Elgin Baylor
Elgin Baylor dazzled fans with hi acrobatic play. Considered the Michael Jordan of his time, he played before the days of widespread television exposure, so the only records of his prowess are the words of those who saw one of the greatest to ever play.
Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers with the first overall pick in the 1958 NBA Draft, Baylor had a stellar collegiate career, entering the draft after his junior year at Seattle University. With career averages of 31.3 points and 19.5 rebounds, he was selected to The Sporting News All-America First Team in 1958 and named the NCAA University Division Tournament Most Valuable Player, leading Seattle University all the way to the NCAA Finals, where they eventually lost to the Kentucky Wildcats.
In 1959 he earned NBA Rookie of the Year honors and was named All-NBA First Team for the first of 10 consecutive years, from 1959 to 1969. An eleven-time NBA All-Star, he was named the NBA All-Star Game Co-Most Valuable Player in 1959 and holds the All-Star Game career record for most free throws made (78), shares the career record for most free throws attempted (98) and shares the single-game record for most free throws made (12, 1962).
He had no equal as a forward and accomplished something nearly impossible, improving his scoring average by approximately five points in each of his first four playing seasons. As a rookie in 1959, he averaged 24.9 ppg. The next year it was 29.6, then 34.8 and 38.3. At 6'5'' he was a premier rebounder, averaging double figures in each of his first seven seasons, including a remarkable 19.8 in 1961. A prolific scorer, Baylor poured in 71 points against the New York Knicks on November 15, 1960, which at the time, was the most points scored by any individual in an NBA game. His 61 points in the 1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics remains an NBA Finals single-game record.
Baylor's playing career ended when injury forced him to retire nine games into the 1972 season, but after three seasons away from basketball, he re-joined the NBA as an assistant coach of the New Orleans Jazz for the 1974-75 campaign. He was promoted to head coach the following year and continued in that post through the 1978-79 season. In April 1986, the Los Angeles Clippers hired Baylor to serve as the team's vice president of basketball operations, a position he continues to hold.
In recognition of his many accomplishments, Baylor was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976. He was also chosen one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players of All-Time as part of the NBA at 50 celebration in 1997 and named to the NBA's 35th Anniversary Team in 1980.