Where do you rank Elgin Baylor amongst the greatest Lakers of all-time?

[TheBomb81]

Is he in your top 5 or a little lower?

[Kilroy]

I think he's top 5... Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Elgin, LeBron, Wilt... He beats out Lebron and Wilt because of the fact we got Elgin's prime, whereas we got the other 2 guys after theirs... Wilt was the better overall player, but not with us.

We just lost Kobe too young, but ask me in a few years and I might put Elgin slightly above Kobe, just because Elgin could score and was a better passer... And if he had a 3pt line and didn't have to deal with as much hand checking, he may have even scored more... He had range from what I've seen in the clips.

[kblo247]

I think he's top 5... Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Elgin, LeBron, Wilt... He beats out Lebron and Wilt because of the fact we got Elgin's prime, whereas we got the other 2 guys after theirs... Wilt was the better overall player, but not with us.

We just lost Kobe too young, but ask me in a few years and I might put Elgin slightly above Kobe, just because Elgin could score and was a better passer... And if he had a 3pt line and didn't have to deal with as much hand checking, he may have even scored more... He had range from what I've seen in the clips.

There ain’t a nice way to say it but he’s the one who never won. He’s not even a guy who meets the criteria of everyone else hanging up in the ceiling. And his team involvement isn’t there post career either because he was a clipper during their awful times.

Kobe - 20 years, 5 rings, 7 finals, and basically a house he built at staples
Magic - made the lakers famous with showtime
Kareem - had great longevity and grace handing the keys over
West - Player and exec combo
Wilt - He was the guy who got them over the top
Lebron - Came here when they were down at their lowest and won
Shaquille - Mosr dominant force ever in their history

Hes not in the top 10 probably when you think about worthy has been in front of laker fans for years after playing as an announcer too so many people know big game James the player, personality, and laker loyalist. I got worthy at 8.

Then is he really more important than Mikan in Lakers lore? Not really for me as Milan started the mantle and legacy and he’s a reason the ring count is even with the Celtics.

Then you got to go to the sidekicks .. Pau helped the Lakers win 2 rings and go to 3 finals. AD already has got his ring and will get more. He’s closer in the group with them of 9- 11 than he is too 8 though for me.

[Kilroy]

I think he's top 5... Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Elgin, LeBron, Wilt... He beats out Lebron and Wilt because of the fact we got Elgin's prime, whereas we got the other 2 guys after theirs... Wilt was the better overall player, but not with us.

We just lost Kobe too young, but ask me in a few years and I might put Elgin slightly above Kobe, just because Elgin could score and was a better passer... And if he had a 3pt line and didn't have to deal with as much hand checking, he may have even scored more... He had range from what I've seen in the clips.

There ain’t a nice way to say it but he’s the one who never won. He’s not even a guy who meets the criteria of everyone else hanging up in the ceiling. And his team involvement isn’t there post career either because he was a clipper during their awful times.

Kobe - 20 years, 5 rings, 7 finals, and basically a house he built at staples
Magic - made the lakers famous with showtime
Kareem - had great longevity and grace handing the keys over
West - Player and exec combo
Wilt - He was the guy who got them over the top
Lebron - Came here when they were down at their lowest and won
Shaquille - Mosr dominant force ever in their history

Hes not in the top 10 probably when you think about worthy has been in front of laker fans for years after playing as an announcer too so many people know big game James the player, personality, and laker loyalist. I got worthy at 8.

Then is he really more important than Mikan in Lakers lore? Not really for me as Milan started the mantle and legacy and he’s a reason the ring count is even with the Celtics.

Then you got to go to the sidekicks .. Pau helped the Lakers win 2 rings and go to 3 finals. AD already has got his ring and will get more. He’s closer in the group with them of 9- 11 than he is too 8 though for me.

You have this thing with winning like it's nothing more than a state of mind or a skill... Wilt was arguably the most talented and dominant player of that era and he didn't win **** either while Russell's Celtics were reigning... Why? Because the Celtics built the first real super-duper team... The only thing close would have been the Warriors with KD... Only Red kept it together for like 15 years.

Baylor was an 11 time all-star who played with the Lakers his entire 14 year career, averaged 27/14/4 for his career, led the lakers to the post season 12 times... He averaged over 30/14/4 over the entire playoffs 4 times... His best being 38/18/4... With no 3pt line...

I think he was more important than Mikan... I don't think Mikan was as important to his team as Baylor... I also think we wouldn't have had Chick if it wasn't for Baylor, because calling his circus plays is how Chick learned his style...

[kblo247]

I think he's top 5... Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Elgin, LeBron, Wilt... He beats out Lebron and Wilt because of the fact we got Elgin's prime, whereas we got the other 2 guys after theirs... Wilt was the better overall player, but not with us.

We just lost Kobe too young, but ask me in a few years and I might put Elgin slightly above Kobe, just because Elgin could score and was a better passer... And if he had a 3pt line and didn't have to deal with as much hand checking, he may have even scored more... He had range from what I've seen in the clips.

There ain’t a nice way to say it but he’s the one who never won. He’s not even a guy who meets the criteria of everyone else hanging up in the ceiling. And his team involvement isn’t there post career either because he was a clipper during their awful times.

Kobe - 20 years, 5 rings, 7 finals, and basically a house he built at staples
Magic - made the lakers famous with showtime
Kareem - had great longevity and grace handing the keys over
West - Player and exec combo
Wilt - He was the guy who got them over the top
Lebron - Came here when they were down at their lowest and won
Shaquille - Mosr dominant force ever in their history

Hes not in the top 10 probably when you think about worthy has been in front of laker fans for years after playing as an announcer too so many people know big game James the player, personality, and laker loyalist. I got worthy at 8.

Then is he really more important than Mikan in Lakers lore? Not really for me as Milan started the mantle and legacy and he’s a reason the ring count is even with the Celtics.

Then you got to go to the sidekicks .. Pau helped the Lakers win 2 rings and go to 3 finals. AD already has got his ring and will get more. He’s closer in the group with them of 9- 11 than he is too 8 though for me.

You have this thing with winning like it's nothing more than a state of mind or a skill... Wilt was arguably the most talented and dominant player of that era and he didn't win **** either while Russell's Celtics were reigning... Why? Because the Celtics built the first real super-duper team... The only thing close would have been the Warriors with KD... Only Red kept it together for like 15 years.

Baylor was an 11 time all-star who played with the Lakers his entire 14 year career, averaged 27/14/4 for his career, led the lakers to the post season 12 times... He averaged over 30/14/4 over the entire playoffs 4 times... His best being 38/18/4... With no 3pt line...

I think he was more important than Mikan... I don't think Mikan was as important to his team as Baylor... I also think we wouldn't have had Chick if it wasn't for Baylor, because calling his circus plays is how Chick learned his style...

Every and I mean every laker but him is defined by being a hell of famer and champion. He’s the ugly duckling and West even made a quote that basically said he always never knew how to ask Elgin how he felt about being the one to not win or them going on to win 33 and a ring after he retired.

Mikan is way more important than Baylor in terms of Lakers and NBA legacy. The nba sold on the marquees Mikan and the Lakers. Mikan put up 5 of those titles that are counted towards competing with the Celtics because Elgin and West weren’t good enough to handle the business and get it done. Elgin in 0’fer for his career in finals series that’s something held against him because losing is held against Bron, and not winning is held against Malone who had a better and longer career. Mikan set the standard of Best big in the league is a laker and must win.

And please don’t compare wilt to Elgin. Wilt actually slayer the beast that stopped him before becoming a laker. Wilt beat Boston and Russell as a Sixers despite years of being called a loser and being heavily criticized for his interview he did about the Warriors and league where he called the early nba and his previous team his life in the Busch league which got him hell and he wore it. Elgin however never did what Wilt did, handled his **** and beat Boston. Then wilt came to LA and got West and Goodrich a title. They don’t belong in the same breath. In fact they didn’t win to Wilt became the captain of the team, not even close in terms of impact. Go watch some hardwood classics or what old wilt did mvp Kareem lol

[dAdo dA dEvil]

My top 3 would be:
1. Kobe
2. Magic
3. Kareem

Considering guys like Shaq, Jerry, Wilt, Worthy, AD, Pau and Lebron to take the 4 - 5 spot then I guess that makes Elgin below number 5. Top 10 maybe.

[Landsberger]

Baylor gets no respect in here?
The whole championship thing is a team accomplishment. It's a 9 person accomplishment.... not one.

West is an all time great and he has 1. I'd argue that Baylor was a much more impactful player in many ways.

Baylor's game was revolutionary for his time. He influenced a lot of players after him. I actually think he gets overlooked in a lot of lists because of Wilt and West.

Anyone who is thinking Worthy was a better player in his era is a couple tacos short of a combo plate.

[kblo247]

Baylor gets no respect in here?
The whole championship thing is a team accomplishment. It's a 9 person accomplishment.... not one.

West is an all time great and he has 1. I'd argue that Baylor was a much more impactful player in many ways.

Baylor's game was revolutionary for his time. He influenced a lot of players after him. I actually think he gets overlooked in a lot of lists because of Wilt and West.

Anyone who is thinking Worthy was a better player in his era is a couple tacos short of a combo plate.

If he had won before, even won that one with Wilt and West are you arguing that he’s not seen as being better overall in history?

He’s not talked about because Dr J, MJ, Bron, Kobe, Wade, and KD all won.

He’s never won a mvp like Barkley or Malone who were all ringless but never won before and are all placed over him too on all time lists.

He’s literally suffering from the fact he never won, never was called the best in the league, and he never beat the ones who owned him. Wilt got the Russell monkey off his back on his own and then he got it off West and Goodrich back.

There’s not a player in history you can point to, who retire from a team in season and that team then names the other guy a captain, like they did Wilt, they reel off 33 straight, and they go on to win a title. That’s damaging especially since there are numerous press clippings of the fact Baylor and Wilt often got into when Wilt was traded there and they never won until Baylor was gone and it was Wilts team and voice telling the others what to do

Him being the only hall of famer up there with no ring is glaring. And West is in record of saying he always wanted to ask him about how he felt not winning but held back on it. Then unlike many other lakers his post career saw him associate himself with Sterling and the Clippers by choice for so long that it hurt his legacy too.

West is known as the logo and GM who put together showtime and kobe/Shaq. Worthy is known as the big games finals player who has been announcing for the past 20 plus years in the faces of fans. Magic is known as the smile that lights up a room and fun general of basketball. Kobe is the longest tenured Laker ever. Shaq is the most dominant force ever. Mikan was the original Laker and marquee player and big man tradition. Kareem is the best scorer in history and won 5 rings while handing his team over gracefully. Lebron came in and picked the franchise up at its lowest, won it all, and did it for Kobe and during a pandemic where the bubble broke other teams.

Not winning, not having accolades, not being associated with the team after playing all hurt him.

[dAdo dA dEvil]

Baylor gets no respect in here?
The whole championship thing is a team accomplishment. It's a 9 person accomplishment.... not one.

West is an all time great and he has 1. I'd argue that Baylor was a much more impactful player in many ways.

Baylor's game was revolutionary for his time. He influenced a lot of players after him. I actually think he gets overlooked in a lot of lists because of Wilt and West.

Anyone who is thinking Worthy was a better player in his era is a couple tacos short of a combo plate.

Baylor is respected. It's just that he's not a top 5 Laker. The Lakers is full of legendary and great players. When you have Kobe, Magic and Kareem that is already a top three. Shaq, Wilt and Jerry could fill the last 2 spots for a top 5, but then you still have Lebron and AD who are still playing right now and could possibly challenge for the 4th and 5th spot. And wait there's Mikan too.

[MAMBAEMD]

I never saw him or Wilt or West play but I have them all in my top 10 Lakers.

Kobe
LBJ
Magic
Kareem
Wilt
Shaq
West
Elgin
AD
Worthy

[snaquille oatmeal]

I think he's top 5... Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Elgin, LeBron, Wilt... He beats out Lebron and Wilt because of the fact we got Elgin's prime, whereas we got the other 2 guys after theirs... Wilt was the better overall player, but not with us.

We just lost Kobe too young, but ask me in a few years and I might put Elgin slightly above Kobe, just because Elgin could score and was a better passer... And if he had a 3pt line and didn't have to deal with as much hand checking, he may have even scored more... He had range from what I've seen in the clips.

No Shaq?

[Kilroy]

I think he's top 5... Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Elgin, LeBron, Wilt... He beats out Lebron and Wilt because of the fact we got Elgin's prime, whereas we got the other 2 guys after theirs... Wilt was the better overall player, but not with us.

We just lost Kobe too young, but ask me in a few years and I might put Elgin slightly above Kobe, just because Elgin could score and was a better passer... And if he had a 3pt line and didn't have to deal with as much hand checking, he may have even scored more... He had range from what I've seen in the clips.

No Shaq?

He's 7th, after Wilt, although West might beat him... Shaq had some dominant years in LA, but he really only put together 1 complete season... The rest of the time he got lazy, came in out of shape, stumbled through the Reg season and if we were lucky, beasted in the post season... But then he started bitching and whining through the post season too... Which is why he won championships elsewhere and hurts his status and most important Laker... You can play for the Celtics, AND THEN come to the lakers and get love... Like Rondo and Fox... But if you go from the lakers to the Celtics and help them win... Huge negative...