NBA legend and former Lakers star Elgin Baylor dies at 86
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LOS ANGELES (NewsNation Now) — Former Los Angeles Lakers star and Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor died of natural causes Monday, the basketball team said. He was 86.
The Lakers released a statement Monday, saying Baylor died in Los Angeles with his wife, Elaine, and daughter, Krystal, by his side.
With a silky-smooth jumper and fluid athleticism, Baylor played a major role in revolutionizing basketball from a ground-bound sport into an aerial show.
Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss praised Baylor as “THE superstar of his era,” adding that his many accolades speak to that.
“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,” Buss said.
CENTURY CITY, CA – MAY 19: Retired NBA player and radio host John Salley and former pro basketball player Elgin Baylor attend the 28th Anniversary Sports Spectacular Gala at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on May 19, 2013 in Century City, California. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Sports Spectacular) 
CENTURY CITY, CA – MAY 19: Former NBA player Elgin Baylor speaks onstage at the 28th Anniversary Sports Spectacular Gala at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on May 19, 2013 in Century City, California.. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Sports Spectacular) 
LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 22: Elgin Baylor and Steve Ballmer laugh during the first half of Game Two of the Western Conference quarterfinals of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at Staples Center on April 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) 
SANTA MONICA, CA – JUNE 25: Elgin Baylor attends the 2018 NBA Awards Show at Barker Hangar on June 25, 2018 in Santa Monica, California. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
His second career as a personnel executive with the Los Angeles Clippers was less successful.
He worked for the Clippers from 1986 until 2008, when he left the team with acrimony and an unsuccessful lawsuit against owner Donald Sterling and the NBA claiming age and race discrimination.
Baylor was the first NBA player to surpass 70 points with a 71-point game Dec. 11, 1960, against New York.
Baylor was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977, and a statue honoring him was unveiled at the Los Angeles STAPLES Center in 2018, according to the Lakers.
He’s survived by his wife, three children and sister.
“Elgin was the love of my life and my best friend,” his wife Elaine said in a statement released by the Lakers. “And like everyone else, I was in awe of his immense courage, dignity and the time he gave to all fans.”
