Elvin E. Hayes

Possessing a devastating turnaround jump shot, Elvin Hayes got the most out his ability during a stellar collegiate and professional career. As a center at the University of Houston, his most memorable moment came on January 20, 1968 when Hayes out-dueled Lew Alcindor and UCLA in front of a capacity crowd of 52,693 at the Houston Astrodome. In the first ever, nationally televised college game in history, Hayes scored 39 points and had 15 rebounds for Houston, ending UCLA's 47-game win streak in what was called "The Game of the Century." Hayes began his pro career in 1968 as the first overall pick in the draft by the San Diego Rockets. His rookie campaign saw Hayes score 28.4 points per game, lead the NBA in scoring, and be named to the All-Rookie Team. As a Baltimore/Washington Bullet, he teamed with Hall of Famer Wes Unseld to form a dominating frontcourt combination that led the Bullets to three NBA Finals and an NBA title over Seattle in 1978. As a three-time All-America, Hayes led Houston to an 81-12 record and two Final Four appearances.