: A Pioneer for African-Americans in the league. Michael Cooper - Career stats, game logs, biographical info, awards, and achievements for the NBA and NCAA. Charles “Chuck” Cooper officially broke the NBA’s color barrier on April 25, 1950 when the Boston Celtics selected him with the 13th overall pick of the NBA draft. Houston Rockets (via Thunder): Sharife Cooper (Auburn, PG, Freshman) Finally ruled eligible, Cooper debuted with 26 points and nine assists against Alabama on … The game of basketball was predominately white … The mission of The Chuck Cooper Foundation is to continue the legacy of Charles ""Chuck"" Cooper, the first African-American drafted into the National Basketball Association, by awarding graduate-level scholarships and by providing comprehensive leadership development, professional skills, and opportunities to underserved students. Cooper was also the first African American to be drafted by a National Basketball Association (NBA) team, as the first pick of the second round by the Boston Celtics. Charles D. 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