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Earl Francis Lloyd became the first Black player to appear in an NBA game on October 31, 1950.

Lloyd's rookie season was cut short after seven games when he was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve in the Korean War.

Lloyd later became a trailblazing scout and coach for the Detroit Pistons, where he advocated for drafting future Hall of Famers from HBCUs.

The date was October 31, 1950. Instead of a Halloween costume, Earl Francis Lloyd wore a Washington Capitols basketball uniform as he took his well-earned place on a court at Edgerton Park Sports Arena to become the first Black player to appear in a National Basketball Association game.

In a game won by the Rochester Royals, 78-70, in front of 2,184 paying fans, Lloyd — a 6-foot-6-inch forward known for his tenaci

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