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Elgin Baylor
Personal information
Baylor with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1969
Born	(1934-09-16)September 16, 1934 Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died	March 22, 2021(2021-03-22) (aged 86) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High school	Phelps (Washington, D.C.) Spingarn (Washington, D.C.)
Listed height	6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight	225 lb (102 kg)
Career information
College	College of Idaho (1954–1955) Seattle (1956–1958)
NBA Draft	1958 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers
Pro career	1958–1971
Coaching career	1974–1979
Career history
As player:
1958–1971	Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers
As coach:
1974–1976	New Orleans Jazz (assistant)
1974	New Orleans Jazz (interim)
1976–1979	New Orleans Jazz

Career highlights and awards
As player: 11× NBA All-Star (1959–1965, 1967–1970) NBA All-Star Game co-MVP (1959) 10× All-NBA First Team (1959–1965, 1967–1969) NBA Rookie of the Year (1959) NBA anniversary team (35th, 50th, 75th) No. 22 retired by Los Angeles Lakers NCAA final Four Most Outstanding Player (1958) Helms Foundation Player of the Year (1958) Consensus first-team All-American (1958) Consensus second-team All-American (1957) 2× NCAA rebounding leader (1957, 1958) No. 22 retired by Seattle Redhawks As executive: NBA Executive of the Year (2006)

Career statistics
Points	23,149 (27.4 ppg)
Rebounds	11,463 (13.5 rpg)
Assists	3,650 (4.3 apg)

Elgin Gay Baylor (born September 16, 1934 – died March 22, 2021) was an amazing American basketball player. He also worked as a coach and a team executive. Baylor played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers.

He was known for his incredible skills: a great shooter, a strong rebounder, and an excellent passer. His special "hanging jump shot" made him famous. Many people consider him one of the greatest players ever.

Elgin Baylor was the very first player picked in the 1958 NBA draft. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award in 1959. He was also an NBA All-Star 11 times and made the All-NBA First Team 10 times.

In 1977, he joined the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Later, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in 1996. In 2021, he was honored again on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. He holds the record for most career rebounds for the Lakers, with 11,463!

After his playing career, Baylor worked for 22 years as the general manager for the Los Angeles Clippers. He even won the NBA Executive of the Year award in 2006. His fame also led him to appear on TV shows like Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.

Early Life and Basketball Dreams
College Basketball Journey
Professional Basketball Career
Life After Playing: Coaching and Executive Roles
- Coaching the New Orleans Jazz
- Leading the Los Angeles Clippers
Later Life and Passing
Elgin Baylor's Unique Playing Style
Elgin Baylor's Lasting Legacy
NBA Career Statistics
Head Coaching Record
See Also

Early Life and Basketball Dreams

Elgin Baylor was born in Washington, D.C. on September 16, 1934. He started playing basketball when he was 14 years old. His father loved a watch made by the Elgin National Watch Company, which is how Elgin got his name!

Growing up, it was tough for Elgin to find places to play. Many public places were not open to African Americans at that time. This meant he had limited access to basketball courts. But he loved the game and kept playing.

Elgin played high school basketball at Phelps Vocational High School. He was an amazing player, even setting a record by scoring 44 points in one game! He later played for Spingarn High School, where he continued to break scoring records. He once scored 63 points in a single game!

College Basketball Journey

Baylor playing for Seattle University.

Even though Elgin was a fantastic high school player, it was hard for him to get into a big college. Many colleges didn't scout players from all-black high schools back then. A friend helped him get a scholarship to the College of Idaho. He didn't play football, but he quickly joined the basketball team!

At the College of Idaho, Elgin was amazing, scoring over 31 points and grabbing 20 rebounds per game. Later, he moved to Seattle University. He played so well that the Minneapolis Lakers tried to draft him in 1956, but he decided to stay in school.

In the 1957-58 season, Elgin led Seattle University to the NCAA championship game, which was a huge achievement for the team! After that season, the Lakers drafted him again, this time as the very first pick in the 1958 NBA draft. Elgin decided it was time to become a professional player.

During his college years, Elgin averaged over 31 points and 19 rebounds per game. He was even the top rebounder in the NCAA for two seasons!

Professional Basketball Career

Becoming a Lakers Star

Baylor standing next to teammates Jerry Chambers (center) and Jerry West (right), around 1966.

The Minneapolis Lakers chose Elgin Baylor as the number one pick in the 1958 NBA draft. The team was struggling and needed a star player. The owner, Bob Short, believed Elgin's talent could save the team. Elgin signed a contract for $20,000 a year, which was a lot of money back then!

Elgin immediately proved he was worth it. In his first year, the 1958–59 season, he was fourth in scoring with 24.9 points per game. He was also third in rebounding and eighth in assists. He even scored 55 points in one game, which was one of the highest scores ever at that time!

During his rookie season, Elgin showed great character. In January 1959, he refused to play in a game because the hotel would not let the team's black players stay there. He stood up for what was right.

Elgin won the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and led the Lakers to the NBA Finals. They lost to the Boston Celtics, starting a famous rivalry in NBA history.

Peak Performance and Records

The cover of the Los Angeles Lakers program for "Elgin Baylor Night" on March 21, 1969.

In 1960, the Lakers moved to Los Angeles. Elgin teamed up with another future star, Jerry West. Later, Wilt Chamberlain joined them in 1968. This powerful trio led the Lakers to many successful seasons.

Elgin had some incredible scoring seasons. From 1960 to 1963, he averaged over 34 points per game each year! On November 15, 1960, he set an NBA record by scoring 71 points in a game against the New York Knicks. He also grabbed 25 rebounds in that game! He was the first NBA player to score more than 70 points.

During the 1961–62 season, Elgin was also a U.S. Army Reservist. He was called to active duty, so he could only play for the Lakers on weekends. He had to fly across the country to join his team for games. Even with this challenge, he averaged an amazing 38.3 points per game that season! He also set an NBA Finals record by scoring 61 points in one game.

Injuries and Retirement

In 1965, Elgin suffered a serious knee injury during the playoffs. This injury needed surgery and kept him from playing for the rest of that season. Even though he continued to play for several more years, averaging over 24 points, his knee problems kept bothering him.

He played only two games in the 1970–71 season before tearing his Achilles tendon. Elgin finally retired nine games into the 1971–72 season because of his injuries. He felt he could no longer play at his best.

Elgin led the Lakers to the NBA Finals eight times during his 14 seasons, but they never won the championship while he was playing. Interestingly, right after he retired, the Lakers went on a record-breaking 33-game winning streak and won the 1972 NBA championship!

Life After Playing: Coaching and Executive Roles

Coaching the New Orleans Jazz

In 1974, Elgin Baylor became an assistant coach for the New Orleans Jazz. He later became their head coach. He coached the team for a few seasons before leaving in 1979.

Leading the Los Angeles Clippers

In 1986, Elgin took on a new role as the vice president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Clippers. He worked as a team executive for 22 years. In 2006, he was recognized for his great work and won the NBA Executive of the Year Award.

Later, there was a disagreement about his job with the Clippers, and he left the team in 2008. He felt that he was treated unfairly.

Later Life and Passing

Elgin Baylor passed away peacefully in a Los Angeles hospital on March 22, 2021, at the age of 86. He was surrounded by his wife Elaine and their daughter Krystle; two children from a previous marriage, Alan and Alison; and a sister, Gladys.

He is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.

Elgin Baylor's Unique Playing Style

Elgin Baylor was known as an amazing all-around player. He was great at offense, defense, rebounding, and passing. Even though he was 6 feet 5 inches tall, which was a bit shorter for a forward, he was very strong. He could push through defenders and also move around them with skill.

He was famous for his incredible jumping ability. He could stay in the air longer than other players, which helped him score. People called him "the godfather of hang time"! He also invented clever moves, like changing hands or direction in mid-air, to trick defenders.

Elgin had a special running bank shot and could even make a left-handed hook shot, even though he was right-handed. He was a truly creative and talented player who always found new ways to score.

Elgin Baylor's Lasting Legacy

A letter from California Governor Ronald Reagan to Elgin Baylor.

From the very start of his NBA career, Elgin Baylor was seen as one of the best basketball players in the world. His reputation as one of the greatest players in history continues today. Before Elgin, basketball was often played in a more basic way. Elgin brought a new, exciting, and acrobatic style to the game.

His unique way of playing inspired many future NBA superstars, like Julius Erving and Michael Jordan. Famous basketball player Bill Russell once said that Elgin helped change the game from a "horizontal" one to a "vertical" one, meaning he made it more about jumping and flying through the air.

Elgin finished his playing career with 23,149 points, 3,650 assists, and 11,463 rebounds in 846 games. His signature running bank shot helped him set many NBA scoring records.

His 71 points scored in 1960 was a record that stood for a long time. It was only broken by Kobe Bryant in 2006 when Kobe scored 81 points. Elgin's 61 points in an NBA Finals game in 1962 is still an NBA Finals record! He averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 rebounds per game over his career.

Elgin Baylor was chosen for the All-NBA First Team 10 times and was an NBA All-Star 11 times. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977. He was also named to the NBA's 35th, 50th, and 75th Anniversary Teams, showing his lasting impact.

Many people consider him the greatest NBA player never to win a championship. However, the Lakers did give him a championship ring for his contributions at the start of the 1971–72 season.

In 2009, Seattle University honored him by naming their basketball court the Elgin Baylor Court. In 2018, a statue of Elgin Baylor was unveiled at the Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) before a Lakers game. This statue celebrates his incredible career and legacy.

NBA Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

Elgin Baylor regular season statistics
Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1958–59	Minneapolis	70	40.8	.408	.777	15.0	4.1	24.9
1959–60	Minneapolis	70	41.0	.424	.732	16.4	3.5	29.6
1960–61	L.A. Lakers	73	42.9	.430	.783	19.8	5.1	34.8
1961–62	L.A. Lakers	48	44.4	.428	.754	18.6	4.6	38.3
1962–63	L.A. Lakers	80*	42.1	.453	.837	14.3	4.8	34.0
1963–64	L.A. Lakers	78	40.6	.425	.804	12.0	4.4	25.4
1964–65	L.A. Lakers	74	41.3	.401	.792	12.8	3.8	27.1
1965–66	L.A. Lakers	65	30.4	.401	.739	9.6	3.4	16.6
1966–67	L.A. Lakers	70	38.7	.429	.813	12.8	3.1	26.6
1967–68	L.A. Lakers	77	39.3	.443	.786	12.2	4.6	26.0
1968–69	L.A. Lakers	76	40.3	.447	.743	10.6	5.4	24.8
1969–70	L.A. Lakers	54	41.0	.486	.773	10.4	5.4	24.0
1970–71	L.A. Lakers	2	28.5	.421	.667	5.5	1.0	10.0
1971–72	L.A. Lakers	9	26.6	.433	.815	6.3	2.0	11.8
Career		846	40.0	.431	.780	13.5	4.3	27.4
All-Star		11	29.2	.427	.796	9.0	3.5	19.8

Elgin Baylor playoffs statistics
Year	Team	GP	MPG	FG%	FT%	RPG	APG	PPG
1959	Minneapolis	13	42.8	.403	.770	12.0	3.3	25.5
1960	Minneapolis	9	45.3	.474	.840	14.1	3.4	33.4
1961	L.A. Lakers	12	45.0	.470	.824	15.3	4.6	38.1
1962	L.A. Lakers	13	43.9	.438	.774	17.7	3.6	38.6
1963	L.A. Lakers	13	43.2	.442	.825	13.6	4.5	32.6
1964	L.A. Lakers	5	44.2	.378	.775	11.6	5.6	24.2
1965	L.A. Lakers	1	5.0	.000	–	0.0	1.0	0.0
1966	L.A. Lakers	14	41.9	.442	.810	14.1	3.7	26.8
1967	L.A. Lakers	3	40.3	.368	.750	13.0	3.0	23.7
1968	L.A. Lakers	15	42.2	.468	.679	14.5	4.0	28.5
1969	L.A. Lakers	18	35.6	.385	.630	9.2	4.1	15.4
1970	L.A. Lakers	18	37.1	.466	.741	9.6	4.6	18.7
Career		134	41.1	.439	.769	12.9	4.0	27.0

Head Coaching Record

Legend
Regular season	G	Games coached	W	Games won	L	Games lost	W–L %	Win–loss %
Playoffs	PG	Playoff games	PW	Playoff wins	PL	Playoff losses	PW–L %	Playoff win–loss %

Elgin Baylor coaching record
Team	Year	G	W	L	W–L%	Finish	PG	PW	PL	PW–L%	Result
New Orleans	1974–75	1	0	1	.000	(interim)	–	–	–	–	–
New Orleans	1976–77	56	21	35	.375	5th in central	–	–	–	–	Missed Playoffs
New Orleans	1977–78	82	39	43	.476	5th in central	–	–	–	–	Missed Playoffs
New Orleans	1978–79	82	26	56	.317	6th in central	–	–	–	–	Missed Playoffs
Career		221	86	135	.389		–	–	–	–