Elvin Hayes

American basketball player known as 'The Big E', dominant power forward/center who scored over 27,000 NBA points and grabbed 16,000+ rebounds.

Elvin Ernest Hayes was born on 17 November 1945 in Rayville, Louisiana, and starred at the University of Houston, where he formed one half of one of college basketball's most celebrated individual duels, facing Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and UCLA in the historic 1968 "Game of the Century" at the Astrodome, scoring 39 points to hand UCLA its first loss in nearly three years in front of over 52,000 fans. Hayes was selected first overall in the 1968 NBA Draft by the San Diego Rockets, and developed into one of the most prolific scorers and rebounders in league history, renowned for a smooth turnaround jump shot that proved nearly unstoppable throughout the early 1970s. He led the NBA in scoring as a rookie and topped the league in rebounding on two occasions. Hayes, nicknamed "The Big E," moved with the Rockets franchise to Houston before being traded to the Baltimore (later Washington) Bullets in 1972, where he formed a dominant frontcourt with Wes Unseld. The pairing delivered the franchise's only NBA championship in 1978, with Hayes appearing in a finals rematch and eventual triumph the following year as well. Hayes earned 12 All-Star selections and three All-NBA First Team honours across a 16-year career, finishing with more than 27,000 points and 16,000 rebounds — figures that still rank among the highest in NBA history. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990, and had his No. 11 retired by both the Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets, one of the few players honoured by two different franchises.

Physical post player with excellent mid-range shooting and strong rebounding

One of the greatest power forwards in NBA history, consistent scorer and rebounder

• NBA Champion 1978 (Washington)
• All-Star 12x
• Hall of Fame 1990