The Harlem Globetrotters have issued an open letter to the NBA calling on the league to make them an official NBA franchise. In a statement, the Globetrotters reminded the NBA of the work the side has done to help grow the game around the world. In particular, the Globetrotters highlighted the role they played in racial integration in the NBA. As the NBA grew, you were able to attract the best Black players, but we remember who helped the NBA get it all started ... don't get it twisted; basketball would not be what it is today without us, Harlem Globetrotters. The Globetrotters were originally founded in 1926 and have racked up over 27,000 wins during that time. The team is best known as a traveling exhibition team, having played in 122 countries around the world. Globetrotter Nathaniel Clifton became the first Black player to be signed by the league in 1950.