Definitely have to choose James Worthy, although I think they are both great athletes!
gordon berg - 14 years ago
Follow up! To the commenters stating that the league was so much better
in Worthy's day is not totally accurate. Although, it's true that their are
much better athletes today and more people playing above the rim, their
is also the factor of expansion. Their were only a handful of teams in the
NBA is Baylor's time and everone had an All Star center. The Laker were
the only team that didn't. So Baylor had to contend with their inside presence
such as Chamberlain, Thurmond, Reed, Bellamy, Russell, Beaty etc.
Gordon Berg - 14 years ago
As good as Dr. J. was, as Chick Hearn stated many times, Julius couldn't
wear Elgin's jockstrap. And neither could Worthy. Worthy was an Allstar
forward surrounded by great players. It wasn't Elgin's fault that his team
didn't win championships. If Worthy had to play with Magic, but no other
stars, you made not even have remembered him. Elgin was stuck with
no other good forwards and Daryl Imhoff as his center. Subsequently,
Elgin had to play small and power forward. He always guarded the other
team's top forward. He had the ball handling skills to play point guard. he
had the strength and hanging ability to take guys much taller than him
inside, and he was a much better outside shooter that Worthy. He was
also a very underrated passer. Had Elgin not blown out his knee, he
would have even done better. He played half of his career on one leg,
and still managing to average 26 points and 12 rebounds a game after
his surgery. It's unfortunate that Baylor is forgotten by many people who
are under the age of 50. He didn't have the benefit of may games on television so when you see highlights, you usually only see him in early
70's when he was but a mirror image of himself. The comparison is not
fair to James Worthy. Elgin wins in a runaway!
jordan - 14 years ago
your crazy baylor was better than jordan in any era baylor numbers are crazy
David Rosett - 14 years ago
My personal favorite was neither Elgin Baylor nor James Worthy. My vote goes to someone who played only 3 seasons with the Lakers, but, oh my, his second was as good as either of the other two gentlemen. You see, Jim McMillian was the Laker forward who contributed so mightily to that win streak of 33 games and to the L.A. Lakers' FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP. I still can't believe he was traded for Elmore Smith. That first trade, after Chamberlain retired led to the mediocrity of the mid to late 70's Laker teams.
steve - 14 years ago
'Baylor was great in his day. But in his day, many players his size could not even dunk. '
name one. There was not as much dunking back then because unlike today the defensive player would have knocked you on your ass.
Baylor was great in his day. But in his day, many players his size could not even dunk. (The fact that Baylor could dunk at 6'5 was stunning to many fans, and Chick Hearn used to say, tellingly, "He's only 6'5, but he can do it all--including slam dunk!"
Meanwhile, Worthy could go around players as though they were tacked to the floor. He was roughly twice as fast as Baylor on a fast break (something the Lakers generally feared to execute in the sixties) and as all fans as far back as 1987 remember, he dove after balls fearlessly when he couldn't reach them, and generally availed himself to any kind of physical risk for the sake of the team.
This is sad to report, but when Baylor finally retired, um, the Lakers immediately went on that fabled 33 game win streak. Immediately.
I loved Elgin. But by Worthy's time, basketball was another sport entirely. James was the greater Laker forward.
michael james - 15 years ago
This being the media age, it's really a shame that many "younger" basketball fans never got a chance to see the game grow into what is today. There are players that defined how the game looked and how the game was played. Elgin was one of the pioneers in the game for sure. At only 6'5", he was not just Jordan before Jordan, as Doug stated above, but he was Magic before magic, Dr. J. before Dr. J., and the list goes on. He practically invented the pump fake. He was one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the game, WITHOUT the 3 point shot. great handles, brilliant passer, deadly in the post.
The year the Lakers one the first championship in Los Angeles, and just before they went on the record setting 33 game win streak, Elgin retired due to injuries, The medical knowledge in the 60's and early 70's was literally non-existent. Pretty much every injury was treated with some combination of heating pads, ace bandages, aspirin and cortisone injections.
As a die hard Laker fan, and avid basketball fan, I've been privileged to see many a player operate on the court, but more credit should be given to those who defined how the game is played. James Worthy is an all time great Laker, but any comparisons are truly superficial. Elgin was a legend of the game, not just of the Lakers.
Just my humble opinion...
Al Burger - 15 years ago
No Contest, Baylor wins. I loved James as a Laker, and Worthy was a great player, a perfect fit on an incredibly talented team, but he doesn't rate as one of the best forwards to ever play in the NBA while Baylor certainly does. The voting shows that a great deal of voters never saw Baylor play and they think that all players today are just better. They aren't and overall the league is watered down with marginal players to fill up the leagues, what is it now, 32 teams? When Baylor played it was against good teams every time out. Also, James doen't win any championships without Kareem, Magic and Coop.
Big CitySid - 15 years ago
where's the question? When Baylor & Jerry West played together, Baylor was the #1 option, West was #2. For those to young to have this duo play together they were known as "Mr. Inside (Baylor) & Mr. Outside (West)".
Worthy was the 3rd option behind Kareem & Magic. And before Worthy helped win the last 3 of the 5 titles the Showtime Lakers won, Jamal "Silk" Wilkes manned the small forward spot as the 3rd option helping to win the 1st 2 of 5 championships of the Magic & Kareem (& Micheal Cooper) era.
Baylor easily the best forward. Better question would have been "who's the best POWER FORWARD to play for the Lakers. That's the position that has been historically weak on this team (mainly because they've had 4 of the best centers of all time in Mikan, Wilt, Kareem & Shaq).
Wilford Jones - 15 years ago
Well, Elgin B. was one of the best, if not the best forward, in his time but his size would not make it in the modern NBA today. That's why Big Game James gets my vote as the greatest Laker forward of all times! As a finisher at the basket, nobody was better than Worthy, then or now. Lebron James will eventually take over as the best forward ever...one day.
Doug Rentrog - 15 years ago
Baylor was Jordon before Jordon -- probably the best small forward to ever pull on the shorts (back when they were actually shorts). Big Game James was an amazing player, taking a back seat only to nasty Larry Bird. We Laker fans have been truly privileged with so many players who were the best at some aspect of the game.
Beat the thugs from Boston!
patrick murphy - 15 years ago
THIS SHOULD NOT EVEN BE CLOSE......BAYLOR IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP FIVE OR TEN PLAYERS OF ALL TIME.......MOST OF YOUR READERS ARE TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER HIM, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO ONE LIKE HIM IN A LONG TIME.........WORTHY WAS A FINE PLAYER, AND INSTRUMENTAL IN THE LAKER CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUT NOT CLOSE TO BAYLOR....
Moore - 15 years ago
Defense is the name of the game to win championships, as we all know. Count the championships with Baylor & count the championships with Worthy.
Definitely have to choose James Worthy, although I think they are both great athletes!
Follow up! To the commenters stating that the league was so much better
in Worthy's day is not totally accurate. Although, it's true that their are
much better athletes today and more people playing above the rim, their
is also the factor of expansion. Their were only a handful of teams in the
NBA is Baylor's time and everone had an All Star center. The Laker were
the only team that didn't. So Baylor had to contend with their inside presence
such as Chamberlain, Thurmond, Reed, Bellamy, Russell, Beaty etc.
As good as Dr. J. was, as Chick Hearn stated many times, Julius couldn't
wear Elgin's jockstrap. And neither could Worthy. Worthy was an Allstar
forward surrounded by great players. It wasn't Elgin's fault that his team
didn't win championships. If Worthy had to play with Magic, but no other
stars, you made not even have remembered him. Elgin was stuck with
no other good forwards and Daryl Imhoff as his center. Subsequently,
Elgin had to play small and power forward. He always guarded the other
team's top forward. He had the ball handling skills to play point guard. he
had the strength and hanging ability to take guys much taller than him
inside, and he was a much better outside shooter that Worthy. He was
also a very underrated passer. Had Elgin not blown out his knee, he
would have even done better. He played half of his career on one leg,
and still managing to average 26 points and 12 rebounds a game after
his surgery. It's unfortunate that Baylor is forgotten by many people who
are under the age of 50. He didn't have the benefit of may games on television so when you see highlights, you usually only see him in early
70's when he was but a mirror image of himself. The comparison is not
fair to James Worthy. Elgin wins in a runaway!
your crazy baylor was better than jordan in any era baylor numbers are crazy
My personal favorite was neither Elgin Baylor nor James Worthy. My vote goes to someone who played only 3 seasons with the Lakers, but, oh my, his second was as good as either of the other two gentlemen. You see, Jim McMillian was the Laker forward who contributed so mightily to that win streak of 33 games and to the L.A. Lakers' FIRST CHAMPIONSHIP. I still can't believe he was traded for Elmore Smith. That first trade, after Chamberlain retired led to the mediocrity of the mid to late 70's Laker teams.
'Baylor was great in his day. But in his day, many players his size could not even dunk. '
name one. There was not as much dunking back then because unlike today the defensive player would have knocked you on your ass.
The older fans are not remembering some things.
Baylor was great in his day. But in his day, many players his size could not even dunk. (The fact that Baylor could dunk at 6'5 was stunning to many fans, and Chick Hearn used to say, tellingly, "He's only 6'5, but he can do it all--including slam dunk!"
Meanwhile, Worthy could go around players as though they were tacked to the floor. He was roughly twice as fast as Baylor on a fast break (something the Lakers generally feared to execute in the sixties) and as all fans as far back as 1987 remember, he dove after balls fearlessly when he couldn't reach them, and generally availed himself to any kind of physical risk for the sake of the team.
This is sad to report, but when Baylor finally retired, um, the Lakers immediately went on that fabled 33 game win streak. Immediately.
I loved Elgin. But by Worthy's time, basketball was another sport entirely. James was the greater Laker forward.
This being the media age, it's really a shame that many "younger" basketball fans never got a chance to see the game grow into what is today. There are players that defined how the game looked and how the game was played. Elgin was one of the pioneers in the game for sure. At only 6'5", he was not just Jordan before Jordan, as Doug stated above, but he was Magic before magic, Dr. J. before Dr. J., and the list goes on. He practically invented the pump fake. He was one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the game, WITHOUT the 3 point shot. great handles, brilliant passer, deadly in the post.
The year the Lakers one the first championship in Los Angeles, and just before they went on the record setting 33 game win streak, Elgin retired due to injuries, The medical knowledge in the 60's and early 70's was literally non-existent. Pretty much every injury was treated with some combination of heating pads, ace bandages, aspirin and cortisone injections.
As a die hard Laker fan, and avid basketball fan, I've been privileged to see many a player operate on the court, but more credit should be given to those who defined how the game is played. James Worthy is an all time great Laker, but any comparisons are truly superficial. Elgin was a legend of the game, not just of the Lakers.
Just my humble opinion...
No Contest, Baylor wins. I loved James as a Laker, and Worthy was a great player, a perfect fit on an incredibly talented team, but he doesn't rate as one of the best forwards to ever play in the NBA while Baylor certainly does. The voting shows that a great deal of voters never saw Baylor play and they think that all players today are just better. They aren't and overall the league is watered down with marginal players to fill up the leagues, what is it now, 32 teams? When Baylor played it was against good teams every time out. Also, James doen't win any championships without Kareem, Magic and Coop.
where's the question? When Baylor & Jerry West played together, Baylor was the #1 option, West was #2. For those to young to have this duo play together they were known as "Mr. Inside (Baylor) & Mr. Outside (West)".
Worthy was the 3rd option behind Kareem & Magic. And before Worthy helped win the last 3 of the 5 titles the Showtime Lakers won, Jamal "Silk" Wilkes manned the small forward spot as the 3rd option helping to win the 1st 2 of 5 championships of the Magic & Kareem (& Micheal Cooper) era.
Baylor easily the best forward. Better question would have been "who's the best POWER FORWARD to play for the Lakers. That's the position that has been historically weak on this team (mainly because they've had 4 of the best centers of all time in Mikan, Wilt, Kareem & Shaq).
Well, Elgin B. was one of the best, if not the best forward, in his time but his size would not make it in the modern NBA today. That's why Big Game James gets my vote as the greatest Laker forward of all times! As a finisher at the basket, nobody was better than Worthy, then or now. Lebron James will eventually take over as the best forward ever...one day.
Baylor was Jordon before Jordon -- probably the best small forward to ever pull on the shorts (back when they were actually shorts). Big Game James was an amazing player, taking a back seat only to nasty Larry Bird. We Laker fans have been truly privileged with so many players who were the best at some aspect of the game.
Beat the thugs from Boston!
THIS SHOULD NOT EVEN BE CLOSE......BAYLOR IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE TOP FIVE OR TEN PLAYERS OF ALL TIME.......MOST OF YOUR READERS ARE TOO YOUNG TO REMEMBER HIM, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO ONE LIKE HIM IN A LONG TIME.........WORTHY WAS A FINE PLAYER, AND INSTRUMENTAL IN THE LAKER CHAMPIONSHIPS, BUT NOT CLOSE TO BAYLOR....
Defense is the name of the game to win championships, as we all know. Count the championships with Baylor & count the championships with Worthy.