In the 1950 NBA draft, Auerbach made some notable moves. First, he famously snubbed Hall-of-Fame New England point guard Bob Cousy in the 1950 NBA draft, infuriating the Boston crowd. He argued that the flashy Cousy lacked the poise necessary to make his team, taunting him as a "local yokel".[2] Second, he drafted African-American Chuck Cooper, the first black player to be drafted by an NBA club.[15] With that, Auerbach effectively broke down the color barrier in professional basketball.[4]