Stokes: The Brief Career of the NBA's First Black Superstar
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Stokes bounced the ball to Jack Twyman who launched a shot LAKERS 14 It banged off the rim and Stokes muscled inside for the rebound He went back up quickly and banked the ball off the backboard for a basket ROYALS 27
Maurice Stokes had grown up playing basketball on the courts of Pittsburgh He led Pennsylvania's tiny Saint Francis College to the National Invitation Tournament in New York where he became a fan favorite and was chosen Most Valuable Player NEW YORK 6 NEW YORK 10
In his first year in the NBA he led his team in scoring and rebounding and was named Rookie of the Year His teammates loved playing with him because even though he was a great scorer he looked to pass first and found them for open shots ROYALS 12 He helped everybody get better said Royals coach Bobby Wanzer
