Lakers All-Time Starting Five Power Forward: Elgin Baylor
Power forward was a difficult position to choose. There were a number of great options, as we’ve seen the Lakers succeed with lineups with two big men in them. However, we decided to stick with a traditional lineup with a traditional power forward, Mr. Inside himself, Elgin Baylor.
Baylor was selected No. 1 overall in the 1958 NBA Draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. The Lakers wouldn’t move to Los Angeles until Baylor’s third season in the NBA, but by then he was already an established player.
Baylor would make the All-Star team his first seven years in the league and 11 times overall. He spent his entire 14-year career with the Lakers. Baylor won the Rookie of the Year award and All-Star Game MVP in the same year.
Baylor was dominant throughout his NBA career. He scored at least 24 points per game in every season except three, breaking the 34 point per game plateau three times as well. Baylor was also a monster on the boards, averaging double-digit rebounds every season in his career except three as well. He pulled down at least 12 rebounds per game nine seasons in his career.
For his career, Baylor averaged 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. He became a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977. Baylor has the most rebounds in Lakers history, but they did not record offensive and defensive when he played so he is not on those lists. He is also the leader in points per game.
Fourth place on the all-time points list in Lakers history also belongs to Baylor, as well as second in minutes per game and rebounds per game; only Wilt Chamberlain has him beat in those categories.
Baylor was one of the greatest players of his time, and the greatest power forward to play for the Lakers.