Historically Black West Virginia State and Virginia Union aren’t strangers to making history.
In the 1950 NBA draft, former West Virginia State players Charles “Chuck” Cooper and Earl Lloyd were the first Black players drafted into the league when the Boston Celtics selected Cooper 13th overall and Lloyd went 101st to the Washington Capitols. On Oct. 31, 1950, Lloyd was the first Black player to play in an NBA game, and in 1955, he became one of the first Black players on an NBA championship team with the Syracuse Nationals.