Elvin Hayes

Last updated

Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes 1975.jpeg
Hayes with the Washington Bullets in 1975
Personal information
Born (1945-11-17) November 17, 1945 (age 78)
Rayville, Louisiana, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (206 cm)
Listed weight235 lb (107 kg)
Career information
High schoolEula D. Britton (Rayville, Louisiana)
College Houston (1964–1968)
NBA draft 1968: 1st round, 1st overall pick
Selected by the San Diego Rockets
Playing career1968–1984
Position Power forward / center
Number11, 44
Career history
As player:
1968–1972 San Diego / Houston Rockets
1972–1981 Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets
1981–1984 Houston Rockets
As coach:
1984 Houston Shamrocks
Career highlights and awards
Career statistics
Points 27,313 (21.0 ppg)
Rebounds 16,279 (12.5 rpg)
Blocks 1,771 (2.0 bpg)
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at NBA.com
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2006

Elvin Ernest Hayes (born November 17, 1945), nicknamed "the Big E", is an American former professional basketball player and radio analyst for his alma mater Houston Cougars. He is a member of the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams, and an inductee in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Known for both his offensive and defensive prowess, Hayes is often regarded as one of the best power forwards in NBA history. Hayes is also known for his longevity, being third all-time in NBA minutes played (at exactly 50,000), and missing only nine games during his 16-season career. [1]

Contents

Early life

In Hayes' senior year at Britton High School, he led his team to the state championship, after averaging 35 points a game during the regular season. In the championship game victory, Hayes scored 45 points and grabbed 20 rebounds. [1]

College career

In 1966, Hayes led the Houston Cougars into the Western Regional semifinals of the 1966 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament before the Cougars lost to the Pac-8 champion Oregon State Beavers.

In 1967, Hayes led the Cougars to the Final Four of the 1967 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. He would attempt 31 field goals, score 25 points, and get 24 rebounds in a 73–58 semifinal loss to the eventual champion UCLA Bruins featuring Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). Hayes' rebounding total is second to Bill Russell's Final Four record of 27. [2] [3]

Houston's Hayes is carried in a victory celebration after the defeat of UCLA in the Game of the Century at the Astrodome Elvin Hayes during celebration after Houston's win over UCLA in 1968 Game of the Century.png
Houston's Hayes is carried in a victory celebration after the defeat of UCLA in the Game of the Century at the Astrodome

On January 20, 1968, Hayes and the Houston Cougars faced Alcindor and the UCLA Bruins in the first-ever nationally televised regular-season college basketball game. In front of a record 52,693 fans at the Houston Astrodome, Hayes scored 39 points and had 15 rebounds while limiting Alcindor to just 15 points as Houston beat UCLA 71–69 to snap the Bruins' 47-game winning streak in what has been called the "Game of the Century". That game helped Hayes earn The Sporting News College Basketball Player of the Year.

In the rematch to the "Game of the Century", Hayes faced Alcindor and UCLA in the 1968 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. UCLA coach John Wooden had the Bruins play a "triangle and two" zone defense with Alcindor playing behind Hayes and Lynn Shackleford fronting him. Hayes was held to 10 points, losing to Alcindor and the Bruins 101–69 in the semi-final. [3]

Hayes led Houston in scoring in each of three seasons (1966: 27.2 points per game, 1967: 28.4, and 1968: 36.8). For his college career, Hayes averaged 31.0 points per game and 17.2 rebounds per game. He has the most rebounds in NCAA tournament history at 222. While a student at Houston, Hayes was initiated into the Alpha Nu Omega Chapter of the Iota Phi Theta fraternity alongside fellow future Hall of Famer Calvin Murphy. [4]

With his departure from college, Hayes was the first overall selection in both the 1968 NBA draft and 1968 ABA draft. He was taken by the San Diego Rockets and Houston Mavericks, respectively.

Professional career

San Diego / Houston Rockets (1968–1972)

Hayes joined the NBA with the San Diego Rockets in 1968 and went on to lead the NBA in scoring with 28.4 points per game, averaged 17.1 rebounds per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. Hayes' scoring average is the fifth best all-time for a rookie, and he remains the last rookie to lead the NBA in scoring average. He scored a career-high 54 points against the Detroit Pistons on November 11, 1968.

In Hayes' second season, he led the NBA in rebounding, becoming the first player other than Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain to lead the category since 1957 (Chamberlain was injured during much of the season). In Hayes' third season, 1970–71, he scored a career-best 28.7 points per game. In 1971, the Rockets moved to Houston, enabling Hayes to play in the city of his college triumphs.

Hayes with San Diego in 1969 Elvin Hayes 1969.jpg
Hayes with San Diego in 1969

Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets (1972–1981)

After a series of conflicts with Houston coach Tex Winter, Hayes was traded away to the Baltimore Bullets for Jack Marin and undisclosed considerations on June 23, 1972. [5]

In the 1974 NBA Playoffs, during the franchise's only year called the Capital Bullets, Hayes averaged postseason career-bests of 25.9 points and 15.9 rebounds per game in a Bullets 4–3 first round series loss to the New York Knicks. [6]

Hayes, along with co-star Wes Unseld, led the Washington Bullets to three NBA Finals appearances (1975, 1978 and 1979), and an NBA title over the Seattle SuperSonics in 1978. On March 3, 1978, Hayes set a career-high of 11 blocks in a single game, while also scoring 22 points and grabbing 27 rebounds, in a 124–108 win over the Detroit Pistons. [7] During the Bullets' championship run that postseason, while aided by the addition of Bob Dandridge, Hayes averaged 21.8 points and 12.1 rebounds per game in 21 playoff games, as Washington won their only NBA title to date.

Hayes set an NBA Finals record for most offensive rebounds in a game (11), the following year, in a May 27, 1979 game against the SuperSonics. The Chicago Bulls' Dennis Rodman would tie this record twice, both games coming in the 1996 NBA Finals, also against the SuperSonics.

Return to the Rockets (1981–1984)

Desiring to finish his playing career in Texas and preferably Houston, Hayes was sent back to the Rockets for second-round draft picks in 1981 (Charles Davis) and 1983 (Sidney Lowe) on June 8, 1981. [8] [9]

Coaching career

After his playing career ended in 1984, Hayes was hired as the head coach of the Houston Shamrocks of the newly founded Women's American Basketball Association. However, Hayes only lasted two weeks and resigned after coaching the team for one game. [10]

After basketball

Hayes at the University of Houston Elvin Hayes.jpg
Hayes at the University of Houston

Shortly after finishing his career in the NBA, Hayes returned to the University of Houston to finish the last 30 credit hours of his undergraduate degree. When interviewed about the experience, Hayes mentioned, "I played 16 years of pro basketball, but this is the hardest thing I've ever done." [11]

In November 2007, Hayes became a Liberty County, Texas, sheriff's deputy, fulfilling a childhood dream. [12] On November 22, 2010, it was announced that he would serve as an analyst for radio broadcasts of Houston Cougars games on Houston's KBME. [13]

Hayes had his #44 jersey retired by the Houston Rockets on November 18, 2022. [14]

Personal life

Hayes converted to Catholicism in the 1970s. [15]

Stats and honors

One of five numbers retired by the University of Houston men's basketball team, Hayes's No. 44 hangs in Fertitta Center. Elvin Hayes UH retired number.jpg
One of five numbers retired by the University of Houston men's basketball team, Hayes's No. 44 hangs in Fertitta Center.

In his career with the San Diego / Houston Rockets and the Baltimore / Capital / Washington Bullets, Hayes played 1,303 games over 16 seasons, registering 27,313 points (twelfth all-time) and 16,279 rebounds (fourth all-time). He is the all-time leading scorer for the Washington Bullets/Wizards. Hayes never missed more than two games in any of his 16 seasons in the NBA. In addition to his 1968 scoring title, he led the NBA in rebounding in 1970 and 1974. Hayes played in 12 straight NBA All-Star Games from 1969 to 1980. He retired holding the NBA record for total regular-season minutes played, with exactly 50,000.

Hayes was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 and voted to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. [16] He boycotted the Hall of Fame beginning in 1990 and refused to return until Guy Lewis, his coach at the University of Houston, was admitted. [17]

In 2003, Hayes was inducted into the Breitbard Hall of Fame, which honors San Diego's finest athletes. [18]

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GPGames played  GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage 3P%  3-point field goal percentage FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game APG  Assists per game SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
 † Won an NBA championship  * Led the league

Regular season

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1968–69 San Diego 82—45.1.447—.62617.11.4——28.4*
1969–70 San Diego 82*—44.7*.452—.68816.9*2.0——27.5
1970–71 San Diego 82—44.3.428—.67216.62.3——28.7
1971–72 Houston 82—42.2.434—.64914.63.3——25.2
1972–73 Baltimore 81—32.1.444—.67114.11.6——21.2
1973–74 Capital 81—44.5*.423—.72118.1*2.01.13.021.4
1974–75 Washington 82—42.3.443—.76612.22.51.92.323.0
1975–76 Washington 80—37.2.470—.62811.01.51.32.519.8
1976–77 Washington 82—41.0.501—.68712.51.91.12.723.7
1977–78† Washington 81—40.1.451—.63413.31.81.22.019.7
1978–79 Washington 82—37.9.487—.65412.11.7.92.321.8
1979–80 Washington 81—39.3.454.231.69911.11.6.82.323.0
1980–81 Washington 81—36.2.451.000.6179.71.2.82.117.8
1981–82 Houston 828237.0.472.000.6649.11.8.81.316.1
1982–83 Houston 814328.4.476.500.6837.62.0.61.012.9
1983–84 Houston 81412.3.406.000.6523.2.9.2.35.0
Career [19] 1,30312938.4.452.147.67012.51.81.02.021.0
All-Star [19] 12422.0.403—.6477.71.4––10.5

Playoffs

YearTeamGPGSMPGFG%3P%FT%RPGAPGSPGBPGPPG
1969 San Diego 6—46.3.526—.66013.8.8——25.8
1973 Baltimore 5—45.6.505—.69711.41.0——25.8
1974 Capital 7—46.1.531—.70715.93.00.72.125.9
1975 Washington 17—44.2.468—.67710.92.21.52.325.5
1976 Washington 7—43.6.443—.58212.61.4.74.020.0
1977 Washington 9—45.0.563—.69513.61.91.12.421.0
1978† Washington 21—41.3.491—.59413.32.01.52.521.8
1979 Washington 19—41.4.429—.66914.05.0.92.722.5
1980 Washington 2—46.0.390—.80011.03.0.02.020.0
1982 Houston 3—41.3.340—.53310.01.0.73.314.0
Career96—43.3.464—.65213.01.91.12.622.9

See also

NBA

College

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kareem Abdul-Jabbar</span> American basketball player (born 1947)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American former professional basketball player who played 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a record six-time NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was a 19-time NBA All-Star, a 15-time All-NBA Team member, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection. He was a member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two more as an assistant coach, and was twice voted the NBA Finals MVP. He was named to three NBA anniversary teams. Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time, he was called the greatest basketball player of all time by Pat Riley, Isiah Thomas, and Julius Erving. Abdul-Jabbar broke the NBA's career scoring record in 1984 with 38,387 points, and held it until LeBron James surpassed him in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hakeem Olajuwon</span> Nigerian-American basketball player (born 1963)

Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon, nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played center in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Houston Rockets, and in his last season, the Toronto Raptors. He led the Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995. Olajuwon was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 and the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2016. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest centers, as well as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oscar Robertson</span> American basketball player (born 1938)

Oscar Palmer Robertson, nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Robertson played point guard and was a 12-time All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in 14 seasons. In 1962, he became the first player in NBA history to average a triple-double for a season. In the 1970–71 NBA season, he was a key player on the team that brought the Bucks their first NBA title. His playing career, especially during high school and college, was plagued by racism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clyde Drexler</span> American basketball player (born 1962)

Clyde Austin Drexler is an American former professional basketball player who currently works as the commissioner of the Big3 3-on-3 basketball league. Nicknamed "Clyde the Glide", he played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), spending a majority of his career with the Portland Trail Blazers before finishing with the Houston Rockets. He was a ten-time NBA All-Star and named to the NBA's 50th and 75th anniversary teams. Drexler won an NBA championship with Houston in 1995, and earned a gold medal on the 1992 United States Olympic team known as "The Dream Team". He was inducted twice into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, in 2004 for his individual career and in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team". Drexler is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players and greatest shooting guards of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Center (basketball)</span> Position in basketball

The center (C), or the centre, also known as the five or the pivot, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. In the NBA, the center is typically close to 7 feet (2.13 m) tall. They traditionally play close to the basket in the low post. The tallest players to play the position in NBA history are Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan, both of whom stood at 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Calvin Murphy</span> American basketball player

Calvin Jerome Murphy is an American former professional basketball player who after a prolific collegiate career at Niagara, where he averaged 33.1 points per game over his three years, played in the National Basketball Association as a guard for the San Diego/Houston Rockets from 1970 to 1983. He is a currently a member of the Houston Rockets' AT&T SportsNet TV broadcast team. Standing at a height of 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m), Murphy has the distinction of being the shortest NBA player inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and to play in an NBA All-Star Game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wes Unseld</span> American basketball player and coach (1946–2020)

Westley Sissel Unseld Sr. was an American professional basketball player, coach and executive. He spent his entire National Basketball Association (NBA) career with the Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets. Unseld played college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals and was selected with the second overall pick by the Bullets in the 1968 NBA draft. He was named the NBA Most Valuable Player and NBA Rookie of the Year during his rookie season and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only two players in NBA history to accomplish the feat. Unseld won an NBA championship with the Bullets in 1978, and the Finals MVP award to go with it. After retiring from playing in 1981, he worked with the Bullets/Wizards as a vice president, head coach, and general manager.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Artis Gilmore</span> American basketball player (born 1949)

Artis Gilmore Sr. is an American former professional basketball player who played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) and National Basketball Association (NBA). Gilmore was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on August 12, 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ralph Sampson</span> American basketball player (born 1960)

Ralph Lee Sampson Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. He is a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. A 7-foot-4-inch (2.24 m) phenom, three-time college national player of the year, and first overall selection in the 1983 NBA draft, Sampson brought heavy expectations with him to the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Robert L. Dandridge Jr. is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed the "Greyhound", Dandridge was a four-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA champion, who scored 15,530 points in his career. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2021.

Tracy Lamont Murray is an American former professional basketball player who works as an analyst with the UCLA Sports Network for all of the games during the UCLA Bruins' basketball season. Tracy is also a part-time analyst on the Slam Dunk Show on ABC7 Los Angeles. He worked as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the 2015–16 NBA season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jack Marin</span> American basketball player

John Warren Marin is an American former professional basketball player. A 201 cm guard/forward from Duke University, Marin was named to the 1967 NBA All-Rookie Team and spent 11 seasons in the National Basketball Association (1966–1977), playing for the Baltimore Bullets, Houston Rockets, Buffalo Braves and Chicago Bulls. The left-handed Marin was a two-time All-Star and scored 12,541 points in his career. He led the NBA in free throw percentage during the 1971–72 NBA season.

The 1968 NCAA University Division basketball tournament involved 23 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 9, 1968, and ended with the championship game on March 23 in Los Angeles, California. A total of 27 games were played, including a third-place game in each region and a national third-place game.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Game of the Century (college basketball)</span> 1968 game between Houston and UCLA

In men's college basketball, the Game of the Century was a historic National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) game between the Houston Cougars and the UCLA Bruins played on January 20, 1968, at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. It was the first NCAA regular season game broadcast nationwide in prime time. It established college basketball as a sports commodity on television and paved the way for the modern "March Madness" television coverage.

Dick Cunningham is an American retired professional basketball player.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1967–68 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team</span> American college basketball season

The 1967–68 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team won a second consecutive NCAA national championship, the fourth in five years under head coach John Wooden, with a win over North Carolina.

The 1968–69 UCLA Bruins men's basketball team won an unprecedented third consecutive NCAA National Basketball Championship, the fifth in six years under head coach John Wooden with a win over Purdue, coach Wooden's alma mater. The Bruins opened with 25 wins, on a 41-game winning streak, but lost the regular season finale to rival USC on March 8, which snapped a home winning streak of 85 games.

The 1967–68 Houston Cougars men's basketball team represented the University of Houston in the 1967–68 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. The team played its home games at Delmar Fieldhouse in Houston for the second consecutive season. This season marked the team's ninth year as an independent member of the NCAA's University Division. Houston was led by twelfth-year head coach Guy Lewis.

Steven Leonard Hayes is an American former basketball player and coach. He played for several years for a variety of teams in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as well as in the Continental Basketball Association and in Europe. He is also known for his standout college career at Idaho State University, where he is recognized as one of the best players in the school's history.

The 1967–68 NCAA University Division men's basketball season began in December 1967, progressed through the regular season and conference tournaments, and concluded with the 1968 NCAA University Division basketball tournament championship game on March 23, 1968, at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. The UCLA Bruins won their fourth NCAA national championship with a 78–55 victory over the North Carolina Tar Heels.

References

  1. 1 2 NBA Legends Profile: Elvin Hayes
  2. ↑ NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four Individual and Team Records
  3. 1 2 2007–2008 UCLA Men's Basketball Media Guide – PDF copy available at www.uclabruins.com. pg. 61 Post Season Scoring Recaps
  4. ↑ "Iota Phi Theta Fraternity Inc. | Founded 1963 - Notable Iota Men". Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  5. ↑ Beard, Gordon "Rockets Trade Elvin Hayes; Goes To Bullets For Jack Marin" Associated Press, Sunday, June 25, 1972
  6. ↑ "Elvin Hayes Per Game Playoffs". Basketball Reference.
  7. ↑ "Elvin Hayes Career High 11 Blocks". Statmuse.
  8. ↑ Dupree, David & Richmond, Peter "Bullets Send Hayes to Rockets for Draft Choices" The Washington Post, Tuesday, June 9, 1981
  9. ↑ 1981 NBA Draft Pick Transactions – Pro Sports Transactions.
  10. ↑ Jody Homer (October 26, 1984). "'Big E,' as in exit". Chicago Tribune . p. 5 (Section 4). Retrieved October 15, 2023– via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  11. ↑ Callahan, Tom (December 23, 1985). "Impressions in Black and White". Time . Archived from the original on May 8, 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Local basketball legend now a sheriff's deputy". KTRK-TV. November 4, 2007. Archived from the original on May 21, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Elvin Hayes to Join Men's Basketball Radio Broadcast Crew". Houston Cougars athletics. November 22, 2010. Archived from the original on March 19, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2010.
  14. ↑ DuBose, Ben (November 18, 2022). "Rockets retire No. 44 jersey at Toyota Center for Elvin Hayes" . Retrieved November 18, 2022.
  15. ↑ Papanek, John (October 16, 1978). "THE BIG E WANTS AN MVP". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved May 29, 2022.
  16. ↑ "NBA's 75 Anniversary | NBA.com". www.nba.com. Archived from the original on October 19, 2021. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Guy Lewis waiting for Hall of Fame call". Archived from the original on March 16, 2014. Retrieved March 16, 2014.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  18. ↑ "Hall of Fame | San Diego Hall of Champions". Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2009.
  19. 1 2 "Elvin Hayes". Basketball-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved April 26, 2019.

Further reading

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.