The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) couldn’t be more thrilled to celebrate the trailblazers of our sport. They will honor these trailblazers during Black History Month in February 2026. This challenge will result in the inaugural NBA Pioneers Classic. It will recognize the legacies Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd and Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton—the first three African Americans to break the NBA’s color barrier.
Additionally, the NBA Pioneers Classic will be played annually on February 1, establishing February 1 as NBA Pioneers Day. This date is also particularly noteworthy because it falls on the first day of Black History Month. And the NBA and NBPA are looking to honor those contributions made by these trailblazers. They also want to help inform fans about the huge influence they have over the game.
On April 25, 1950, Chuck Cooper did something amazing. The Boston Celtics had drafted him, making him the first African American player in the NBA. On that date, May 24th, 1950, Nathaniel Clifton made history. He went on to become the first African American to sign an NBA contract when he joined the New York Knicks. On October 31, 1950, Earl Lloyd became the first African American to take the court in an NBA game. On that fateful Halloween day in 1950, he made his way onto the court for the Washington Capitols to take on the Syracuse Nationals.
After the 2025 NBA Draft, which saw Cooper, Lloyd and Clifton drafted with three consecutive picks, their families were celebrated on social media. They were celebrated for their pioneering accomplishments. The NBA and NBPA together will organize a wide range of events in local communities this season. You’ll see in-game tributes as we celebrate the contributions of basketball pioneers.
The fifth annual NBA HBCU Classic will be played during NBA All-Star Weekend 2025 in Los Angeles. This fantastic game, which is timed with Black History Month, will feature the men’s basketball teams from Hampton University and North Carolina A&T State University. This event highlights the league’s commitment to advocating for historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). It celebrates the incredible history and culture celebrated by African American athletes.
The NBA and NBPA will work to distribute educational material across digital platforms. Supporters can be excited about some thrill-inducing video tributes and informative alternates on social media. They’ll discover other helpful educational resources on a special Black History Month webpage on NBA.com.
“On behalf of the Cooper, Lloyd and Clifton families, we are grateful to the NBA and NBPA for this incredible recognition and for establishing the annual NBA Pioneers Classic and Day,” – Chuck Cooper III
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