How Elgin Baylor Saved The NBA

Elgin Baylor passed away on March 22, 2021. Despite being one of the greatest NBA players of all time, he never got the recognition he deserved. In this video, I talk about Baylor's upbringing and how he became an NBA legend. Enjoy!
I make all kinds of NBA videos which include analysis, player stories, countdowns, and mysteries. Make sure to leave a like and subscribe if you enjoyed this video!
► Instagram: @Andy93y
► Twitter: @AndyHoopsYT
► Music:
On The Cool Side by Kevin MacLeod
Eternity by Kevin MacLeod
Available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license. Find all of his songs and download them for free here: incompetech.com
► Sources:
Stats and box-scores from Basketball-Reference.com
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#nba

[@atlrunner1397]

“Everyone knows his name, but few know his game” 🔥🔥🔥

[@roromadethat7097]

Ik him since im a laker fan and he was a scoring threat from the film i never watch him live but fo sho he was a bad man him and jerry west oh boy

[@tutorialsbyaaron6707]

Hey. I’m not dead. I’m in heaven watching KZbin. It’s sad seeing people cry about me passing away. I miss earth

[@ayemoe8952]

Great qoute all real nba fans know about baylor but not his game

[@ayemoe8952]

@Stacy Williams lol imma wizards fan of course i knw who he is. we havent won since he played

[@HerEvilTwin]

@@tutorialsbyaaron6707 lmao wtf

[@JahNuhThunDeeTheOneAndOnly]

Before this video, I didn’t know that Elgin Baylor was the reason why the Lakers still exist...just WOW

[@swishcountyproductions]

The best player that kids never know of, RIP Legend!!

[@yaoming1251]

Facts

[@sehrnettekommentare3851]

I know him and I still a kid

[@silassibanda2494]

@@sehrnettekommentare3851 not the time bro🙏🏿

[@sehrnettekommentare3851]

@@silassibanda2494 my main language is not English, but because of you I understood it. RIP Elgin

[@hughjass8299]

you act like you saw him play

[@tacomaliciouso]

Baylor redefined the sf/small ball pf position forever. He is the first one who could rebound the ball and coast to coast to the rim. He is also undersized when he played pf position but he still got 18 rbs per game. Truly a legend.

[@lloydkline6946]

Elgin baylor one of first nba players to shoot over people, create their own shots

[@allanpaoloalingod1863]

The legends from 50s and 60s were the most under appreciated players for some casual. The likes of Mikan, Pettit, Cousy, Schayes, Arizin, Russell, Wilt and many more.

[@abuhassan8849]

They were just plumbers & milkmens in NBA's infancy lol.

[@ecco2ks]

@@abuhassan8849 🤓

[@zoom27dragonsnake80]

@@abuhassan8849 shut your mouth man. You must be 5.

[@roromadethat7097]

@@abuhassan8849 stfu

[@ayuubnur4013]

@@abuhassan8849 My man all of your comments on this channel is disses to Elgin 🤦🏽‍♂️ get a life my guy. Touch some grass. Hold a girls hand

[@kristupaskaunietis9165]

Time just flies.... Make sure you enjoy every moment in your life, or one day, you will regret it

[@mr.cheesekake9755]

Wise words from Steve Nash lol

[@bryangarcia1150]

🙏🏾

[@rattlehead54321]

Every Los Angeles Lakers fan should watch this video. Rest In Peace Mr Baylor and thank you.

[@CrestlineIceberg]

I am glad that you made this video on Elgin Baylor. He was very underrated and underappreciated for what he did on the court. Most Lakers fans should at least appreciate him for saving the Lakers. He will be missed. Rest in Peace Mr. Inside.

[@mattn99]

The same people who throw "casual" around like it's a bad thing probably had no idea who Elgin Baylor was. I'm glad there's content like this out there! Nice work!

[@fadilsp3]

i feel like the only one saying elgin baylor is a casual is flightreacts

[@zachmartin1458]

Nobody played like Baylor before, and everybody has played like him since. That's greatness.

[@cemsen5460]

i was born in 2005, i’ve always felt like lf i was alive in 60s, elgin would be my favorite player. For some reason I’ve always liked that man, i’m so happy that he had a near perfect ending to his life. 87, peacefully.

[@cemsen5460]

@Jake Stockton i mean crazy to think imma be in college in 2 years lmao

[@rllybagchasin]

My grandfather went to Spingarn with him and they rewarded Baylor with a championship ring even though he had retired that season. R.I.P a DC Legend and NBA Legend💔

[@theoneandonly43997]

Thanks for changing the game! RIP Baylor.

[@Ryhillchibulls]

He is so important to the league and because many of the viewers here are young this video won't blow up. Bill Simmons had a great memoriam about him on his podcast.

[@abuhassan8849]

It's awesome how Elgin Baylor went from balding in his youth to a full head afro as an old man.

[@nebur59]

I don’t think that’s accurate, I could be wrong but I think he just let his hair grow out in the 70s cause that was the style.

[@HeathOverledger]

RIP the icon Elgin Baylor. To me, he’s one of the pillars of the league, one of the best five (skill wise) to ten (overall w/ accomplishments) SF’s ever. Definitely deserves his flowers for saving the Lakers’ franchise and deserves that ring for 1972. Great video!

[@Doknot-tb9ey]

Its sad that he is forgotten and never talked about, especially for not winning a championship. Elgin deserves some praise and props for what he had done for the game. Elgin is #4 on my all-time SF's list.

[@marcellkristoffauszt5444]

Let's not forget when he averaged 38 points, he was in active service for the US military, so he could only attend to 48 games and maybe 50 was limit for eligibility for scoring or mvp title. He truly was a different beast. R.I.P. legend 🙏

[@suppenwerfboi4111]

Rest in peace Elgin Baylor. I never knew how impactful he was as a player. I only knew he was a unlucky GM for Donald sterling clippers. (A man who didn't even knew that Baylor was a Basketball Legend before he hired him)

[@AirRusher1992]

Here

[@nixbriones4963]

Rest easy, champ! A lot of us disrespects players from 60s, 70s and 80s. Mainly because how the game was played back then but if not for this players, I don't think nba will become what it is today if not for these guys. Thank you, legends!

[@williamlee7672]

A legend. Doesn’t matter about zero rings or 0/8 in finals. He still got to finals which is more than 99% of players.

[@marcosmartinez8088]

Great video Andy. That's something i don't like about the NBA media sometimes. Why are they so focus on promote what happened in NBA since the 80's, instead of the entire league history?. The credit is not just one player should have it. MJ was a great player and one of the best career ever, but of the same time, Dr. J and Baylor were great players who inspired a lot of kids growing up too. Giving the deserve credit to Dr. J and Baylor doesn't mean we are taking away credit for MJ, it's just mean we apreciate more the basketball as a sport in general. The same way i could watch a game or an interview of MJ and get inspired, i could watch a game or a an interview of Dr. J and Baylor and get inspired too. And believe me, if you watch at least 4-5 Dr. J's interviews, you will see how wise he is, and how wise were the players back then, when the league was focus on basketball instead of just superstars.

[@zoom27dragonsnake80]

Agree

[@TheBaylor22]

Baylor played on one leg for most of his career. Other than Wilt, he was the most unstoppable player in the league. Incredible rebounder and passer. He was the best player on the Lakers in those early years when he was whole, not West. Boston had multiple Hall Of Fame players, but the Lakers took them to seven games without even a facsimile of a legitimate center. Without question, Baylor remains one of the greatest forwards the league has ever seen.

[@marcosmartinez8088]

Fun fact you forgot: Elgin is the only Lakers to win Rookie of the year.

[@chayeskomboyer6336]

Magic johnson

[@marcosmartinez8088]

@@chayeskomboyer6336 men, Magic lost the award agaisnt Larry Bird in 1980. I think he definitely lost because Kareem was the MVP and the best player of the Lakers that year, while Bird was the best player in the Celtics.

[@roluxism]

@@chayeskomboyer6336 lol

[@Uchawibeatz]

That's actually true. Great fact

[@ratedpending]

Which sounds insane but when you think about it, how often do the Lakers have to rebuild, and when they do, do they draft particularly well? (and even when they draft well, it's often in stacked classes)

[@eamparbeng]

When James Naismith created the game of basketball as a recreational gym activity, he probably didn't know the level of magnitude it would have over a century later.

[@tastefullys]

Probably same thing for Henry Ford and the Model T

[@eamparbeng]

@@tastefullys I agree with that butterfly effect scenario also 👍

[@trentonayershandsoffire3620]

He didn’t

[@TheShapeshifter]

I have his book, "Hang Tim." It's a great book and I recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about Elgin Baylor.

[@TOKYO-di1kf]

R.I.P LEGEND! thank u for ur doings!

[@nebur59]

Thank you for posting this very enjoyable video. I began watching the Lakers in ‘64, the year I started playing organized basketball in my sophomore year in HS. Elgin is my all time favorite player in terms of the player who brought me the most joy and excitement. I read his autobiography“Hang Time” and I recommend it to anyone who was a fan of Elgin Baylor. In the book Elgin describes a few incidents of racism he had to endure in his rookie year in the NBA, it’s heart breaking but I also think about how a certain big name player on the current Laker team has claimed racism in recent times and how I believe it’s an insult to Elgin and other players of his era who experienced real racism. One of my fondest basketball memories was watching him and the Lakers play an intra-squad game at my HS in ‘65. It was actually a fundraiser for rookie player Gail Goodrich’s HS who was an alumnus of our rival Poly HS. They asked to use our gym because we had one of the biggest if not the biggest gym in the city at the time. I recall the tickets were $5, I didn’t have the money but got in free since I was on our school’s team. Elgin scored 36 points while barely breaking a sweat. Great memories.

[@johndotcue]

Baylor and West were fucking pioneers man. Two smaller dudes just kicking ass in the court. I wish they won a ring so Baylor would be more respected, but the 60s Celtics had to be so fucking dominant and unbeatable...

[@allaroundhighlights8962]

RIP BAYLOR, NEVER BE FORGOTTEN! 🙏🙏🙏

[@khangnguyenlamduong2174]

It's kinda sad to know that Jerry is the only one left from that Lakers Big 3. RIP Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor 🙏

[@angrymobsters1599]

Don't forget Gail Goodrich is still alive. It could have been a big 4 for for a while if Elgin Didn't retire in Gails second year with the Lakers

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

@@angrymobsters1599 Gail was there from 66-68 too I believe

[@StoicalVibes]

Wait...Legendary Elgin Baylor passed away on the 22nd of March and his number is 22...mind blown 🤯

[@ELSTrainTuber501]

He died on March 22

[@royalmcmorris1211]

Just reliving the legend great upload I love this guy rip baylor if he is the best all around basketball player he top 5

[@ineveryuniverse3953]

Without Baylor, there’d be no Lakers! R.I.P to the legend 💯🏀💪🏽

[@jakeguerras_fan]

Top 5 SF, Top 15 player, Top 1 impact.

[@elliteMonkeygaming]

Sometimes you don’t need to be born in a rich background,you come from a struggle and inspire, be a pioneer but still get no credit. Sometimes you gotta let god give you credit. Elgin Baylor a great inspirational figure. Rest in Power 🙏

[@DaBigBlud]

Protect Bill Russell at all costs 💕

[@tommiebaylor9142]

Man my grandpa passed away in 05 and Elgin came to the funeral. RIP to UNCLE ELGIN

[@youngmelo1841]

Andy comes to the rescue everytime I look up random players

[@unlockedaccount]

massive respect to elgin baylor for what he did throughout his life, wish i knew this before he died , rip🙏🏾❤️

[@Dc-dp6go]

Respect for doing this video! Thank you

[@david.tousignant20]

Elgin Baylor was an underrated NBA superstar to say the least. He was an elite offensive force. He was able to do everything on the court. He was a complete treat on the court : defense, rebounding, scoring, passing, complete athlete, IQ... His name is never mentioned when people is talking about dominant SF. For the young cats here, many of his peers compared Baylor's game to James (!).

[@ninjaluc79]

Never won a championship in a league where only championships matter in conversations about the legends of the game.

[@westies1962]

Elgin Baylor was definitely a top 10 small forward of all time! The sad thing is that it was just he and Jerry West to really guide the Lakers! The Lakers did award Baylor a ring for the 1971-72 championship year out of loyalty and respect! He deserved it!!

[@nopasta9528]

How good was Danny manning Rip elgin baylor

[@nopasta9528]

@` I swear I just saw Bob mcaddo Reploed in my notid

[@lloydkline6946]

Danny manning won an college basketball championship at Kansas & all American basketball player too had knee surgery before nba

[@nopasta9528]

@@lloydkline6946 huh

[@KadeemG61]

It’s such a shame Elgin Baylor was very well memorable (but forgotten) Laker legend of all time. One of the more underrated players of the Golden Era of the NBA. He will be missed for real.

[@abuhassan8849]

Elgin Baylor is a fucking underachiever who couldn't win a ring as main contributor in his prime.

[@zoom27dragonsnake80]

The 2000s was the golden era in my opinion for basketball.

[@zoom27dragonsnake80]

@@abuhassan8849you must not remember bill’s super team.

[@KadeemG61]

@@zoom27dragonsnake80 The Golden Age Of Laker Basketball in the 50’s and 60’s with Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (before Magic, Kobe, and Shaq).

[@zoom27dragonsnake80]

@@KadeemG61 bro I didn’t say that the 2000s was the golden age of the lakers, I said the 2000s was the golden age of the nba

[@SuperNASCARrocks]

One of the games greats for sure.

[@theblazingblaziken1951]

You were one of the best Elgin, rest in peace man

[@Amick44]

The first great complete superstar. He set the table for a Connie Hawkins, Rick Barry, Julius Erving as a blueprint for offensive and all around excellence.

[@yesmanyrangel9328]

Awesome video! He reminds me a lot of lebron. Both freak athletes, multiple finals trips had to go against historic great teams. Revolutionized the forward position. If Baylor would formed a super team he would also have like 3 rings

[@bryansantos6864]

Great vid. Nice to show respect to the man

[@roberthausmann519]

He was fantastic!

[@PainoiteGaming]

R.I.P Elgin once a legend always legend ✊

[@EboEats]

RIP to a true legend of the game.

[@jabez623]

The first point forward in the NBA. Way ahead of his time.

[@zacklange5427]

He’s in the top 5 small forwards in my opinion: LeBron, Bird, Baylor, Erving, Durant. Too bad his career was cut short by injuries. Rest In Peace to an inspiring figure in sports.

[@JimmyDee12]

Andy I love your videos, not a minute is wasted. straight to the point

[@buctee2994]

It's great hear more about him the Celtics really hurt his ring count also you're a unique nba youtuber

[@alexschkliar9075]

thank you Andy amazing video

[@adobejuan2160]

My Dad would take me to see him play and win for Seattle U. Awesome player

[@trentonayershandsoffire3620]

Fun fact.... The year he retired. We won the championship. As the one of Leading world class organization. The Los Angeles Lakers, we awarded him a NBA Championship ring.

[@AirRusher1992]

RIP Elgin Baylor. I really feel bad for him when he couldn't win a championship in any season of his career although he could've sticked around the 1972 Lakers team that would eventually win the title after he left. Btw the day he announced his retirement also the kickstart of their long standing record of 33 consecutive wins en route to 69 wins. Nevertheless Baylor is also one of the most important players in NBA history other than Bill Russell because without him we wouldn't see guys like Julius Erving and Michael Jordan.

[@SevenShorts-i3y]

Well this is just sad... my grandpa died today, my best friends grandpa died on the 22nd of march and elgin baylor died on the 22nd of march. What a sad year.

[@mohammadqubbaj3600]

May they rest in peace

[@brucelau2023]

What an amazing great video and yes what a legend Elgin Baylor was . RIP

[@ktdsgaming]

Rip 🙏🏾🕊 and nice video

[@jaydengarcia1353]

Rest In Power Elgin Baylor

[@matsalvatore9074]

4 assists back then was like 7 today tho. He would be a walking triple double today

[@bmillz6243]

Elgin was basically the first superstar wing in NBA history. He was the template for Julius, Alex English, David Thompson, Jordan, LeBron. He’s basically a shorter 60s version of LeBron.

[@rjcadenaladf]

Elgin Baylor opened the door for everyone else who has come into the NBA and become a great star. In addition to all of his accomplishments, he did everything before the three point shot came into existence. All his scoring records were accomplished when baskets only got you 2 points. I think this is very important.

[@challen117]

Fantastic video for a bonafide Legend! So underrated....

[@cloudedjourney]

Isaac from The Orville dropping basketball videos. Love it.

[@doloman77]

A pioneer , RIP legend.

[@Sqkwid]

Elgin Baylor is so clean

[@KhiryTheKonqueror]

He's the all time Lakers leading rebounder and accepted his ring in the 72 season only playing 9 games that season.

[@SoopaMario]

Awesome profile piece. RIP Elgin Baylor

[@Big-Cj-Up-Next]

R.I.P. Elgin Baylor The G.O.A.T.

[@daboyyyyyyyyy]

He is on my top7 small foword and 16 in all time

[@davidstring8301]

RIP Elgin. Loved playing with him in NBA Street Vol 2

[@712dal]

Great tribute

[@PainfullyCasual]

Legend

[@foualter102]

nice video... love this one

[@chrisberry789]

Fantastic video

[@rommelflores2618]

Love it mate 👍😎

[@thebestcentaur]

"Heck, even Jerry West went 1 for 8, and he's still remembered fondly." Yeah, not like his image is the NBA's freaking logo or anything

[@HerEvilTwin]

Great music

[@SoggyHotDoggy]

It’s crazy that Chris Smoove’s video with him on his team in 2K14 was how I was introduced to a player as good as Baylor

[@hoopshandles6303]

Rip Laker Legend I will always cherish the times I saw him in the stands and his statue

[@sesmithers81]

Shout out to andy hoops he's an all-star.

[@NishantSingh-yo3gb]

Love from India

[@georgek5993]

Sad that he didn't win a chip. Rip to a legend

[@th1nd9r]

Rip the legend Elgin baylor

[@jujuju948]

Baylor is an NBA champion. If they consider Boucher a 2x NBA champion for playing one game with the Warriors is 2018 (Albeit he played with the G-League Team for the whole season), Baylor should be considered one too if he played 9 games in 1971-72.

[@dnasty312]

He got a ring from that season

[@jujuju948]

@@dnasty312 Ik that. It’s just that people still consider him one of the best players to have never won a ring

[@abramflores8121]

Great video as always

[@louisxvisaintelienlouisxvi1516]

Rip elgin baylor Suggestion : how good was mike miller

[@runevi]

You should do a video dedication for the greatest Knick Ever: Walt "Clyde" Frazier!

[@paskeetje]

You could argue he kinda won a title because he did play 9 games in the 71-72 season when the Lakers finally won. I read somewhere that he actually retired that season because the coach (Bill Sharman) took him out of the starting lineup and he didn't want to spend his final season coming off the bench. Ironically, the game after he decided to stop, the Lakers started a 33-game winning streak and ended up champions...

[@greekyoungbuck]

Great video I didn't know a lot of this

[@seanemmanuel329]

Number #1

[@ytgc-royalewarex5190]

Man, Lakers had big 3 player such as Elgin, Wilt and Jerry... So sad they never won some ring against Celtics during 60s... could've had been a great rivalry of the decade that barely was

[@rnuke_rocket]

It's really sad that he didn't even get at least 1 ring. Many people nowadays only talk about his finals record and saying that stats are only numbers unless you win a chip. I wish I could've seen him play. RIP, Elgin Baylor 🙏 You'll always be one of the greats.

[@Epupify]

Elgin is one of the best examples that championships not always determine a player's greatness.

[@rnuke_rocket]

@@Epupify 💯

[@DaBigBlud]

I'm so glad Elgin lived a long and happy life he was almost 100 years old. Imo he's the Best SF of all time

[@tackymm466]

Top 5 Small Forward

[@casualfandestroyer2503]

Can we get more 60s bill/wilt west/Baylor videos?