In 2015 the racial make-up of players in the NBA was 74.4 percent black players, 23.3 percent white, 1.8 percent Latino, and 0.2 percent Asian. That is obviously a very different picture than the early days when non-white players were in the minority.

These players helped to pave the way for others that have followed in their footsteps, and helped shape the NBA into the association it is today. In our following list of players, it’s not that they put on a jersey and was the first to step on the court that matters, but every step of the process to getting there matters when it comes to breaking color barriers.

We are going to take a look at some of these non-white pioneers — chronologically — that helped pave the way and shape the international league that we have today.

The first Non-Caucasian player in NBA Wasn’t Black (1947-48) Many assume that the first non-white player in the NBA was African-American. It wasn’t. It was Wat Misaka that became the very first non-Caucasian to play in the NBA, when it was still known as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The 5-7 Japanese American led the way for other players of Asian descent who have appeared since. Misaka was born in Ogden, Utah and he played basketball during his time at the University of Utah. Misaka was selected by the New York Knicks in 1947 and played three games for them that season before being cut. Even so, Wat Misaka was the first non-White player in the NBA — also making him the first Asian to ever play in the NBA.

The First Black Player Selected in the NBA Draft (1950-51) Charles Henry “Chuck” Cooper wasn’t the first African-American in the NBA. He and fellow Black players Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton, Earl Lloyd and Hank DeZonie all played in that important 1950 NBA season.

Cooper is even more historically significant because he was the first African-American player to be drafted in the NBA Draft; having been selected with the second pick of the second round by the Boston Celtics. Lloyd and Hunter were also drafted in the same draft but were chosen later (ninth and tenth round, respectively). Cooper went on to play for the Celtics for four years before going on to play for the Milwaukee Hawks and the Ft. Wayne Pistons.

The First African-American Player to Sign an NBA Contract (1950-51)
Harold Hunter may not have ever touched an NBA court in 1950 with Cooper, Clifton, Dezonie or Lloyd, but he was the first African-American player to sign a professional NBA contract. He put his signature on a contract with the Washington Capitols in April 1950 but was cut during training. Though he never actually played a game for them, Hunter was the first Black player to sign an NBA contract. Afterwards, Hunter went on to become a basketball coach.

The First African-American Player to Appear in an NBA Game (1950-51)
Earl Lloyd was the first African-American player to actually step foot on the court of an NBA game. Lloyd played basketball at West Virginia State College before joining the NBA as part of the 1950 draft. He was picked by Washington Capitols. Lloyd made his debut in a game against Rochester Royals on October 31, 1950 beating out Cooper who played his first game on the next day and Clifton, who played his first game on the fourth of November. Not that it was a competition, all of these players were trailblazers.

The First Puerto Rican Player in the NBA: Butch Lee (1978-79) It was more than two decades after the first African Americans and player of Asian descent played in an NBA game that the first Puerto Rican player made his debut. Butch Lee was chosen by the Atlanta Hawks in the 1978 draft. He went on to play for the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers.

The First Player of Filipino descent in the NBA: Ray Townsend Raymond Townsend played three seasons in the NBA. Townsend basically spent his entire basketball career in California– was born in San Jose, played high school basketball in San Jose (Camden High and Archbishop Mitty High School), then attended UCLA for all four years before being drafted by the local NBA team, the Golden State Warriors with the 22nd pick overall in the 1978 NBA Draft. When he entered the game on October 14, 1978 vs. the San Diego Clippers, he became the first Filipino-American to play in an NBA game.

The First African-Born Player to Play in the NBA: Akeem Olajuwon (1984-85) Though he would later change his name to “Hakeem”, obtain his citizenship and represent the United States in international play, Akeem Olajuwon was the first African-born player to play in the NBA. Hailing originally from Lagos, Nigeria, “The Dream” didn’t come to the United States until he was 17 years old. He would attend and play for the University of Houston eventually suiting up for the Houston Rockets as a rookie in the 1984-85 season.

The First Mexican Player in the NBA: Horacio Llamas (1997) Going undrafted in the 1996 NBA draft, Horacio Llamas was eventually signed as a free agent by the Phoenix Suns later in that season. LLamas would dmake his NBA debut against the Dallas Mavericks in Reunion Arena against on March 2, 1997 making history as the first Mexican to participate in an NBA game.

The First Chinese Player in the NBA: Wang Zhizhi (2001-02)
Everyone remembers Yao Ming and are familiar with Jeremy Lin, but Wang Zhizhi was the first Chinese player to take part in the NBA. Zhizhi, a legendary player in the CBA, is the son of two former basketball players and originally played the sport in his home country of China before being selected to play for Dallas Mavericks in the 1999 draft. He went on to play for both the Los Angeles Clippers and the Miami Heat.

The First Indian Player in the NBA: Sim Bhullar (2014-15)
Indian-Canadian player Sim Bhullar became the first NBA player of Indian origin to play in an game during the 2014-15 season. the 7-5 Bhullar made a brief stint with the Sacramento Kings, whose owner, Vivek Ranadive, is an Indian businessman.

The growing diversity of the NBA has led to an increase in the quality of the game being played; the best players now have equal opportunities to display their talents. This in turn has led to the NBA being hugely popular with the fans and bettors alike.

If you love the game, and you want to place a bet on the action, then be prepared. You need to check out the legalities of your bet to ensure that you will have no problems claiming any winnings you are lucky enough to make. You also need to check out different sportsbooks to see which one gives you the best value when it comes to odds. When you are placing your bet, and watching the action, remember the men we have mentioned who helped pave the way to making the NBA what it is today.