View source for Elgin Baylor

{{Short description|American basketball player (1934–2021)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| image = Elgin Baylor Night program-(cropped).jpg
| caption = Baylor with the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in 1969
| width = 240
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 5
| weight_lb = 225
| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|09|16}}
| birth_place = [[Washington, D.C.]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|2021|03|22|1934|09|16}}
| death_place = [[Los Angeles]], California, U.S.
| high_school = 
* [[Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School|Phelps]] (Washington, D.C.)
* [[Spingarn High School|Spingarn]] (Washington, D.C.)
| college = 
* [[College of Idaho]] (1954–1955)
* [[Seattle Redhawks men's basketball|Seattle]] (1956–1958)
| draft_year = 1958
| draft_round = 1
| draft_pick = 1
| draft_team = [[Minneapolis Lakers]]
| career_start = 1958
| career_end = 1971
| career_position = [[Small forward]]
| career_number = 22
| coach_start = 1974
| coach_end = 1979
| years1 = {{nbay|1958|start}}–{{nbay|1971|start}}
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers|Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers]]
| cyears1 = {{nbay|1974|start}}–{{nbay|1976|start}}
| cteam1 = [[New Orleans Jazz (NBA team)|New Orleans Jazz]] (assistant)
| cyears2 = {{nbay|1974|start}}
| cteam2 = New Orleans Jazz (interim)
| cyears3 = {{nbay|1976|start}}–{{nbay|1978|end}}
| cteam3 = New Orleans Jazz
| highlights = '''As player:'''

* 11× [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1959}}–{{nasg|1965}}, {{nasg|1967}}–{{nasg|1970}})
* [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|NBA All-Star Game co-MVP]]{{efn|along with [[Bob Pettit]]}} ({{nasg|1959}})
* 10× [[All-NBA First Team]] ({{nbay|1958|end}}–{{nbay|1964|end}}, {{nbay|1966|end}}–{{nbay|1968|end}})
* [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award|NBA Rookie of the Year]] ({{nbay|1958|end}})
* [[NBA anniversary team]] ([[NBA 35th Anniversary Team|35th]], [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|50th]], [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team|75th]])
* No. 22 [[Los Angeles Lakers#Hall of Famers, retired and honored numbers|retired by Los Angeles Lakers]]
* [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|NCAA final Four Most Outstanding Player]] ([[1958 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1958]])
* [[Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year|Helms Foundation Player of the Year]] ([[1957–58 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1958]])
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1958 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1958]])
* Consensus second-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1957 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1957]])
* 2× [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders|NCAA rebounding leader]] (1957, 1958)
* No. 22 [[Seattle Redhawks men's basketball#Retired numbers|retired by Seattle Redhawks]]
'''As executive:'''
* [[NBA Executive of the Year Award|NBA Executive of the Year]] ({{nbay|2005|end}})
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 23,149 (27.4 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 11,463 (13.5 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 3,650 (4.3 apg)
| HOF_player = elgin-baylor
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2006
}}
'''Elgin Gay<!--this is his actual middle name, do not remove it--> Baylor''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ɛ|l|dʒ|ɪ|n}} {{respell|EL-jin}}; September 16, 1934 – March 22, 2021) was an American professional [[basketball]] player, coach, and executive. He played 14 seasons as a [[Forward (basketball)|forward]] in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA) for the [[Los Angeles Lakers|Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers]]. Baylor was a gifted [[Basketball#Shooting|shooter]], a strong [[Rebound (basketball)|rebounder]], and an accomplished [[Basketball#Passing|passer]], who was best known for his trademark hanging [[Jump shot (basketball)|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 all-time greatest players.<ref name="elginbio">{{cite web | title=Elgin Baylor: Complete Bio|url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/baylor_bio.html| work=nba.com | access-date=February 3, 2008}}</ref> In 1977, Baylor was inducted into the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/elgin-baylor|title=Hall of Famers|publisher=Basketball Hall of Fame|access-date=August 2, 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110215094702/http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/tag/elgin-baylor|archive-date=February 15, 2011}}</ref> In 1996, Baylor was named as one of the [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nba.com/history/nba-at-50/top-50-players |title=NBA at 50: Top 50 Players |work=NBA.com |date= |accessdate=2022-03-02}}</ref> In October 2021, Baylor was again honored as one of the league's greatest players of all time by being named to the [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team|NBA's 75th Anniversary Team]]. Baylor is the leader for most career rebounds in Lakers franchise history with 11,463.<ref>[https://www.nba.com/news/nba-75th-anniversary-team-announced NBA 75th Anniversary Team]</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ocregister.com/2008/10/08/clippers-players-shocked-baylor-is-out/ |title=Clippers players shocked Baylor is out |website=Ocregister.com |date=October 8, 2008 |access-date=March 11, 2017}}</ref> In 1974, he volunteered to play a mixed doubles exhibition tennis match with Tracy Austin against Lawrence McCutcheon and Lea Antonopolis in Clarement, 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 (TV series)|Buck Rogers in the 25th Century]]'' episode "Olympiad"; and an episode of ''[[The White Shadow (TV series)|The White Shadow]]'' titled "If Your Number's Up, Get Down".

==Early life==
Elgin "Rabbit" Baylor was born in Washington, D.C., on September 16, 1934,<ref name="Fisher">{{Cite book |last=Fisher |first=James |chapter=Elgin Baylor: The First Modern Professional Basketball Player |chapter-url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781315043869-22/elgin-baylor-first-modern-professional-basketball-player?context=ubx&refId=094be88d-6d5c-4046-881d-69fcea93230e |editor-last1=Hoffmann |editor-first1=Frank |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/edit/10.4324/9781315043869/basketball-america-frank-hoffmann-robert-batchelor-martin-manning |title=Basketball in America: From the Playgrounds to Jordan's Game and Beyond |editor-last2=Batchelor |editor-first2=Robert P. |editor-last3=Manning |editor-first3=Martin J. |date=2016 |orig-date=2005 |publisher=[[Routledge]] |isbn=978-1-315-04386-9 |doi=10.4324/9781315043869 |ref=none}}</ref><ref name="Harrison">{{Cite news|last=Smith|first=Harrison|date=2021-03-22|title=Elgin Baylor, highflying Hall of Famer for the Los Angeles Lakers, dies at 86|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/obituaries/elgin-baylor-dead/2021/03/22/f85c23a4-8b3d-11eb-a6bd-0eb91c03305a_story.html|access-date=2022-02-13}}</ref> the son of Uzziel (Lewis) and John Wesley Baylor.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_c-CgAAQBAJ&q=elgin+baylor+Uzziel+Lewis&pg=PR16|title=Elgin Baylor: The Man Who Changed Basketball|isbn=9781442245716|last1=Bayne|first1=Bijan C.|date=August 13, 2015|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield }}</ref> He began playing basketball when he was 14.<ref name=Schwartz/> He was named after the [[Elgin National Watch Company]], who made his father's favorite watch.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/baylor_bio.html |title=Elgin Baylor Bio |website=NBA.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021002162247/https://www.nba.com/history/players/baylor_bio.html |archive-date=October 2, 2002 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Although he grew up near a D.C. city recreation center, African Americans were banned from using the facilities, and Baylor had limited access to basketball courts growing up.<ref name="WCP1"/> He had two basketball-playing brothers, Sal and Kermit.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Schilling |first1=Dave |title=Kobe Before Kobe, LeBron Before LeBron: Elgin Baylor Finally Gets His Due |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2768546-kobe-before-kobe-lebron-before-lebron-elgin-baylor-finally-gets-his-due |access-date=March 22, 2021 |work=Bleacher Report |date=April 6, 2018 |ref=BR1}}</ref> After stints at Southwest Boys Club and Brown Jr. High, Baylor was a three-time All-City player in high school.<ref name="Bayne1"/>

Baylor played his first two years of high school basketball at [[Phelps Architecture, Construction and Engineering High School|Phelps Vocational High School]] in the 1951 and 1952 seasons. At the time, public schools in Washington, D.C., were segregated, so he only played against other black high school teams. There, Baylor set his first area scoring record of 44 points, versus Cardozo H.S.<ref name="Bayne1"/> During his two All-City years at Phelps, he averaged 18.5 and 27.6 points per season.<ref name="Bayne1"/> He did not perform well academically and dropped out of school (1952–53) to work in a furniture store and play basketball in the local recreational leagues.<ref name="Bayne1"/>

Baylor reappeared for the 1954 season as a senior playing for the recently opened all-black [[Spingarn High School]]. The {{Height|ft=6|in=5}},{{r|Harrison}} {{Convert|225|lb|kg|abbr=on}}<ref name="Goldstein">{{Cite news|last=Goldstein|first=Richard|date=2021-03-22|title=Elgin Baylor, Acrobatic Hall of Famer in N.B.A., Dies at 86|language=en-US|work=[[The New York Times]]|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/22/sports/basketball/elgin-baylor-dead.html|access-date=2022-02-13|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> senior was named first-team Washington All-Metropolitan, and was the first African-American player named to that team.<ref name=Schwartz/> Baylor also won the SSA's Livingstone Trophy as the area's best basketball player for 1954. He finished with a 36.1 average for his eight Interhigh Division II league games.<ref name="Bayne1"/>

On February 3, 1954, in a game against his old Phelps team, Baylor scored 31 in the first half. Playing with four fouls the entire second half, Baylor scored 32 more points to establish a new [[Washington metropolitan area|DC]]-area record with 63 points. This broke the point record of 52 that Western's Jim Wexler had set the year before when he broke Baylor's previous record of 44. However, because Wexler was white and Baylor was black, Baylor's record did not receive the same press coverage from the media, including the ''[[Washington Post]]'', as Wexler's.<ref name="Bayne1">{{cite book |last1=Bayne |first1=Bijan |title=Elgin Baylor The Man Who Changed Basketball |date=August 13, 2015 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers |isbn=9781442245716 |pages=2–6 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w_c-CgAAQBAJ |access-date=March 22, 2021}}</ref><ref name="WCP1">{{cite news |last1=McKenna |first1=Dave |title=Elgin Baylor, Absentee Legend |url=https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/272369/elgin-baylor-absentee-legend/ |access-date=March 23, 2021 |work=Washington City Paper |date=July 2, 1999}}</ref>

==College career==
[[File:Elgin_Baylor_Seattle.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Baylor at Seattle]]
Despite his success as a high school basketball player, no major college recruited Baylor because at the time, college scouts did not recruit at black high schools.{{r|Fisher}} While some colleges were willing to accept Baylor, he did not qualify academically.<ref name="Schwartz">{{cite web | last = Schwartz | first = Larry | title=Before Michael, there was Elgin |work=espn.com |url=http://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00014086.html |access-date=November 13, 2020}}</ref> A friend of Baylor's who attended the [[College of Idaho]] helped arrange a football scholarship for Baylor for the 1954–55 academic year.{{r|Fisher|Schwartz}} Baylor never played football for the school, however; instead, he was accepted to the college's basketball team without having to try out.{{r|Fisher}} He outperformed the other players on the team that season, averaging over 31 points and 20 rebounds per game.{{r|Fisher|Schwartz}}

After the season, the College of Idaho dismissed its head basketball coach and restricted the scholarships. A Seattle car dealer interested Baylor in [[Seattle University]], and Baylor sat out a year to play for Westside Ford, an [[Amateur Athletic Union]] team in Seattle, while establishing eligibility at Seattle.<ref name=sportingnews287>{{Cite book| title = NBA Register: 1986–87 Edition | publisher = The Sporting News Publishing Company | year = 1986 | page = 287 | isbn = 9780892042272}}</ref> The [[Minneapolis Lakers]] drafted him in the 14th round of the [[1956 NBA draft]], but Baylor opted to stay in school instead.<ref>{{cite news |title=Los Angeles Lakers star and former LA Clippers exec Elgin Baylor dies at 86 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31114563/los-angeles-lakers-star-former-la-clippers-exec-elgin-baylor-dies-86 |access-date=March 22, 2021 |work=ESPN |date=March 22, 2021}}</ref>

During the [[1956–57 NCAA University Division men's basketball season|1956–57 season]], Baylor averaged 29.7 points per game and 20.3 rebounds per game for Seattle.{{r|Schwartz}} The next season, Baylor averaged 32.5 points per game and led the [[Seattle University]] Chieftains (now known as the Redhawks) to the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|NCAA championship]] game, Seattle's only trip to the [[Final Four]], falling to the [[Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball|Kentucky Wildcats]].{{r|Fisher|Schwartz}} Following his junior season, Baylor was drafted again by the [[Minneapolis Lakers]], with the No. 1 pick in the [[1958 NBA draft]], and this time he opted to leave school to join them for the [[1958–59 NBA season]].{{r|Fisher}}<ref name="NBA1">{{cite web |title=#22 ELGIN BAYLOR |url=https://www.nba.com/lakers/history/alumni/baylor |work=NBA.com |access-date=March 22, 2021}}</ref>

Over three collegiate seasons, one at [[College of Idaho]] and two at [[Seattle University|Seattle]], Baylor averaged 31.3 points per game and 19.5 rebounds per game.  He led the NCAA in rebounding for both the 1956–57 and 1957–58 seasons.<ref name=sportingnews289>{{Cite book| title = NBA Register: 1986–87 Edition | publisher = The Sporting News Publishing Company | year = 1986 | page = 289 | isbn = 9780892042272}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Total Rebounds Per Game Men's Yearly Leaders and Records |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/leaders/men/trb-per-g-player-yearly.html |access-date=2025-04-25 |website=College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>

==Professional career ==

=== Minneapolis / Los Angeles Lakers (1958–1971) ===

==== Rookie of the Year (1958–1959) ====
[[File:Baylor, Chambers and West.jpeg|thumb|Baylor standing next to teammates [[Jerry Chambers]] (center) and [[Jerry West]] (right), circa 1966]]
The Minneapolis Lakers used the No. 1 overall pick in the 1958 NBA draft to select Baylor, then convinced him to skip his senior year at SU and instead join the pro ranks. The team had been unsuccessful since the retirement of its star center [[George Mikan]] in 1954. The year prior to Baylor's arrival, the team finished 19–53{{snd}}the worst record in the league{{snd}}with a squad that was slow, bulky and aging. It had no permanent home arena to play in, was losing popularity, and in financial trouble. Owner [[Bob Short]], who was ready to sell the team, believed Baylor's star athletic talents and all-around game could save the franchise. Short told the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' in a 1971 interview: "If he had turned me down then, I would have been out of business. The club would have gone bankrupt."{{r|Fisher}}<ref>Knoblauch, A., [https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/10/greatest-sports-figures-in-la-history-no-17-elgin-baylor.html "Greatest sports figures in L.A. history, No. 17: Elgin Baylor"], ''Los Angeles Times'', October 14, 2011.</ref> Baylor signed with the Lakers for $20,000 per year ({{Inflation|US|20000|1958|fmt=eq|r=-4}}), a large sum in the NBA at the time.<ref name=Schwartz/> According to basketball historian James Fisher, by virtue of his exceptional skills and his central role in the team's business plan, Baylor became the NBA's first [[franchise player]].{{r|Fisher}}

Baylor immediately exceeded expectations and ultimately saved the Lakers franchise.{{r|Fisher}} As a rookie in 1958–59, Baylor finished fourth in the league in scoring ([[List of National Basketball Association top rookie scoring averages|24.9 points per game]]), third in rebounding (15.0 rebounds per game), and eighth in assists (4.1 assists per game). He scored 55 points in a single game,{{r|Schwartz}} then the third-highest mark in league history behind [[Joe Fulks]]' 63 and Mikan's 61.<ref name="NBA obit">{{cite news |title=Lakers legend and Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor dead at 86 |url=https://www.nba.com/news/lakers-announce-elgin-baylor-dies-86 |access-date=2022-02-14 |work=NBA |date=2021-03-22}}</ref>

On January 16, 1959, Baylor refused to play in a road game in Charleston, West Virginia, after the hotel the team booked denied lodging to the team's three black players.<ref name="McCallum2">{{Cite book |last=McCallum |first=Jack |author-link=Jack McCallum |chapter=The Terrific Tandem of West and Baylor |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7s9vDwAAQBAJ |title=Golden Days: West's Lakers, Steph's Warriors, and the California Dreamers Who Reinvented Basketball |date=2018 |publisher=[[Random House]] |isbn=978-0-399-17909-9 |language=en}}</ref> When a teammate tried to convince Baylor to play in the game, Baylor said, "I'm a human being, I'm not an animal put in a cage and let out for the show."{{r|Harrison}}

Baylor won the [[NBA Rookie of the Year Award]] and led the Lakers to the [[NBA Finals]], where they lost to the [[Boston Celtics]] in the first four-game sweep in finals history,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.si.com/nba/2018/06/03/nba-finals-sweeps-history|title = How many NBA Finals sweeps have there been?| date=June 3, 2018 }}</ref> kicking off the greatest rivalry in NBA history.{{r|Harrison|Goldstein}}

==== Peak years (1959–1965) ====
[[File: Elgin Baylor Night program.jpeg|thumb|The cover of the Los Angeles Lakers program for "Elgin Baylor Night" on March 21, 1969]]

In 1960, the Lakers moved from Minnesota to [[Los Angeles]], drafted [[Jerry West]] to play point guard, and hired [[Fred Schaus]] who was also the coach during West's college career. The duo of Baylor and West, joined in 1968 by center [[Wilt Chamberlain]], led the Lakers to success in the [[Western Division (NBA)|Western Division]] throughout the 1960s.{{r|Harrison|Goldstein|McCallum2}}

From the [[1960–61 NBA season|1960–61]] to the [[1962–63 NBA season|1962–63 season]]s, Baylor averaged 34.8, 38.3, and 34.0 points per game, respectively. On November 15 of the 1960–61 season, Baylor set an NBA scoring record when he scored 71 points in a victory against the New York Knicks, while also grabbing 25 rebounds. In doing so, Baylor became the first NBA player to score more than 70 points in a game, breaking his own NBA record of 64 points that he had set the previous November. Baylor held the record until 1962, when Chamberlain scored 100 points.{{r|Fisher|Harrison|Goldstein}}

Baylor, a [[United States Army Reserve|United States Army Reservist]], was called to [[active duty]] during the 1961–62 season, and being stationed at [[Fort Lewis (Washington)|Fort Lewis]] in [[Washington (state)|Washington]], he could play for the Lakers only when on a weekend [[Pass (United States military)|pass]]. He was unable to practice with the team before or during the season, and had to fly coach across the country on weekends to join the team at whichever arena they were appearing. Despite playing only 48 games that season, he still managed to score over 1,800 points, averaging 38.3 points (the highest average in NBA history by any player other than Chamberlain), 18.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game. Later that season, in a Game Five NBA Finals victory against the Boston Celtics, Baylor set the still-standing NBA record for points in an NBA Finals game with 61.{{r|Harrison}} Basketball historian James Fisher described Baylor's performance that season as: "Not bad for a part-time job."{{r|Fisher}} Baylor later said he "kind of enjoyed that season."{{r|McCallum2}}

==== Knee injury and later seasons (1965–1971) ====
Baylor suffered a severe knee injury during the opening game of the 1965 Western Division playoffs, which required surgery and left him unable to play in the remainder of the playoffs. Although he scored more than 24 points in each of the next four seasons despite his injury, the limitations of knee surgery at the time and the lack of meaningful rehab left him with nagging knee problems, ultimately resulting in surgery on both knees, which impaired his playing ability for the rest of his career.{{r|Harrison|Goldstein|McCallum2}}

Baylor played just two games in [[1970–71 NBA season|1970–71]] before rupturing his Achilles tendon,<ref name=Schwartz/> and finally retired nine games into the subsequent [[1971–72 NBA season|1971–72 season]] because of his nagging injuries.{{r|Goldstein}} Baylor told the press that he could no longer play at the highest level of the sport{{r|Harrison}} and wanted to free up room on the Lakers' roster for other players.{{r|Fisher}}

In 14 seasons as the Lakers' forward, Baylor helped lead the team to the NBA Finals eight times, but the team lost each time.{{r|Goldstein}} As a result of his retirement at the beginning of the season, Baylor missed two historic achievements: the Lakers' first game afterwards began an NBA record 33-game win streak, after which they won the 1972 championship.

== Coaching career ==
In 1974, Baylor was hired to be an assistant coach and later the head coach for the [[New Orleans Jazz (NBA team)|New Orleans Jazz]], but had a lackluster 86–135 record and was fired following the [[1978–79 NBA season|1978–79 season]], shortly before the team moved to [[Salt Lake City, Utah]].{{r|Harrison|Goldstein}}

== Executive career ==
In 1986, Baylor was hired by the [[Los Angeles Clippers]] as the team's [[General manager (baseball)#Trend towards "presidents of baseball operations"|vice president of basketball operations]]. He was selected as the [[NBA Executive of the Year Award|NBA Executive of the Year]] in 2006.<ref>{{cite news |title=Clippers' Baylor named executive of year |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs2006/news/story?id=2448972 |access-date=March 22, 2021 |work=ESPN |date=May 17, 2006}}</ref> During his tenure, the Clippers managed only two winning seasons and amassed a win–loss record of 607–1153.<ref name="yahoo1">{{cite news |last1=Liz |first1=Roscher |title=Elgin Baylor, legendary Hall of Famer and Lakers star, dies at 86 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/elgin-baylor-legendary-hall-of-famer-and-lakers-star-dies-at-86-183922067.html |access-date=March 22, 2021 |work=Yahoo Sports |date=March 22, 2021}}</ref> They made the playoffs only four times,{{r|Goldstein}} and won only one playoff series.<ref name="yahoo1"/> He stayed in that capacity for 22 years until October 2008.{{r|Harrison}}

== Later life and death==
In 2009 Baylor filed an [[employment discrimination]] lawsuit against the Clippers, team owner [[Donald Sterling]], team president Andy Roeser, and the NBA. He alleged that he was underpaid during his tenure with the team and then fired because of his age and race.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/27/sports/basketball/27baylor.html|title=Elgin Baylor and His Lawsuit Against the Clippers|last=Abrams|first=Jonathan|date=March 26, 2009|work=The New York Times|access-date=August 27, 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>[https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3901091 Elgin Baylor Sues Los Angeles Clippers for Employment Discrimination] ESPN.com, February 11, 2009.</ref> Baylor later dropped the racial discrimination claims in the suit.<ref>{{cite web|author=Lance Pugmire |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2011-mar-04-la-sp-clippers-baylor-sterling-20110305-story.html |title=Elgin Baylor drops racial discrimination claim in suit against L.A. Clippers |website=Articles.latimes.com |date=March 4, 2011 |access-date=March 11, 2017}}</ref> In 2011, a jury decided in the Clippers' favor on Baylor's remaining claims, finding Baylor's termination was based on the team's poor performance.{{r|Goldstein}}<ref>Lance Pugmire, [http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2011/03/elgin-baylors-lawsuit-rejected-by-los-angeles-county-jury.html "Elgin Baylor's lawsuit rejected by Los Angeles County jury"], ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'', March 30, 2011.</ref> However, Baylor felt vindicated when Sterling was banned for life from the NBA in 2014 after recordings of him making racist comments were publicized by the press.{{r|Harrison|Goldstein}}

Baylor died in a Los Angeles hospital of natural causes on March 22, 2021, aged 86.{{r|NBA obit}} He is interred in the [[Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills)|Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills]]. He was surrounded by his wife Elaine and their daughter Krystle; two children from a previous marriage, Alan and Alison; and a sister, Gladys.{{r|Harrison|Goldstein}}

== Player profile ==
Baylor was known as an all-around player, excelling at defense, offense, rebounding, and passing. At 6'5", 225lbs, he was short for a forward even for the time period in which he played, but he had the strength to "muscle through" defenders, and the finesse and creativity to  maneuver around them, including to rebound missed shots and score second chance points.

Baylor was known for his superior leaping abilities that allowed him to score by staying in the air longer than defenders; [[Bill Russell]] called him "the godfather of hang time."{{r|Harrison}} He invented "moves" to deceive defenders, involving changing hands or changing direction, even mid-air.

Baylor's offensive repertoire included a running bank shot and a left-handed hook shot, though he was right-handed. He had an on-court facial twitch that he used as a head fake. Baylor credited his success to a talent for jumping and the creativity to spontaneously react to the defense.{{r|Fisher|Goldstein}}

== Legacy ==
[[File: Ronald Reagan Elgin Baylor letter.jpg|thumb|A letter from California Governor [[Ronald Reagan]] to Elgin Baylor]]
Since the beginning of his NBA career, Baylor has been considered one of the best basketball players in the world, and his reputation as one of the greatest in history has endured. Before Baylor joined the NBA in 1958, the league's play was methodical but mechanical, dominated by set jump shots and running hook shots. Baylor introduced a creative and acrobatic playing style that would later be emulated by other NBA superstars such as [[Julius Erving]] and [[Michael Jordan]].{{r|Fisher|Goldstein}} [[Bill Simmons]] wrote, "Along with [[Bill Russell|Russell]], Elgin turned a horizontal game into a vertical one."{{r|Harrison}} Baylor's skill was esteemed by his contemporaries: [[Oscar Robertson]] wrote Baylor "was the first and original high flier"; [[Bill Sharman]] said Baylor was "the greatest cornerman who ever played pro basketball"; [[Tom Heinsohn]] said, "Baylor as forward beats out [[Larry Bird|Bird]], Julius Erving and everybody else".{{r|Goldstein}}

Baylor was the last of the great undersized forwards in a league where many guards are now his size or bigger.<ref>{{cite web|author=Dimitrije Curcic |url=https://runrepeat.com/height-evolution-in-the-nba|title=67 Years of Height Evolution in the NBA - In-depth Research |website=runrepeat.com |date= May 14, 2019 |access-date=January 21, 2020}}</ref> He finished his playing days with 23,149 points, 3,650 assists and 11,463 rebounds over 846 games. His signature running [[Bank shot (basketball)|bank shot]], which he was able to release quickly and effectively over taller players, led him to numerous NBA scoring records, several of which still stand.<ref name="NBA1"/>

The 71 points Baylor scored on November 15, 1960, was a record at the time; it was also a team record that would not be surpassed until [[Kobe Bryant]] scored 81 points against the [[Toronto Raptors]] in January 2006. The 61 points he scored in Game 5 of the NBA Finals in 1962 is still an NBA Finals record.<ref name="NBA1"/> Over his career, he averaged 27.4 points and 4.3 assists per game. An underrated rebounder, Baylor averaged 13.5 rebounds per game during his career,{{r|Harrison|Goldstein}} including a remarkable 19.8 rebounds per game during the 1960–61 season<ref name="BN">{{cite news |last1=Trivic |first1=Filip |title=Elgin's 38-19-5 more implausible than Wilt's 50 a game or Oscar's triple-double |url=https://www.basketballnetwork.net/simmons-coming-in-hot-elgins-38-19-5-more-implausible-than-wilts-50-a-game-or-oscars-triple-double/ |access-date=March 22, 2021 |work=Basketball Network |date=April 7, 2020}}</ref>—a season average exceeded by only five other players in NBA history, all of whom were {{Height|ft=6|in=8}} or taller.<ref>{{cite web |title=NBA All-Time Rebounds Leaders: Career Per Game Average in the Regular Season |url=https://www.landofbasketball.com/all_time_leaders/rebounds_per_game_single_season.htm |publisher=Land of Basketball |access-date=March 22, 2021}}</ref>

A 10-time All-NBA First Team selection and 11-time [[NBA All-Star]], Baylor was elected to the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in 1977.{{r|Harrison|Goldstein}} He was 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. in 2009, ''[[SLAM Magazine]]'' ranked him number 11 among its Top 50 NBA players of all time. In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary ''[[The Athletic]]'' ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Baylor as the 23rd greatest player in NBA history.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3070018/2022/01/19/nba-75-at-no-23-elgin-baylor-used-his-strength-and-grace-to-create-magic-above-the-rim/ | title=NBA 75: At No. 23, Elgin Baylor used his strength and grace to create magic above the rim | work=The New York Times | date=June 13, 2024 }}</ref> He is often listed as the greatest NBA player never to win a championship, although the Lakers did give Baylor a championship ring for his contributions at the start of the 1971–72 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dimemag.com/2011/05/the-10-greatest-nba-players-with-no-championship-jewelry/2/ |title=The 10 Greatest NBA Players With No Championship Jewelry |website=Dimemag.com |date=May 18, 2011 |access-date=March 11, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=Barry Petchesky |url=http://deadspin.com/the-greatest-nba-player-to-never-win-a-title-is-auction-510327374 |title=The Greatest NBA Player To Never Win A Title Is Auctioning Off His Championship Ring. (What?) |website=Deadspin.com |date=May 29, 2013 |access-date=March 11, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2012/06/14/wisch-top-5-players-to-never-win-an-nba-title/ |title=Wisch: Top 5 Players To Never Win An NBA Title « CBS Chicago |website=Chicago.cbslocal.com |date=June 14, 2012 |access-date=March 11, 2017}}</ref>

Fifty-one years after Baylor left Seattle University, they named its basketball court in honor of him on November 19, 2009. The Redhawks now play on the Elgin Baylor Court in Seattle's [[KeyArena]]. The Redhawks also host the annual Elgin Baylor Classic. In June 2017, The [[College of Idaho]] had Baylor as one of the inaugural inductees into the school's Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.idahopress.com/sports/colleges/c_of_i/nba-hall-of-famer-elgin-baylor-returns-to-caldwell-for/article_8d8ae1f0-5cda-5c40-9014-87b6f3f630f1.html|title=NBA Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor returns to Caldwell for induction to College of Idaho Hall of Fame|last=Rains|first=B.J.|date=June 2, 2017|website=Idaho Press|access-date=August 27, 2019}}</ref>

The first biography of Baylor was written by [[Slam (magazine)|''Slam'']] Online contributor Bijan C. Bayne in 2015, and published by Rowman and Littlefield.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Nelson |first1=Murry |title=Elgin Baylor: The Man Who Changed Basketball by Bijan C. Bayne (review) |journal=Journal of Sport History |date=Spring 2016 |volume=43 |issue=1 |pages=110–111 |doi=10.5406/jsporthistory.43.1.110 |url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/619831 |access-date=March 22, 2021|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

On April 6, 2018, a statue of Baylor, designed by [[Gary Tillery]] and Omri Amrany, was unveiled at the Staples Center prior to a Lakers game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Oram |first1=Bill |title=Elgin Baylor 'humbled' as Lakers unveil statue outside Staples Center |url=https://www.ocregister.com/2018/04/06/elgin-baylor-humbled-as-lakers-unveil-statue-outside-staples-center/ |access-date=March 22, 2021 |work=OC Register |date=April 6, 2018}}</ref>

== NBA career statistics ==
{{NBA player statistics legend|leader|champion=y}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Elgin Baylor regular season statistics
!Year
!Team
!GP
!MPG
!FG%
!FT%
!RPG
!APG
!PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1958–59 NBA season|1958–59]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
|70
|40.8
|.408
|.777
|15.0
|4.1
|24.9
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1959–60 NBA season|1959–60]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
|70
|41.0
|.424
|.732
|16.4
|3.5
|29.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1960–61 NBA season|1960–61]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1960–61 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|73
|42.9
|.430
|.783
|'''19.8'''
|5.1
|34.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1961–62 NBA season|1961–62]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1961–62 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|48
|'''44.4'''
|.428
|.754
|18.6
|4.6
|'''38.3'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1962–63 NBA season|1962–63]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1962–63 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|style="background:#cfecec;"|'''80'''*
|42.1
|.453
|'''.837'''
|14.3
|4.8
|34.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1963–64 NBA season|1963–64]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1963–64 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|78
|40.6
|.425
|.804
|12.0
|4.4
|25.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1964–65 NBA season|1964–65]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1964–65 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|74
|41.3
|.401
|.792
|12.8
|3.8
|27.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1965–66 NBA season|1965–66]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1965–66 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|65
|30.4
|.401
|.739
|9.6
|3.4
|16.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1966–67 NBA season|1966–67]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1966–67 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|70
|38.7
|.429
|.813
|12.8
|3.1
|26.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1967–68 NBA season|1967–68]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1967–68 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|77
|39.3
|.443
|.786
|12.2
|4.6
|26.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1968–69 NBA season|1968–69]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1968–69 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|76
|40.3
|.447
|.743
|10.6
|'''5.4'''
|24.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1969–70 NBA season|1969–70]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1969–70 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|54
|41.0
|'''.486'''
|.773
|10.4
|'''5.4'''
|24.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1970–71 NBA season|1970–71]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1970–71 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|2
|28.5
|.421
|.667
|5.5
|1.0
|10.0
|-
| style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1971}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|9
|26.6
|.433
|.815
|6.3
|2.0
|11.8
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
|846
|40.0
|.431
|.780
|13.5
|4.3
|27.4
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |All-Star
|11
|29.2
|.427
|.796
|9.0
|3.5
|19.8
|}
<small>Source:<ref name="BR player">{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/bayloel01.html|title=Elgin Baylor Stats|work=Basketball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=March 22, 2021}}</ref></small>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Elgin Baylor playoffs statistics
!Year
!Team
!GP
!MPG
!FG%
!FT%
!RPG
!APG
!PPG
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1959 NBA Playoffs|1959]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1958–59 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
|13
|42.8
|.403
|.770
|12.0
|3.3
|25.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1960 NBA Playoffs|1960]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1959–60 Minneapolis Lakers season|Minneapolis]]
|9
|'''45.3'''
|'''.474'''
|'''.840'''
|14.1
|3.4
|33.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1961 NBA Playoffs|1961]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1960–61 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|12
|45.0
|.470
|.824
|15.3
|4.6
|38.1
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1962 NBA Playoffs|1962]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1961–62 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|13
|43.9
|.438
|.774
|'''17.7'''
|3.6
|'''38.6'''
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1963 NBA Playoffs|1963]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1962–63 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|13
|43.2
|.442
|.825
|13.6
|4.5
|32.6
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1964 NBA Playoffs|1964]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1963–64 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|5
|44.2
|.378
|.775
|11.6
|'''5.6'''
|24.2
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1965 NBA Playoffs|1965]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1964–65 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|1
|5.0
|.000
|–
|0.0
|1.0
|0.0
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1966 NBA Playoffs|1966]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1965–66 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|14
|41.9
|.442
|.810
|14.1
|3.7
|26.8
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1967 NBA Playoffs|1967]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1966–67 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|3
|40.3
|.368
|.750
|13.0
|3.0
|23.7
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1968 NBA Playoffs|1968]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1967–68 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|15
|42.2
|.468
|.679
|14.5
|4.0
|28.5
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1969 NBA Playoffs|1969]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1968–69 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|'''18'''
|35.6
|.385
|.630
|9.2
|4.1
|15.4
|-
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1970 NBA Playoffs|1970]]
| style="text-align:left;" |[[1969–70 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
|'''18'''
|37.1
|.466
|.741
|9.6
|4.6
|18.7
|- class="sortbottom"
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" |Career
|134
|41.1
|.439
|.769
|12.9
|4.0
|27.0
|}
<small>Source:<ref name="BR player"/></small>

==Head coaching record==
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start|caption=Elgin Baylor coaching record}}
|-
|align="left"|[[1974–75 New Orleans Jazz season|New Orleans]]
|align="left"|{{nbay|1974}}
| 1 || 0 || 1 || {{Winning percentage|0|1}} || style="text-align:center;"|(interim)|| – || – || – || {{Winning percentage|0|0}}
| style="text-align:center;"|–
|-
|align="left"|[[1976–77 New Orleans Jazz season|New Orleans]]
|align="left"|{{nbay|1976}}
| 56 || 21 || 35 || {{Winning percentage|21|35}} || style="text-align:center;"|5th in central|| – || – || – || {{Winning percentage|0|0}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
|align="left"|[[1977–78 New Orleans Jazz season|New Orleans]]
|align="left"|{{nbay|1977}}
| 82 || 39 || 43 || {{Winning percentage|39|43}} || style="text-align:center;"|5th in central|| – || – || – || {{Winning percentage|0|0}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|-
|align="left"|[[1978–79 New Orleans Jazz season|New Orleans]]
|align="left"|{{nbay|1978}}
| 82 || 26 || 56 || {{Winning percentage|26|56}} || style="text-align:center;"|6th in central|| – || – || – || {{Winning percentage|0|0}}
| style="text-align:center;"|Missed Playoffs
|- class="sortbottom"
|align="left"|'''Career'''
| || 221 || 86 || 135 || {{Winning percentage|86|135}} || || – || – || – || {{Winning percentage|0|0}} ||
{{s-end}}
<small>Source:<ref name="BR coach">{{cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/bayloel01c.html|title=Elgin Baylor Coaching Record|work=Basketball-Reference.com|publisher=Sports Reference|access-date=March 22, 2021}}</ref></small>

==See also==
* [[List of NBA career scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career free throw scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career triple-double leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff free throw scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff triple-double leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-game scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-game playoff scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA rookie single-season scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 30 or more rebounds in a game]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds]]
* [[List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 60 or more points in a game]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{sister project links|d=Q357458|c=Category:Elgin_Baylor|n=no|b=no|v=no|voy=no|m=no|mw=no|s=no|wikt=no|species=no}}
* {{basketballstats|bbr=b/bayloel01}}
* [http://www.nba.com/history/players/baylor_bio.html NBA.com bio]
* {{Basketballhof|elgin-baylor|Elgin Baylor}}
* {{IMDb name|1345606}}
* {{Find a Grave|224750701}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Baylor, Elgin}}
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