In celebration of the 75th anniversary of Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd and Nathaniel \u201cSweetwater\u201d Clifton, the league\u2019s first Black players, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) today announced the NBA Pioneers Scholarship.<\/p>\n
Over the next five years, the NBA Foundation<\/a> and NBPA Foundation <\/a>will donate $750,000 to underwrite the scholarship \u201cto support HBCU academic and athletic programs throughout the country.\u201d\u00a0 Initial scholarship recipients will include the alma maters of the three pioneers \u2013 West Virginia State University (Cooper, who was also an All-American at Duquesne University and Lloyd and Xavier University of Louisiana (Clifton).\u00a0 Additionally, all HBCU athletic departments and former NBA HBCU Fellowship program participants will be eligible to apply for the scholarship program in the future.<\/p>\n Chris Paul, a graduate of Winston-Salem University and former president of the NBPA, shared the importance of the scholarship fund.<\/p>\n \u201cThis year marks the 75th anniversary of the first black players playing in the NBA, Chuck Cooper, Earl Lloyd and Nat Sweetwater Clifton, to commemorate their enduring impact,\u201d Paul said in a statement to BET. \u201cTogether, the NBA Foundation and the NBPA Foundation will award an NBA pioneer scholarship of $150,000 annually, for a total of $750,000 over five years to support HBCU athletics, academic enrichment and professional development.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe inaugural recipients of this award are West Virginia State University and Xavier University of Louisiana,\u201d Paul continued. \u201cTo the NBA pioneers, thank you. Your courage gave us an opportunity, your game gave us hope, and your legacy will be a part of every pass, every shot, every moment in the NBA.\u201d<\/p>\n Throughout Black History Month and at NBA All-Star 2026 in Los Angeles, the celebration will continue with community events, hold in-game moments recognizing the NBA Pioneers, share educational resources from partners, promote player content and curate a digital NBA Black History virtual gallery across NBA social channels and on the Black History Month webpage on NBA.com (https:\/\/www.nba.com\/bhm).\u00a0<\/p>\n