Elgin Baylor

Lakers legend, Hall of Famer, and one of the NBA's 75 greatest players.

Elgin Gay Baylor (September 16, 1934 – March 22, 2021) was an American professional basketball player, coach, and executive. He played 14 seasons as a forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers. Baylor was a gifted shooter, a strong rebounder, and an accomplished passer, who was best known for his trademark hanging jump shot. The No. 1 draft pick in 1958, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959, 11-time NBA All-Star, and a 10-time member of the All-NBA first team, Baylor is regarded as one of the game's greatest ever players.

In 1977, Baylor was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In 1996, Baylor was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. In October 2021, Baylor was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team. Baylor is the leader for most career rebounds in Lakers franchise history with 11,463.

Quick Facts

Born: 16 September 1934
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., U.S.
Died: 22 March 2021
Place of death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High school: Phelps (Washington, D.C.); Spingarn (Washington, D.C.)
College: College of Idaho (1954–1955); Seattle (1956–1958)
Draft round: 1
Drafted by: Minneapolis Lakers

Lore & Background

Baylor spent 22 years as general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers, having managed the team for the majority of the Donald Sterling ownership period. He won the NBA Executive of the Year Award in 2006. Two years later, the Clippers relieved him of his executive duties shortly before the 2008–09 season began. In 1974, he volunteered to play a mixed doubles exhibition tennis match with Tracy Austin against Lawrence McCutcheon and Lea Antonoplis in Claremont, California, for a sold-out crowd. His popularity led to appearances on the television series Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In in 1968; the Jackson 5's first TV special in 1971; a Buck Rogers in the 25th Century episode 'Olympiad'; and an episode of The White Shadow titled 'If Your Number's Up, Get Down'.

Reader's Guide

Elgin Baylor was born in Washington, D.C., on September 16, 1934. He began playing basketball when he was 14. He was named after the Elgin National Watch Company. He played his first two years of high school basketball at Phelps Vocational High School. He dropped out of school to work in a furniture store and play basketball in local recreational leagues. He reappeared for the 1954 season as a senior at Spingarn High School. He played college basketball at the College of Idaho and Seattle University. He was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers with the No. 1 pick in the 1958 NBA draft. He played for the Lakers from 1958 to 1971, winning Rookie of the Year in 1959 and leading the team to the NBA Finals in his rookie season. He set an NBA scoring record with 71 points on November 15, 1960. He was a United States Army Reservist called to active duty during the 1961–62 season.

Did You Know?

Baylor scored 63 points in a game on February 3, 1954, breaking the DC-area record.
He led the NCAA in rebounding for both the 1956–57 and 1957–58 seasons.
Baylor refused to play in a road game in Charleston, West Virginia, on January 16, 1959, after the hotel denied lodging to the team's three black players.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Elgin Baylor ever win a Finals MVP?

Although he played during the first two seasons of the award, he never secured the honor because his team lost those specific championship series. The recognition came too late for many of his prime runs where no such individual trophy existed to be won.

How many All-Star selections did he earn?

Baylor was selected as an NBA All-Star eleven times throughout his illustrious playing career. This consistent selection underscores his status as one of the league's most dominant and reliable players during that period.