Elgin Baylor, the Los Angeles Lakers’ first superstar, among the first in an emerging National Basketball Assn., and a fixture on the L.A. basketball scene for the better part of half a century, has died of natural causes in Los Angeles.
Baylor, who coached briefly after his Hall of Fame 14-season playing career ended, then had a 22-year run as an executive with L.A.’s other NBA team, the Clippers, died Monday morning, the Lakers announced on Twitter. He was 86.
“Elgin was THE superstar of his era — his many accolades speak to that,” Lakers President Jeanie Buss tweeted.