Elgin Baylor was a legendary basketball player and NBA Hall of Famer who had an incredible career. He played for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers from 1958 to 1971, and is considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. His contributions as a leader and scorer helped revolutionize the game, and he was also well known for his unselfish play that made others around him better.
During his 14-year career with the Lakers, Elgin Baylor achieved numerous accolades including 11 All-Star appearances, 10 All-NBA selections, 1 MVP award, 8 top ten scoring titles and much more. He continues to be remembered by fans today for his unique style of play which combined athleticism with finesse.
Elgin Baylor became one of the most dominant forces in professional basketball due to his ability to score from nearly anywhere on the court while still creating opportunities for teammates through intelligent passing. This made him an invaluable asset as both a leader and scorer throughout his entire tenure with the team earning him recognition amongst peers as well as coaches alike; something that would continue all throughout his illustrious career at both college & pro level competitions
Elgin Baylor – Early Life
Born in Washington D.C. on September 16 to Uzziel Baylor and John Baylor, 1934, Elgin Gay Baylor became interested in basketball at an early age of 14 years old. Baylor was inspired by his two elder brothers who were both involved in basketball, and it seemed like a natural fit for him to take up the sport. Despite living near a city recreation center, African Americans were not allowed to use its facilities and Baylor had limited access to basketball courts growing up.
Elgin Baylor – High School
Baylor began his high school career at Phelps Vocational High School in Washington, D.C., playing two seasons during 1951 and 1952. During this time, public schools were segregated so Baylor only faced other African American teams. While there, he made history by setting a local scoring record of 44 points against Cardozo High School.
Baylor dropped out of high school due to his poor academic performance and started working odd jobs and playing in local recreational leagues. In 1954, Baylor returned to the court as a senior at Spingarn High School – the first all-black school to open in Washington, D.C. Standing tall at 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) and weighing 225 lb (102 kg), he was selected for the Washington All-Metropolitan team – making him the very first African-American athlete to receive such an honor.
On February 3, 1954, Elgin Baylor made history when he scored an incredible 63 points against his former Phelps team in Washington DC. This broke Jim Wexler’s previous record of 52 points set the year before; an impressive feat as it had been Baylor himself who held the point record prior to that with 44 points. Unfortunately, Baylor’s record didn’t receive a lot of publicity because of his race and only Wexler received the coverage from the media, including the Washington Post.
Elgin Baylor – College
Despite his success as a high school basketball player, Baylor was not recruited by any major college due to the lack of scouting at black high schools in that era. Nonetheless, some colleges were willing to accept him but he did not qualify academically.
With the help of a friend, he got a scholarship to attend The College of Idaho where Baylor played basketball. Following the conclusion of the season, the College of Idaho made the decision to part ways with their head basketball coach and reduce their amount of scholarships.
After a year of playing for Westside Ford, an Amateur Athletic Union team in Seattle while maintaining eligibility at the University of Seattle, Baylor was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 14th round of the 1956 NBA draft. However, he chose to remain in school rather than accept the offer.
In the 1956-57 season, Baylor averaged an impressive 29.7 points and 20.3 rebounds per game with Seattle University’s Chieftains (now Redhawks). His outstanding performance propelled them to the NCAA championship game in 1958 – a feat which remains their only Final Four appearance – but they eventually succumbed to the Kentucky Wildcats. After his junior season, Baylor was selected first overall by the Minneapolis Lakers at the 1958 NBA draft, and he decided to forgo college basketball when he joined them for the following campaign.
Elgin Baylor – Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers
The Minneapolis Lakers used the No. 1 overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft to select Elgin Baylor, and convinced him to forgo his senior year of college at Syracuse University and instead turn pro. The team had been struggling since George Mikan retired in 1954 and they were looking for a way to get back on track – by drafting Elgin Baylor, their prayers had been answered.
Baylor made an immediate impact during his rookie year, saving the Lakers franchise as he finished fourth in the league for scoring (24.9 points per game), third in rebounding (15.0 rebounds per game) and eighth in assists (4.1 assists per game). He even scored a remarkable 55 points in one game, only being surpassed by Joe Fulks’ 63 and Mikan’s 61 – making it the third-highest mark in the league history at that time. His impressive performance set him up to be one of the most successful players of all time.
On January 16, 1959, Baylor refused to take the court in a Lakers game far away from home in Charleston, West Virginia. His team had made reservations at a hotel, but when they found out that three of their black players were not allowed to stay there, Baylor stood firm and declared: “I’m a human being, I’m not an animal put in a cage and let out for the show.”
Baylor was crowned the NBA Rookie of the Year and took the Lakers to the much-anticipated NBA finals, where they sadly fell short against the Boston Celtics in a historic four-game sweep – marking the commencement of one of basketball’s greatest rivalries ever.
As a United States Army Reservist, Baylor was called to active duty during the 1961-62 season. This meant he had to fulfill his military obligations stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington, so he could only play basketball for the Lakers when on a weekend pass. When the season began, he hadn’t been able to practice with his team due to his military commitments, and was even forced to fly coach across the country just to join up with them on weekends. Despite that, he still managed to score over 1,800 points in the 48 games he played that season.
In the fifth game of the NBA Finals that season, Elgin Baylor set an all-time record with an astonishing 61 points. This remarkable feat was described by basketball historian James Fisher as “a part-time job” well done. The Lakers went on to win the game against the Boston Celtics and it still remains an impressive milestone in NBA history.
Baylor sustained a critical knee injury during the first game of the 1965 Western Division playoffs, which required surgical intervention and made him unable to take part in the rest of the playoffs. Even though he managed to score more than 24 points per match over the next four seasons while coping with his injury, the inadequate rehabilitation available at that time and the restrictions placed on him due to knee surgery eventually caused ongoing knee issues, culminating in operations on both knees, leading to diminished playing ability for the remainder of his career.
Baylor’s career came to an end in 1971-72, when he ruptured his Achilles tendon during the second game of the season. Struggling with nagging injuries, Baylor decided to call time on his playing career as he felt he could no longer keep up with the high standards of the sport. He wanted to make room for new talented players in the Lakers’ roster.
For 14 years, Elgin Baylor served as the Los Angeles Lakers’ forward and was instrumental in propelling the team to the NBA Finals on eight separate occasions – each of which sadly ended with a loss. His retirement at the start of the season meant he missed out on two landmark achievements; the Lakers went on to create an all-time NBA record 33-game winning streak, followed by their first NBA championship win in 1972. In recognition of his part in their success, Baylor was presented with a championship ring despite his early retirement.
Elgin Baylor – Coaching Career
Following the conclusion of his playing career, Baylor entered into coaching with New Orleans Jazz. In 1974-75, he was appointed as an assistant coach and then two years later replaced Butch van Breda Kolff to become the head coach for the 1976-77 season.
During this time he led the team for three seasons with a record of 86-135 but unfortunately failed to reach playoffs or even finish fifth in Central Division. At that point, Baylor stepped down from his post after the 1978-79 season and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.
Elgin Baylor – Executive Career
Later, Los Angeles Clippers invited him to join them as their Vice President of Basketball Operations in April 1986 which he held until 2008. Following twelve disastrous 70s records; he brought about transformation by taking them up steadily over five consecutive seasons culminating at 45 wins and 37 losses making it possible for them to qualify for playoffs for the first time since 1975 -76 when they were known as Buffalo Braves.
However, despite expectations there have been some dismal performances afterwards .They only got to the playoffs four times and won once. Baylor stayed with the team for 22 years, until October 2008.
Elgin Baylor – Personal Life
On June 22, 1958, Elgin Baylor tied the knot with Ruby Saunder. The union was blessed with two children, Alan and Alison. After sixteen years of marriage the couple divorced in 1974. He later married Elaine Baylor and they had one daughter together, Krystal. On Monday, March 22, 2021, Elgin passed away peacefully due to natural causes surrounded by his beloved wife, three children, and sister Gladys. He was 86 years old.
Elgin Baylor – NBA Legacy
Since the beginning of his NBA career, Elgin Baylor has been widely recognized as one of the greatest basketball players in the world. He was a pioneering undersized forward who, despite standing 6’5″, often faced opponents far taller than him.
Over 846 games, he achieved 23,149 points, 3,650 assists and 11,463 rebounds – remarkable statistics which propelled him to numerous NBA scoring records that still stand today. His renowned running bank shot enabled him to score over larger competitors and earned him 10 All-NBA First Team selections and 11 NBA All-Star appearances.
In 1977 he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1980, the NBA 50th Anniversary All-Time Team in 1996 and the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. SLAM Magazine also ranked Baylor number 11 among its Top 50 NBA players of all time in 2009. Despite his accomplishments on the court, he is often referred to as “the greatest player never to win a championship.”
Elgin Baylor – Net Worth
Elgin Baylor will be remembered as one of the greatest players that ever played in the NBA. He had a successful playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers and managed to acquire some wealth. His net worth is estimated to be around $60 million.
Why did Elgin Baylor retire?
After suffering a knee injury early in the 1970-71 season, Baylor’s career was effectively cut short. He missed the remainder of that year and then returned for nine games during the next season before retiring at 37 due to the lingering effects of his injuries.
What is Elgin Baylor known for?
Elgin Baylor is a retired American professional basketball player and executive. He played pro basketball for 13 seasons as a small forward in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in eight NBA Finals. Baylor was a gifted shooter, strong rebounder, and an accomplished passer. He was also regarded as one of the game’s earliest superstars. In 1977, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
How many championships did Elgin Baylor win?
Over the span of his career, Elgin Baylor fell short in all seven games of the NBA Finals he participated in. Although playing for two full seasons with the Minneapolis Lakers and twelve further campaigns after their move to Los Angeles, his last two were cut short due to injury. During that time, six of those championship series were lost to Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics and one against Clyde Frazier’s New York Knicks.
