Bill Russell; Michael Jordan; LeBron James. Black athletes have at times been synonymous with the sport of basketball, but it wasn't always that way. Invented at the turn of the 20th century, basketball was initially played in segregated leagues - that is, until the exceptional talent and contributions of a few standout Black teams, including the New York Renaissance, became impossible for the newly formed NBA to ignore. With additional commentary from author and filmmaker Nelson George and author and historian Claude Johnson - we explore the origins of Black basketball, including a heated championship match-up that helped shift the trajectory of the sport.