Elgin Baylor American basketball player. Date of Birth: 16.09.1934 Country: USA

1. Biography of Elgin Baylor
2. Dominance on the Court
3. Finals Frustrations

Biography of Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor, an American basketball player, was born on September 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C. After graduating from college in Seattle in 1958, Baylor was invited to join the Minneapolis Lakers, to which he remained loyal throughout his fourteen-year career.

Dominance on the Court

At a height of 6'5" (195 cm) and weighing 225 lbs (102 kg), Baylor had no obstacles when driving to the opponents' basket with the ball. Regardless of the method he used to shoot, the majority of his shots found their mark. Baylor amazed everyone in his first season when he scored 64 points in a regular championship game against the Celtics. This was followed by a appearance in the NBA Finals, which was lost to Boston, and the title of Rookie of the Year for the 1958-1959 season.

In the following year, Elgin Baylor surpassed his own scoring record in a single game by scoring 71 points against the New York Knicks. The most outstanding season for Baylor was 1961-1962 when he averaged 38.3 points per game. In the fifth game of the 1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, which the Lakers won 126-121, Baylor scored 61 points, setting a record that has yet to be surpassed.

Finals Frustrations

Eight times, Elgin Baylor participated in the NBA Finals with the Lakers, and all eight times his team left the court defeated. The ninth attempt, which took place in 1972, ended successfully for the Lakers, but Baylor never managed to become a champion. An old knee injury allowed him to play only nine regular season games in 1971-1972 and ultimately forced him to retire from basketball at the age of 38.

Throughout his 14-year career in the NBA, Elgin Baylor accumulated 23,149 points, 11,463 rebounds, and 1,650 assists.