NEW YORK – NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Elgin Baylor:

“Elgin Baylor set the course for the modern NBA as one of the league’s first superstar players.  An 11-time All-Star during his Hall of Fame career with the Lakers, Elgin produced remarkable results with his athleticism and groundbreaking style of play, including setting an NBA Finals record with 61 points in Game 5 of the 1962 championship series – a performance made all the more extraordinary by the fact that he had spent part of that season away from his team while on active duty in the Army.

“In addition to his legendary playing career, Elgin was a man of principle.  He was a leading activist during the height of the civil rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s and an influential voice among his fellow players.  After his retirement, Elgin remained a part of the NBA family as both a coach and an executive, imparting his wisdom to generations of NBA talent.  Elgin will be deeply missed, and we send our thoughts and prayers to his wife, Elaine, his family and friends.”