Elgin Baylor, Lakers Hall Of Famer, Dead At 86

LOS ANGELES, CA — Elgin Baylor, the legendary Laker whose NBA scoring record has remained unbroken for nearly 60 years, died Monday at age 86.

His name ranks up there with the all-time greatest NBA players. Baylor's points-per-game average is surpassed only by Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain. He was among the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History selected in 1996 in conjunction with the league's 50th anniversary. His statue stands outside the Staples Center, and his jersey hangs from the rafters with the team's other greats as a tribute to his impact. He was an 11-time NBA all-star who helped shaped the sport in Los Angeles.

"Elgin was THE superstar of his era — his many accolades speak to that," Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss said. "He was one of the few Lakers players whose career spanned from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. But more importantly, he was a man of great integrity, even serving his country as a U.S. Army reservist, often playing for the Lakers only during his weekend pass. He is one of the all-time Lakers greats, with his No. 22 jersey retired in the rafters and his statue standing guard in front of Staples Center."

Baylor was a scoring machine who left an immeasurable impact upon basketball in Los Angeles as a Lakers star in the '60s and a top executive with the Los Angeles Clippers for more than two decades.

"He will always be part of the Lakers legacy," Buss said. "On behalf of the entire Lakers family, I'd like to send my thoughts, prayers and condolences to Elaine and the Baylor family."

He died in Los Angeles of natural causes, according to his family. He was surrounded by his wife, Elaine, and his daughter, Krystal, the team said.

"Elgin was the love of my life and my best friend," Elaine said. "And like everyone else, I was in awe of his immense courage, dignity and the time he gave to all fans. At this time, we ask that I and our family be allowed to mourn his passing in privacy."

Baylor was a powerhouse forward who lit up the scoreboard and dominated in the postseason. To this day, he holds the record for most points scored in an NBA Finals game. He scored 61 points against the Boston Celtics in 1962. Baylor was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977.

Baylor was born Sept. 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C., and played one season at the College of Idaho before transferring to Seattle University, where he led the team to its first NCAA championship game before being drafted first overall by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1958.

The high-flying 6-foot-5-inch Baylor averaged 24.9 points, 15 rebounds and 4.1 assists en route to Rookie of the Year honors. He would go on to play 14 seasons for the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1960, with Baylor and Jerry West leading them to the NBA Finals seven times in their first 10 seasons in the city, all losses.

Baylor retired after playing nine games in the 1971-72 season, the day before the Lakers began their 33-game winning streak, the longest of any team in North America's four major professional leagues. The team won its first NBA championship in Los Angeles that season.

When Baylor retired, Mal Florence wrote in the Los Angeles Times, "No man has contributed more to the success and popularity of the Lakers since they moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis in 1960 than Baylor."

Baylor went on to serve as a coach of the New Orleans Jazz and vice president of basketball operations for the Clippers from 1986 to 2008, winning NBA Executive of the Year honors in 2006.

In February 2009, Baylor filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against the Clippers, then-team owner Donald Sterling, president Andy Roeser and the NBA, alleging that he was underpaid during his tenure with the team and fired because of his age and race.

He later dropped the racial discrimination claims, and the remaining claims were rejected by a Los Angeles state court jury in 2011.

On April 6, 2018, the Lakers honored Baylor with a statue outside Staples Center, where his likeness joined those of West, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and the team's late broadcaster Chick Hearn.

"I appreciate all the wonderful things people have said about me, but without the wonderful teammates this certainly would not have been possible," Baylor said at the ceremony. "After about six decades of being around the NBA, I stand here before you today humbled, thankful, grateful for this recognition."

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Fans and friends shared their memories of the basketball legend on Monday.

"Before there was Michael Jordan doing amazing things in the air, there was Elgin Baylor! A true class act and great man," tweeted Earvin Magic Johnson.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.