Elvin Hayes

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8 Mar 2024

Elvin Hayes

Elvin Ernest Hayes, born on November 17, 1945, earned the nickname "the Big E" during his illustrious basketball career. He is celebrated as an American former professional basketball player and currently serves as a radio analyst for his alma mater, the Houston Cougars. Hayes is widely recognized for his remarkable contributions to the sport and has been honored with induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He is also distinguished as a member of both the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams.
Throughout his career, Hayes garnered acclaim for his exceptional skills on both offense and defense, solidifying his reputation as one of the premier power forwards in NBA history. Notably, Hayes is revered for his remarkable longevity, having amassed the third-highest total of minutes played in NBA history, totaling exactly 50,000 minutes over his impressive 16-season career. Furthermore, Hayes' durability is highlighted by the fact that he missed merely nine games throughout his entire tenure in the league.

Elvin Hayes showcased his exceptional talent during his senior year at Britton High School, leading his team to the state championship. Throughout the regular season, Hayes exhibited his scoring prowess by averaging an impressive 35 points per game. In the championship game, he delivered a memorable performance, scoring an astonishing 45 points and pulling down 20 rebounds to secure victory for his team. Hayes' outstanding individual contributions undoubtedly played a pivotal role in guiding his team to the state title, cementing his reputation as a standout high school basketball player.

Elvin Hayes left an indelible mark on college basketball during his time with the Houston Cougars. In 1966, he led the Cougars to the Western Regional semifinals of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, although they were defeated by the Oregon State Beavers.
The following year, in 1967, Hayes guided the Cougars to the Final Four of the NCAA tournament. Despite a remarkable individual performance in the semifinal against the eventual champion UCLA Bruins, where he scored 25 points and grabbed 24 rebounds, the Cougars fell short, losing 73–58.

However, it was in the highly anticipated showdown with UCLA on January 20, 1968, that Hayes etched his name in college basketball lore. Facing off against Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), Hayes led the Cougars to a historic victory in the first-ever nationally televised regular-season college basketball game. He scored 39 points, secured 15 rebounds, and held Alcindor to just 15 points, ending UCLA's 47-game winning streak in what became known as the "Game of the Century." This performance earned Hayes The Sporting News College Basketball Player of the Year honors.

In a rematch with UCLA during the 1968 NCAA tournament, Hayes faced a formidable defensive strategy, limiting him to just 10 points as UCLA emerged victorious once again.
Throughout his college career, Hayes demonstrated remarkable consistency and dominance, leading Houston in scoring for three consecutive seasons. He averaged an impressive 31.0 points and 17.2 rebounds per game during his college tenure and holds the record for the most rebounds in NCAA tournament history with 222.
Following his collegiate success, Hayes was selected as the first overall pick in both the 1968 NBA draft and the 1968 ABA draft, marking the beginning of an illustrious professional basketball career.

Elvin Hayes made an immediate impact upon entering the NBA with the San Diego Rockets in 1968. In his rookie season, he showcased his scoring prowess by leading the league with an impressive 28.4 points per game, a feat that remains unmatched by any rookie since. Additionally, Hayes excelled on the boards, averaging 17.1 rebounds per game and earning a spot on the NBA All-Rookie Team. His remarkable debut season included a career-high 54-point outburst against the Detroit Pistons on November 11, 1968.
Continuing his stellar performance, Hayes led the league in rebounding in his second season, breaking the dominance of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain in that category. By his third season in 1970–71, Hayes reached another scoring peak with a career-best 28.7 points per game.

In 1971, the Rockets relocated to Houston, allowing Hayes to play in the city where he achieved college success.
However, conflicts with Houston coach Tex Winter led to Hayes being traded to the Baltimore Bullets on June 23, 1972. With the Bullets, Hayes found success alongside Wes Unseld, leading the team to three NBA Finals appearances and capturing the NBA championship in 1978.
During the 1974 NBA Playoffs, Hayes showcased his postseason prowess, averaging impressive numbers of 25.9 points and 15.9 rebounds per game in a memorable series against the New York Knicks.
Hayes's impact was particularly notable during the Bullets' championship run in 1978, where he set a career-high with 11 blocks in a single game and played a key role in the team's victory over the Seattle SuperSonics in the NBA Finals. He also set an NBA Finals record for most offensive rebounds in a game, demonstrating his relentless work on the boards.
Throughout his NBA career, Elvin Hayes established himself as one of the most dominant players in the league, excelling both offensively and defensively, and leaving an enduring legacy as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history.