Former Lakers Great Elgin Baylor Dead At 86

[pwaldo]

https://www.outkick.com/former-laker...or-dead-at-86/

NBA legend Elgin Baylor, long considered one of the league’s pioneers in electrifying play, has died, the Los Angeles Lakers announced in a statement Monday.

Baylor, age 86, died of natural causes.

Baylor played 14 seasons with the Minneapolis/LA Lakers (1958-71), teaming with Jerry West and, for a while, Wilt Chamberlain. Overall, Baylor appeared in the Finals eight times. A 6-foot-5 guard/forward, Baylor was known as a gifted outside shooter, strong rebounder and deft passer.

Baylor was the first overall pick in the 1958 draft and was named NBA Rookie of the Year the following season.

[bakemeister52]

He was great to watch and he will be missed! RIP brother!

Bake

[LakersMC]

As a Laker fan, I always loved to hear him talk about Jerry West on TV, etc, and vice versa.

I met him a few times & told him that exact thing. He said he talks to Jerry West almost every week.

RIP...

[doniceage]

Sad to hear. Another great Hall of Fame gone.

Don

[WilyWestbrook0]

I remember reading that he was one of the first great athletes of the game. Dr. J made athleticism a staple in the 1970s, but Elgin was one of the first. It's sad he didn't get a championship as a player (getting hurt before the Lakers' famous 33 win streak and championship season), and that he later had to deal as an executive with all of Donald Sterling's nonsense with the Clippers. Ultimately, he was a pioneer in spite of circumstances that kept him from achieving all he could have.