Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Nathaniel "Sweetwater" Clifton was a trailblazer for Black athletes in the world of professional basketball. In 1950, he made history as the first Black player to sign a contract with an NBA team, the New York Knickerbockers. As a result of this groundbreaking achievement, Clifton effectively opened the door for generations of Black players to enter the league and compete at the highest level.

Born in 1922 in Little Rock, Arkansas, Clifton's nickname "Sweetwater" was derived from his love for soft drinks. He began his basketball career playing for the Harlem Globetrotters before joining the NBA. Standing at 6 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 235 pounds, Sweetwater was a power forward and center known for his impressive rebounding skills, solid defense, and smooth ball-handling abilities.

During his eight-year NBA career, Clifton not only made a significant impact on the court but also played an integral role in breaking down racial barriers in professional sports. His perseverance, talent, and undeniable influence on the game have left an indelible mark on the history of basketball.

Everett Osborne stars as Clifton in Sweetwater, a biopic that is set to be released in theaters on April 14. The film chronicles Clifton’s ground-breaking career as the star of the Harlem Globetrotters to becoming one of the first Black players to integrate into the NBA.

BET.com caught up with Osborne and we spoke about the making of Sweetwater, his days as a pro basketball player overseas, and the lessons he learned from Clifton’s life and career.

BET.com: Before becoming an actor, you played professional basketball in Australia. How was that experience?

Everett Osborne: I love basketball. I grew up watching Space Jam with Michael Jordan, I grew up in adolescence and Kobe and Shaq go crazy. So for me, I had a deep passion to be the best basketball player I could be. Playing overseas, another side of you comes out when you don't have your loved ones to lean on and you're in a country that's not your own. Another version of you comes out when you finally realize that you have to make this new place your home. I started finding different ways to adapt. But the biggest thing for me, when I played overseas, was that it provided me a ton of time to be alone and be in solitude and be okay with being alone. I did a mission trip to New Zealand that started my whole career so there was a lot of solitude. Luckily, I was in Australia, so they spoke English.  Many of those people, I still have respect and love for them to this day. They stay connected to my journey and we still communicate. So it was a beautiful experience.

BET.com: When did you decide to pursue acting?

Everett Osborne: I've been acting since I was a child. I've always been a poet. I used to write poetry every day. So acting and the arts have always been with me.

BET.com: Nat “Sweetwater” Clifton’s journey is one of the most remarkable stories in NBA history. How did you land such an important role?

Everett Osborne: It was a  blessing from God. I came back from doing a series and I saw this audition on tape. As an actor, you get an audition, you set up at home and you record the tape. So when I saw that he was the first African American to sign an NBA contract and I saw he changed the game, I knew I was meant to play the role. What’s crazy is that I had no idea who he was and all that he accomplished. So to answer your question, the film happened to come at the right time and I’m grateful to be a part of it.

BET.com: How did you research to play Clifton? Were you able to watch a lot of Black and white footage of basketball from that era?

Everett Osborne: When I first got the script and the scenes of the script, Martin Guigui who directed and wrote the film, did 28 years of research. So technically, I was provided with information from an expert on Sweetwater. Once I got that information, as the actor it was my job to go beyond the surface. I wanted to understand who this human being was so I researched what was going on when he was born. I wanted to channel what he was probably going through during the Great Depression and moving from Arkansas to Chicago when Black people were moving from the South to the North. I dug into the history of Black people during that time. He was an all-star high school basketball player and played baseball too. Instead of playing fours of college basketball at Xavier University, he fought in World War II. He put his dreams on hold to serve humanity just to come back home to receive racial discrimination and segregation from his country.

I did watch a lot of Black and white footage [Laughs].  I tried to hone in on the snippets that I found and I did all the stunts. So every dunk, every dribble, and every jump shot is me. We wanted everything to be authentic. That’s what we hung our hats on. Me, Cary Elwes, Jeremy Piven, Richard Dreyfuss, Kevin Pollak, and Eric Roberts were committed to telling the truth of Sweetwater’s story.

BET.Com: What was one interesting facet of  Sweetwater’s life that blew you away?

Everett Osbourne: Despite the discrimination, despite the world telling him that he wasn’t enough, he maintained his dignity and self-respect. He understood the innate human value that we all have. No matter our race or social economics, we all have an innate human values. That’s what caused him to ask, “Why can I be free to express my full creativity? That’s the beautiful thing about him. He fought for that because it was bigger than him. He was able to fight for freedom and that creativity so other people coming behind him can enjoy it. Also, he brought a new style of play that was innovative, creative, and with flair and style. That came from Sweetwater pushing against boundaries, and whenever you push against boundaries, it is disruptive. He was very disruptive but graceful and innovative.

BET.com: Lastly, what do you want audiences to take away from the film?

Everett Osborne: I hope more than just basketball fans watch this because this isn't just a basketball film. It’s truly a human film about an important piece of history. But for the people that do love the game of basketball, I would love for them just to have an open heart to receive how this all started. We love Michael Jordan and LeBron but Sweetwater made it possible for all of them. James Baldwin talked about how history is not in the past. History is with us. I think there's a sense of identity and understanding when we learn about our history and there's a greater appreciation when we learn the truth. So I just hope that people will go into theaters and receive the truth and enjoy the ride because it's a magical film. We had a lot of fun and I know they're gonna love it.