| Moonfixer: The Basketball Journey of Earl Lloyd Subjects: Lloyd Earl 1928–; African American basketball players -- Biography; Syracuse Nationals (Basketball team); Detroit Pistons (Basketball team); In 1950, future Hall of Famer Earl Lloyd became the first African American to play in a National Basketball Association game. Nicknamed "Moonfixer" in college, Lloyd led West Virginia State to two CIAA Conference and Tournament Championships and was named All-American twice. One of three African Americans to enter the NBA at that time, Lloyd played for the Washington Capitals, Syracuse Nationals, and Detroit Pistons before he retired in 1961. Earl Lloyd attended Parker-Gray High School in Alexandria, Virginia, and graduated from West Virginia State College. He was the first African American to compete in an NBA game and also broke down longstanding barriers as an NBA coach, as a scout, and as an executive with the Dodge division of Chrysler. He was deeply involved in programs to benefit city youth in Detroit. Lloyd has received many honors in recent years, including his 2003 enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. |