Ranking the top-10 Los Angeles Lakers of all time…
8. Elgin Baylor
14 seasons (1958-1972)
Rings: 0
MVPs: 0
Stats with Lakers
- 27.4 PPG
- 13.5 RPG
- 4.3 APG
Other Accolades with Lakers
- 10x All-NBA
- 11x All-Star
- Rookie of the Year (1959)
HoopsHype on Baylor:
“With ridiculous scoring and rebounding numbers, especially for a non-big man, Elgin Baylor was one of the first players who would awe fans with impressive athleticism from the wing.”
“He never got the championship he deserved, however, and the Celtics are largely to blame, as out of his seven Finals losses, six came against Boston. Baylor finished his career with as many All-NBA 1st Teams as Abdul-Jabbar, which is crazy to consider.”
“Baylor was one of the best wings ever and considering the era he did it in, that made him one of the most important players in NBA history, as he opened the door for many of the elite wings that came later.”
Fox Sports on Baylor:
“Baylor’s most notable scoring move was his running hook shot, which he famously utilized the backboard.”
“The undersized big man posted an eye-popping 71 points in a game in 1960, a team record that stood until Kobe Bryant delivered his famous 81-point night against Toronto in 2006.”
“He also delivered a 61-point effort in Game 5 of the 1962 NBA Finals, which remains a Finals record. His 19.8 rebounds per game in 1960-61 is a record for players under 6-foot-8.”
Although Baylor never won an MVP, he finished in the top five in MVP voting on seven different occasions, including in each of the first five seasons of his career.
But who tops Baylor as the seventh-greatest Laker of all time? Find out below.
More NBA: Ranking the Top-10 greatest Lakers ever: No. 7
