Elgin Baylor’s was undoubtedly one of the greatest players of all time, but his legacy in basketball history is complicated. He once averaged 38 points per game for the entire 1962 season, but that was the same year that fellow Laker Wilt Chamberlain averaged 50. Baylor’s own greatness was overshadowed by his teammate. And despite his personal achievements, he never won a championship and lost the Finals eight times. Yet as soon as he retired in 1971, the Lakers immediately set the North American pro sports record for a winstreak with 33 straight victories before winning the NBA championship that very season. Was all of that pure luck, or was Baylor’s absence a real blessing to the team? The man flew high, both metaphorically and literally, but the legacy he left behind is one of controversy.
CREDITS
Rick Loayza: Head researcher, writer, and voice
Jacob Loayza: Editor, producer, and publisher
MUSIC
“This or That” by Reks
“Horizons” by Roa
SPORTS HISTORY NETWORK
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m.facebook.com/Basketball-History-101-103801581493027/
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