NBA Announces Pioneers Scholarship

The Nationwide Basketball Affiliation (NBA) and the Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation (NBPA) have introduced the NBA Pioneers Scholarship, which acknowledges the league’s first Black gamers, Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, and Nathaniel “Sweetwater” Clifton.

In keeping with BET Information, this scholarship is being launched to have a good time the seventy fifth anniversary of the gamers coming into the league. The NBA Basis and NBPA Basis will donate $750,000 towards the scholarship “to assist HBCU tutorial and athletic packages all through the nation.”

“This yr marks the seventy fifth anniversary of the primary Black gamers enjoying within the NBA, Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd, and Nat Sweetwater Clifton, to commemorate their enduring affect,” Los Angeles Clippers level guard Chris Paul mentioned in a written assertion. “Collectively, the NBA Basis and the NBPA Basis will award an NBA pioneer scholarship of $150,000 yearly, for a complete of $750,000 over 5 years to assist HBCU athletics, tutorial enrichment, {and professional} growth.”

“The inaugural recipients of this award are West Virginia State College and Xavier College of Louisiana. To the NBA pioneers, thanks. Your braveness gave us a chance, your sport gave us hope, and your legacy will likely be part of each go, each shot, each second within the NBA.”

The primary recipients of the NBA Pioneers Scholarship will come from the alma mater of the three NBA pioneers. Cooper and Lloyd performed their collegiate careers at West Virginia State College, whereas Clifton performed basketball at Xavier College of Louisiana.

The NBA plans to proceed celebrating the pioneers throughout Black Historical past Month and at subsequent yr’s NBA All-Star 2026, happening in Los Angeles. The celebration can even proceed off the court docket by way of neighborhood occasions and different activations, recognizing the seventy fifth anniversary of the gamers coming into the NBA. 

The league additionally introduced that in All-Star weekend, the fifth annual NBA HBCU Traditional will characteristic Hampton College and North Carolina A&T State College.

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