First African-American to play in an NBA game dies

(Reuters) - The National Basketball Association on Friday hailed Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in an NBA game, as "a modest gentleman who played the game with skill, class, and pride." Lloyd, a ninth-round pick by the Washington Capitols in 1950 as one three black players drafted by the NBA that year, died on Thursday in Tennessee at the age of 86. A 6-foot-6 small forward, Lloyd broke the NBA color barrier on Oct. 31, 1950, when he entered a game against the Rochester Royals. He went on to play in the NBA for nine seasons. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Lloyd was "as inspirational as he was understated." "He was known as a modest gentleman who played the game with skill, class, and pride," Silver said in a statement.

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