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NBA History: Best NBA player born in each state

By Jerran Anderson

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 01: Former Milwaukee Bucks player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is honored at halftime during a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 1, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 01: Former Milwaukee Bucks player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is honored at halftime during a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 1, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images /

Best NBA player born in District of Columbia (Washington D.C.): Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor made his stamp on the league back during the 1958 regular season but his name lives on as one of the greatest to play the game. Baylor was one of the greatest pioneers to play the small forward position and he was born in Washington D.C. He wasn’t the tallest forward at 6-foot-5 but he made up for it with his 225-pound build.

He won the 1958-59 Rookie of the Year award after producing 24.9 points, 15.0 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 21.2 shot attempts per contest his first season in the NBA. He also earned the All-Star Game MVP award that season with a 24-point, 11-rebound performance.

Baylor averaged 27.4 points,13.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game during his 14-year career with the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers. In 134 playoff games, he averaged 27.0 points,12.9 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

He was a part of some historic postseason battles against the Celtics and Knicks while playing alongside the likes of Gail Goodrich, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain. Baylor was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1977 and his No. 22 jersey was retired in November 1983.

On April 6, 2018, Baylor became the 10th person to have a statue placed outside of Staples Center, joining Magic Johnson, Jerry West, Chick Hearn, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Wayne Gretzky, Luc Robitaille, Bob Miller and Oscar De La Hoya.

He led the Lakers to eight NBA Finals appearances, although he never came out on top in any of them, he holds the Finals record for most points in a game with 61.

Despite the results, he remains fourth all-time in league history with most 50-point games with 17. His name will go down as one of the best players to never win a title but is still one of the best players the league has seen.