Celebrating Asian American, Native Hawai'ian, Pacific Islander Heritage Month: Wataru Misaka, first Asian American to play in the NBA

Wataru Misaka, born December 21, 1923 in Ogden, Utah, grew up poor and in a bad area of the city, but graduated from Ogden High School.  He led the basketball team to a state championship title in 1940, and a regional title in 1941. 

This was at a time when Japanese Americans were being forced into internment camps.  He attended Weber College and helped lead its basketball team to two championships and was named Most Valuable Player of 1942. 

He enrolled at the University of Utah and played during their 1943-1944 season.  He was drafted to serve in WWII and rose to the rank of staff sergeant.  He returned after two years and rejoined the team at the University of Utah. 

He was selected by the New York Knicks in the 1947 Basketball Association of American and played in three games and scored seven points in the 1947-1948 season.  He was cut from the team mid-season.  

He completed a degree in engineering from Utah.

He passed away in November 2019 in Salt Lake City.  

Celebrating Black History Month: Earl Lloyd, first African-American to play in the NBA

Earl Lloyd, born April 3, 1928 in Alexandria, Virginia, became the first African-American to play in the National Basketball Association.  He played basketball in high school and named to the All-South Atlantic Conference three times and the All-State Virginia Interscholastic Conference twice. He received a scholarship to play basketball at West Virginia State University.

Lloyd led WVSU to two Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Conference and Tournament Championships in 1948 and 1949. 

He was drafted into the NBA during the ninth round in 1950 by the Washington Capitols. Lloyd was one of three black players to be drafted at the same time.  He played his first game on Halloween night, one day ahead of Chuck Cooper, and four days ahead of Nat Clifton. 

The Nationals folded in January 1951, and he was drafted into the US Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He served time in the Korean War before coming back to basketball in 1952. He played six seasons with Syracuse Nationals and two with the Detroit Pistons.

He retired in 1961. He passed away in February 2015 in Tennessee.