Elgin BaylorBirth Chart

Elgin Gay Baylor was one of the great names in American basketball as a player, coach, and executive. A Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers player for 14 seasons, he excelled at forward with a potent shot, strength on the boards, and keen passing vision, and was famous for his “hanging jump shot.” He was the first pick in the 1958 draft, named Rookie of the Year in 1959, selected to 11 All‑Star Games and 10 times to the All‑NBA First Team—honors that place him among the sport’s all‑time greats. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, Baylor was also included on the lists of the 50 and, posthumously, the 75 greatest NBA players. He still holds the Lakers franchise record for career rebounds, with 11,463, and his college career produced striking averages that brought Seattle to the 1958 Final Four. After retiring from play, he pursued a long executive career: he was general manager of the Los Angeles Clippers for 22 years and received the Executive of the Year award in 2006. His presence reached beyond the sport through television appearances and broad public recognition, leaving a durable legacy in American professional basketball.