Boston Celtics: The importance of Chuck Cooper in NBA history

Given his recent Hall of Fame induction, Chuck Cooper’s all-around impact for the Boston Celtics and the NBA deserves a deeper look.

The Boston Celtics pace the entire Association with 17 world championships. For all of the numerical phrases one could use to chronicle their greatness, it’s hard to imagine Walter Brown’s 20-word assurance on the night of the 1950 NBA Draft not being near the top of that list.

"“I don’t give a (expletive) if he’s striped, plaid or polka dot. The Boston Celtics take Chuck Cooper of Duquesne.”"

On that night, in a smoke-filled ballroom in Chicago for the non-televised draft, the then-Celtics owner selected Cooper, making him the first African-American chosen in an NBA Draft.

Nearly seven decades later, the man often referred to as the Jackie Robinson of professional basketball has been posthumously inducted into the 2019 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. With that in mind, it’s time to take a look at his influence on the game of basketball, even today.

What often goes unnoticed about the impact of Cooper’s draft story that night is how quickly it sent shockwaves among the NBA circle. Because fellow owners saw the Celtics’ willingness to take that step, it immediately opened the doors for two additional African-American players to step onto the hardwood as a pro.

The 1950 NBA Draft went to a twelfth round, and in the ninth, the Washington Capitals took a chance on a West Virginia State grad by the name of Earl Lloyd, who too would be welcomed into the Hall of Fame.

According to Lloyd, there’s a slim chance he’d have heard his name called without the Cooper selection seven rounds prior.

"“The Boston Celtics drafted him in the second round, which was monumental in 1950. If the Celtics had not taken Chuck in the second round, I cannot see the Washington Capitals stepping up and taking me.”"

The final player in that triumvirate of first-time players came with Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, who would become just the second African-American player to sign an NBA contract.

Together, the three ushered in an era in which the effects can still be felt to this day. Per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, African-American players represented 74 percent of the league’s players in 2015-16.

Cooper’s per-game statistics won’t be the type to blow anyone away. He finished his career with averages of 6.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game on 33.9 percent shooting.

Sheer numbers aside, the 2019 Hall of Fame inductee proved to be a portable fit in nearly any system he needed to fit in. Over a six-season career, Cooper helped navigate his teams to five postseason appearances, and even enjoyed a trip to the NBA Finals in 1956 with the Fort Wayne Pistons.

Things were indeed rocky at times, though. As custom during this time, Cooper was sometimes not allowed to join his teammates at restaurants. Given the intense racial climate, circumstances would sometimes get so bad that teammates such as Bob Cousy were unsure of what to say to him.

ESPN’s video also shed light on how Cooper felt about his playing career. He saw race as a key reason he never broke out as legitimate offensive force — his career-high was 9.2 points per game. In a 1976 interview, he said he believed the NBA wasn’t ready for a black star.

"“People say I look pretty good for 50,” Cooper joked. “But all the damage done to me is inside. That’s where it hurts.… My difficulties were internal, inside of me and inside the system that prevailed in basketball.”"

In terms of playstyle, Duquesne’s current head coach Keith Dambrot said that he sees a lot of LeBron James in Cooper’s game. The claim might seem bold until you remember Dambrot coached James for two seasons at St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School in Akron.

"“I see a lot Chuck Cooper in LeBron and that means LeBron has learned and Chuck has paved the way,” said Dambrot. “I am sure if you ask LeBron about Chuck Cooper, he knows his story.”"

Whether or not the James comparison holds weight, there are snippets of Cooper’s athleticism worth dissecting, even with limited film to work with.

Take Cooper’s coast-to-coast fast-break leaner for example:

Akin to Clifton and Lloyd, Cooper found a way to put his athleticism to use, as he carved a role with the Harlem Globetrotters. Before his playing career, he took part in their 18-city, 17-day tour with an all-black team.

All told, for as highlight-worthy as Cooper may have been on-court, it’s what his contributions are (and continue to be) off-court, that serves as the premise for his Hall of Fame nod.

Aside from the seismic change he helped pioneer for future NBA players, the Hall of Famer also leaves his imprint through the Chuck Cooper Foundation.

Through a partnership with the Boston Celtics, scholarship recipients will be granted the opportunity to serve in the Boston Celtics Community Engagement Department, focusing on anti-discrimination programs.

Chuck Cooper III, the group’s president and CEO confirmed that the foundation will be close to giving out $200 thousand in scholarships. That philanthropy has long been tied to his impact. He went on to become the first director of Parks and Recreation in the state of Pennsylvania.

Be it on-court of off-court, Cooper’s contributions to basketball’s future should be more than enough to offset any discussion about his lack of gaudy statistics.

The events of Apr. 25, 1950 changed the climate of both professional basketball and professional sports forever. Reports at the time say his draft selection took up only a small section of Boston’s newspaper that day as only a mere footnote. The impact, though, couldn’t have possibly been more monumental and more than deserving of a spot in the Hall.