Baylor, Elgin (1934-2021), ranks among the outstanding all-around players in basketball history. A 6-foot 5-inch (196-centimeter) forward, Baylor played for the Minneapolis Lakers—later the Los Angeles Lakers—of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1958 until his retirement in 1971.
Baylor was born on Sept. 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C. In 1958, he earned All-America honors at Seattle University and was drafted first overall by Minneapolis. He was named the NBA Rookie of the Year for the 1958-1959 season. Baylor scored 64 points in a single game against the Boston Celtics in 1959 and 71 points in a single game against the New York Knickerbockers in 1960. Both totals were NBA records at the time they were set. The Lakers moved to Los Angeles before the 1960-1961 season. Baylor frequently ranked among the league’s top scorers and rebounders.
Baylor served as head coach of the New Orleans Jazz of the NBA from 1976 to 1979. He served as vice president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Clippers of the NBA from 1986 to 2008. Baylor died on March 22, 2021.
