R.I.P. Elgin Baylor

[Thespiralgoeson]

The basketball world has lost a true giant today. Elgin was one of the five players that defined the NBA's formative years (I don't really count anything before the shot clock.) The four were of course, Russell, Wilt, Oscar Robertson, and Elgin's teammate Jerry West.

It's sad that there's not much footage of him on youtube, because by all accounts, Elgin was the first "above the rim" superstar, and the first guy who blew people away with his athleticism. Bill Simmons wrote in his book that Elgin was the guy who turned basketball from a horizontal game into a vertical one, and anyone who actually saw him play was awestruck.