STUDENT ESSAY Photo by CBS Sports Earl Lloyd influenced me Bio 8th Grade, Southeast Middle School Boy Scout Troop 813 - Galilee Missionary Baptist Church Son of Olu & LaShaunda Browne L Malik Browne I chose Earl Lloyd as my African-American hero. Earl Lloyd was one of the first three African-American NBA basketball players. He was bom on April 3, 1928 in Alexandria, Virginia, and he died on Feb. 26, 2015 in Crossville, Tennessee. He attended West Virginia University, and was later drafted in 1950 to the Washington Capitols. Earl was a tough man and a great player. He continued to play the sport he enjoyed the most, even through the times of racism and segregation. By him never giving up and losing hope on his dreams, he inspires me to keep doing what I enjoy doing the most and that’s playing basketball. I will never give up on my dreams of some day becoming an NBA player.