John McLendon’s career was one many of firsts; as head coach at HBCU North Carolina Central University, he was the first to introduce the fast break and full court press to the game. He was the first Black coach in professional basketball, so skillfully coaching the ABA’s Cleveland Pipers that they even defeated the U.S. Olympic team with Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. And in 2016, he became the first person enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as both a contributor and coach.
