Slats Gill did NOT recruit black basketball players because of Jim Crow laws that prevented black players from staying in the same hotel as white players,  from eating at the same diners, restaurants,  at many of the vaunted basketball universities in this country.   But....his asst coach,  Paul Valenti,  did recruit Charlie White out of a CA Jr. college in 1964,  if memory serves me.  He beat both UNC TarHeels and Duke at having a black basketball player.  OSU had a black basketballer BEFORE UNC and Duke.  Wasn't Texas El Paso the first all black Division I team to win the NCAA title?  The Congress and Pres Johnson paved the way with the 1964 Civil Rights Act.  Until then,  it was a scheduling nightmare to travel to many top tier basketball programs' home court to play due to Jim Crow laws.  It was a nasty deal,  and hard on black players.  Slats Gill was not of the mind to recruit kids to face that national insult.  But when Congress acted and Johnson signed,  the flood gates opened.