As one of the places where basketball has tons of fans, Canadians love watching this sport. There have been numerous world-class basketball players in the last 100 years, and Elgin Baylor is among them. He is often referred to as one of the all-time bests, and for a reason.
While discussing basketball, we must mention that many sites offer many options. Besides the online casino, Sports Interaction Canada also offers a sports betting section where Canadians can find exciting options for wagering on basketball. Since basketball is significant in the country, users can expect to find many things that aren’t available for other sports.
Baylor was a part of several notable teams and made his mark in all. Although the legendary forward died on March 22, 2021, at 86, many fans are re-watching his games because they want to know what he was like. With that said, let’s learn more about him.
His early life
Nicknamed “Rabbit” and born in 1934, Elgin Baylor started his basketball career in 1951 and 1952. He had a lot of problems in school and even dropped out. However, Baylor made a comeback in 1954 and played for Spingam High School.
Sadly, during that time, many racial problems in the USA prevented black players from showing everything they could. There were many examples, including when Baylor scored 63 points and broke a record set by Jim Wexler. Sadly, this record didn’t receive the needed attention just because of the color of his skin.
Career during College
Following his performance in high school, Baylor continued to impress everyone in basketball when he was in college. Despite the many problems, the legend found his way to the College of Idaho, where he was a part of the basketball team. Unsurprisingly, he was on another level compared to the others, but he only stayed there for a year because he lacked a scholarship for his second year. Consequently, Baylor became a part of the Amateur Athletic Union after moving to Seattle.
As expected, most of the top USA squads during that time have noticed his performance, and Minneapolis Lakers is among them. Interestingly, the same team wanted his signature in 1956, but he refused because he wanted to keep studying. A few years later, Minneapolis Lakers approached the player again, but this time, he joined it.
His Peak
People interested in Baylor know that his decision to become a part of the Lakers was the best for him and the club. The latter had many problems and had just gone through one of its worst seasons. However, he changed everything for him and the Lakers once Baylor joined the squad.
Unsurprisingly, the legendary player was a crucial part of the squad for many years. He even won a prestigious award given by the NBA to the rookie in the league. What’s even more impressive was that the Lakers also reached the NBA finals back in 1959. Sadly, the team lost its clash against Boston Celtics.
Interestingly, the Lakers decided to switch and move to Los Angeles, positively affecting Baylor’s career. During the 1960s, Elgin scored 61 points in a single game, making him the first to do that. This was in the match versus New York Knicks. Interestingly, Baylor broke his previous record with the new one and held it for around 1 year because Chamberlain broke it after scoring 100 points.
Of course, we must mention Baylor’s incredible record during NBA final vs Boston Celtics. Interestingly, Baylor scored 61 points, which means he is still the record holder regarding the points in an NBA Final, which is impressive.
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