Lloyd, NBA's first black player, passes away at 86

(SportsNetwork.com) - Earl Lloyd, the first African-American to play in a NBA game, has died at the age of 86.

Lloyd, who made his first NBA appearance with the Washington Capitols on October 31, 1950, was an inductee into the Naismith Hall of Fame as a contributor in 2003.

Lloyd played college ball at West Virginia State and played in the NBA with Washington, Syracuse and Detroit. He won a title with Syracuse in 1955 and coached the Pistons from 1971-72.