Leroy Chollet

Leroy Chollet
Born	Template:Birth date New Roads, Louisiana, U.S.
Died	June 10, 1998(1998-06-10) (aged 73) Lakewood, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Professional basketball player, coach, teacher
Years active	1944–1952 (basketball playing career)
Known for	First African American basketball player at Canisius College; NBA player for Syracuse Nationals

Leroy Patrick Chollet (March 5, 1925 – June 10, 1998) was a professional basketball athlete from the United States. Alongside his brothers, Chollet attended Holy Cross School in New Orleans, where they distinguished themselves athletically. After serving a year in the United States Navy, Chollet enrolled at Loyola University New Orleans, leading the Loyola Wolf Pack to their inaugural victory in the NAIA men's basketball championship in 1945. At that time, Louisiana’s educational institutions were subject to racial segregation. Chollet had an African American great-grandparent, and upon discovery of this fact, he was compelled to leave Loyola. Subsequently, he relocated to New York and competed for three seasons at Canisius College. While in New York, he passed as white; however, Canisius later acknowledged him as their first African American basketball player.

Chollet’s professional career included stints with multiple teams, notably the Syracuse Nationals. During the first season of the National Basketball Association (NBA), he contributed as a role player supporting veteran teammates, aiding the team’s journey to the 1950 NBA Finals. His second NBA season was hampered by an ankle injury. For his third and final season, he joined the Elmira Colonels, a team in the American Basketball League. In June 1950, Chollet married Barbara Knaus and eventually settled in her hometown of Lakewood, Ohio after concluding his professional basketball career in 1952. The couple had three children: Lawrence, Melanie, and David. In Lakewood, Chollet played a significant role in establishing St. Edward High School, pursued a career in teaching, and served as a varsity head coach. His achievements earned him induction into the Halls of Fame at Holy Cross School, Loyola University, and Canisius College. He passed away in 1998.

Early life and high school

Born on March 5, 1925, to Olga and Alfred Chollet, Leroy had one African American great-grandparent—his paternal great-grandmother. Under the prevailing social norms of the era, this ancestry subjected him and his family to racial segregation prevalent in the Southern United States. The family moved from New Roads to New Orleans and lived while passing as white.

Leroy grew up with his younger brother Hillary and older brother Robert Alfred ("Al") in Mid-City New Orleans. All three siblings attended Holy Cross School, an institution that did not admit black students. Excelling athletically, Leroy captained the basketball team to back-to-back state championships in 1942 and 1943.

College career

After serving eleven months in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Chollet enrolled at Loyola University New Orleans from 1944 to 1945 as a student-athlete. Loyola’s basketball program competed against teams from the Dixie Conference as well as military squads throughout the South.

In his debut season, Chollet propelled Loyola to win Louisiana’s first national basketball title and emerged as the team’s top scorer. During the 1945 NAIA tournament, he played a crucial role in a tight semifinal victory over Southern Illinois and led scoring with 18 points in the championship game against Pepperdine.

His younger brother Hillary was recruited by both LSU and Tulane for football but ultimately chose Tulane University. As scrutiny over their African American heritage intensified, both brothers faced exclusion from New Orleans’ segregated white universities. Loyola teammates lamented losing Leroy, describing him as a highly valued member of their squad.

Hillary enrolled at Cornell University in New York; meanwhile, Leroy departed Loyola, joined the U.S. Coast Guard briefly, then transferred to Canisius College in Buffalo in 1946. The family relocated to upstate New York, characterizing their exit from New Orleans as being "run out of town."

At Canisius, Chollet played for three seasons during a period of growth for sports in Western New York. The team sold out games at Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and competed before large crowds at Madison Square Garden. While on the roster, Canisius defeated LSU twice; their victory over Baylor represented Western New York’s first televised basketball game. Chollet became Canisius’s first player to score over 1,000 points, setting a school record with 1,116 points by 1949.

In New York, the family continued passing as white; Louisiana newspapers omitted mention of their background, and they were not integrated into local black communities. Nevertheless, Canisius later honored Leroy Chollet as their first African American basketball athlete. He was inducted into the Canisius Hall of Fame in 1964 and into Loyola’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.

Professional career

Following the merger of the Basketball Association of America (BAA) and the National Basketball League (NBL), Chollet joined the Syracuse Nationals for the NBA's inaugural 1949–50 season. At that time, the NBA’s initial growth was largely driven by smaller Midwest franchises originating from the NBL, with Syracuse representing one of the league’s more modest markets. While the NBA was predominantly composed of white players in its early years, Syracuse maintained integrated roots dating back to its NBL background.

Chollet contributed to the Nationals primarily as a reserve guard, emphasizing playmaking over scoring. The roster included notable figures such as future Hall of Famer Dolph Schayes, all-star Billy Gabor, and player-coach Al Cervi. The Nationals advanced to the 1950 NBA Finals but were defeated in six games by the Minneapolis Lakers.

During his rookie campaign, Chollet experienced tension with coach Cervi regarding his playing opportunities. After openly questioning Cervi’s decisions, Chollet was appointed coach for a single game and notably benched Cervi until late in the contest, which resulted in a win. Fellow player Alex Hannum observed that Chollet’s tactical benching mirrored Cervi’s own substitution style.

In his second professional season, Chollet took on the role of player–coach with the Utica Pros in the American Basketball League (ABL), a minor league that served as a talent pipeline to NBA teams including Syracuse and New York Knicks. He quickly established himself as one of the league’s leading scorers before being called back mid-season by Syracuse; however, an ankle injury curtailed his minutes on the court. Chollet concluded his playing career with the Elmira Colonels in the ABL. In 1951–52, he announced his retirement from professional basketball to focus on a more stable coaching trajectory.

Later life

In June 1950, Chollet married Barbara Knaus. After stepping away from professional basketball, they settled in her hometown of Lakewood, Ohio. The couple had three children: Lawrence, Melanie, and David. When St. Edward High School was constructed, Chollet contributed to its development and subsequently served as both a teacher and varsity head coach there from 1956 until 1960. Following this period, he worked as an administrator overseeing community sports programs at Lakewood Recreation Department from 1960 through 1980, while also holding a bartending position at Kluck's, a well-known local establishment. Chollet retired from his teaching career in 1985. He passed away in 1998 due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and was interred at Milan Cemetery in Milan, Ohio. Posthumously, he was inducted into the Holy Cross Hall of Fame.

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
Template:Nbay	Syracuse	49	.341	.625	–	.8	3.2
Template:Nbay	Syracuse	14	.118	.632	1.1	.9	1.7
Career		63	.291	.627	1.1	.8	2.9

^Source:

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1950	Syracuse	8	.269	.385	–	.5	2.4
1951	Syracuse	7	.174	.625	2.3	1.3	1.9
Career		15	.224	.476	2.3	.9	2.1

College

Season	Institution	GP	FG%	FT%	PPG
1944–45	Loyola	22	–	–	14.8
1946–47	Canisius	31	.327	.661	12.3
1947–48	Canisius	25	.308	.681	12.7
1948–49	Canisius	28	.344	.700	14.9
Career Totals		110	.327	.682	13.1

External links

• Canisius president, Father Raymond Schouten, presenting an award – High-quality archival image from Canisius College Archives
• Chollet intercepting the ball against Notre Dame – Archival photo
• Chollet securing a rebound near the hoop – Archival image
• ABL career statistics at Stats Crew