Elvin Hayes

Elvin Hayes is an American former professional basketball player and a Hall of Famer, known for his dominance as a power forward and center. After distinguishing himself early in his basketball career by leading Britton High School to a state championship, Elvin Hayes averaged 35 points per game during the regular season and delivered a 45-point, 20-rebound performance in the championship game. His collegiate career at the University of Houston, starting in 1964, was groundbreaking, as he and Don Chaney became the university’s first African American basketball players. Hayes consistently led the Houston Cougars in scoring, averaging 27.2 points in 1966, 28.4 in 1967, and an impressive 36.8 points per game in 1968.

He became the last rookie to lead the NBA in scoring, and in his second season (1970), he led the league in rebounding. After the Rockets moved to Houston in 1971, Hayes was traded to the Baltimore Bullets in 1972, where he formed a formidable frontcourt with Wes Unseld. Together, they led the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets to three NBA Finals appearances, securing an NBA championship in 1978. During that championship run, Hayes averaged 21.8 points and 12.1 rebounds over 21 playoff games.

For his unparalleled achievements, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990 and was named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary Team in 1996. Beyond the court, Hayes briefly coached the Houston Shamrocks and returned to the University of Houston to complete his degree. He later served as a Liberty County, Texas, sheriff’s deputy (2007) and became a radio analyst for Houston Cougars men’s basketball games (2010). His enduring legacy includes induction into the Breitbard Hall of Fame (2003), naming to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team (2021), and the Houston Rockets retiring his No.

44 jersey (2022).