Former Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers star Elgin Baylor has died of natural causes, the team announced on Monday. He was 86 years old.
"Elgin was the love of my life and my best friend," his wife, Elaine, said. "And like everyone else, I was in awe of his immense courage, dignity and the time he gave to all his fans. At this time we ask that I and our family be allowed to mourn his passing in privacy."
Baylor was drafted by the Lakers in 1958 where he would play 14 seasons. He was an 11-time All-Star and was selected to the All-NBA first-team 10 times. He earned Rookie of the Year honors in 1959. His No. 22 jersey was retired by the Lakers in 1983.
Shortly after the Lakers confirmed the news of Baylor's death, NBA commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement on Elgin's life and his contributions to the game of basketball, among other things.
"Elgin Baylor set the course for the modern NBA as one of the league's first superstar players. An 11-time All-Star during his Hall of Fame career with the Lakers, Elgin produced remarkable results with his athleticism and groundbreaking style of play, including setting an NBA Finals record with 61 points in Game 5 of the 1962 championship series - a performance made all the more extraordinary by the fact that he had spent part of that season away from his team while on active duty in the Army.
"In addition to his legendary playing career, Elgin was a man of principle. He was a leading activist during the height of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s and an influential voice among his fellow players. After his retirement, Elgin remained a part of the NBA family as both a coach and an executive, imparting his wisdom to generations of NBA talent. Elgin will be deeply missed, and we send our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Elaine, his family and friends."
Additionally, Baylor's former Lakers teammate, and fellow NBA legend, Jerry West, offered the following thoughts on Elgin's passing to Jorge Sedano of ESPN Los Angeles.
"I loved him as a person and shared my career with him," West replied. "Never had a teammate like him, great, great player but an even better person. Very sad day for me and his family."
Baylor was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, and a statue in his honor stands outside the Lakers' arena. For the majority of his career, he was one of the Lakers' most important players alongside Jerry West. With Baylor's impactful play, he helped lead L.A. to eight Finals appearances. Injuries hampered Baylor's career in his later years, and he retired nine games into the 1971-72 season due to lingering knee problems. When the Lakers went on to win the championship later on that season, they awarded Baylor a ring to honor his career with the franchise.
After his playing days were over, Baylor transitioned into coaching, eventually becoming the head coach of the New Orleans Jazz in 1974 and retired from coaching in 1979. He then became the vice president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Clippers in 1986, a position he held for 22 years before stepping down in 2008. He was named Executive of the Year for the 2005-06 season, as the Clippers went on to win their first playoff series since 1976, back when the team was the Buffalo Braves. 스포츠토토
Baylor played the game with some flair when he was on the court. He was a dominant scorer, an elite passer and despite being undersized for a forward during that time, he was a strong rebounder. The way he played in the 50s and 60s mirrors how some modern-day wings attack the game, which shows just how influential he was in the NBA and basketball as a whole.