Professional Basketball Player. He was the first African-American to be drafted by a National Basketball League team. A high school star Westinghouse High in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, he elected to stay at home and continue to play collegiately at Duquesne University, where he starred from 1947 to 1950 after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. He led the "Dukes" to a 78-19 record and two NIT appearances in his four-year career, and captained a 1949-50 squad that finished with a 23-6 record and No. 6 national ranking. That 1950 team of the Dukes were the first Duquesne team to be ranked for an entire season by the Associated Press. He made history when the Boston Celtics selected him in the second round of the 1950 draft, and his subsequent NBA career for six seasons. In addition to playing for the Celtics, he had stints with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (now in Atlanta, Georgia) and Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (now in Detroit, Michigan). His #15 jersey was retired by Duquesne University. His #11 Celtic jersey, although still active, has been hung among jerseys for special honor at the Boston Garden and current Celtic home, the Fleet Center. In 2019, Cooper was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Professional Basketball Player. He was the first African-American to be drafted by a National Basketball League team. A high school star Westinghouse High in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, he elected to stay at home and continue to play collegiately at Duquesne University, where he starred from 1947 to 1950 after his service in the United States Navy during World War II. He led the "Dukes" to a 78-19 record and two NIT appearances in his four-year career, and captained a 1949-50 squad that finished with a 23-6 record and No. 6 national ranking. That 1950 team of the Dukes were the first Duquesne team to be ranked for an entire season by the Associated Press. He made history when the Boston Celtics selected him in the second round of the 1950 draft, and his subsequent NBA career for six seasons. In addition to playing for the Celtics, he had stints with the Milwaukee/St. Louis Hawks (now in Atlanta, Georgia) and Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (now in Detroit, Michigan). His #15 jersey was retired by Duquesne University. His #11 Celtic jersey, although still active, has been hung among jerseys for special honor at the Boston Garden and current Celtic home, the Fleet Center. In 2019, Cooper was posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Bio by: Warrick L. Barrett
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