This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
This past week, the Portland Trailblazers lost one of their great former players, when Jerome Kersey suddenly passed away.
On Thursday, the NBA lost a piece of its history when Earl Lloyd died at the age of 86.
Lloyd was the first African-American player in league history, making his breakthrough in 1950, when he was 22 years old. He was an imposing figure, 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. He was originally selected by the Washington Capitols in the ninth round of the 1950 NBA Draft, and made his debut on October 31, 1950.
Lloyd was never a star. But he did play for a decade, and he was named to basketball's Hall-Of-Fame in 2003. What he turned out to be was a great ambassador for the game itself. Lloyd knew full well the significance of his accomplishment. By all accounts, he wore it proudly, and was an affable, likable man.
He coached the Detroit Pistons in the 1971-1972 season. He averaged 8.4 points and 6.4 rebounds over the course of his career, and played for three teams. He was a small forward and carried the nickname "Big Cat"
"The NBA family has lost one of its patriarchs," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement to ESPN.com. "Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in an NBA game, was as inspirational as he was understated. He was known as a modest gentleman who played the game with skill, class, and pride. His legacy survives in the league he helped integrate, and the entire NBA family will strive to always honor his memory. Our deepest condolences to the Lloyd family."
In the past two days, dozens of NBA players have taken to twitter, expressing condolences and thanks for Lloyd's contributions to the game.
Tony Jones