Recasner, Signed and Cut by the Man, Was a Big Fan of Elgin Baylor

No one likes to get cut from a basketball team, especially in the NBA, but for Eldridge Recasner the blow was softened because of the guy who was doing it.

Elgin Baylor.

For the 2001-2002 season, the former University of Washington basketball player was at the end of an eight-year pro career when the Los Angeles Clippers signed him, cut him, signed him to a 10-day contract and lopped him again.

Baylor was the Clippers general manager.

Each transaction meant Recasner went go to the legendary man's office and signed the paperwork.

At 6-foot-3 guard originally from New Orleans by way of the Huskies, Recasner never tired of interacting with Baylor, who died on Monday in Los Angeles at 86.

Growing up, he continually heard from his father how Baylor was such a new-age basketball presence who was so far ahead of his time.

"As a kid, my guy was Dr. J," Recasner said. "My dad used to tell me, "Elgin Baylor was Dr. J before Dr. J.' "

In succeeding years, Baylor and Recasner got to know each other better. They sat and talked at different NBA All-Star Break and Seattle University activities. They shared their mutual Seattle connection as college basketball players.

"I met him personally for the first time in 2002 and it was a really cool experience," Recasner said. "He was one of the nicest persons I met for how good he was."

Baylor, of course played for the College of Idaho for one season and then onto Seattle University for a redshirt year and two seasons.

At the two schools combined, the 6-foot-5 high-wire act averaged an astounding 31.3 points and 19.5 rebounds per game, leading the NCAA in the latter stat in 1957. He was largely responsible for the then-Chieftains advancing to the 1958 Final Four championship game against Kentucky.

Baylor would bring much greater awareness to his unique basketball skill set during his 14-year NBA career with the Minneapolis and Los Angeles Lakers, where he averaged 27.4 points and 13.5 an outing throughout his career.

Recasner was a three-time All-Pac-10 guard for the Huskies and played in the NBA for the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets and the Clippers. He would appear in 296 pro games, or 540 fewer than Baylor.

Yet he was around the game long enough and watched enough old footage to comprehend just what kind of impact Elgin Baylor had on the game. He's more than willing to share it.

"I think he's the guy the younger generation just doesn't realize how good he was," Recasner said. "I've never felt like Elgin Baylor got his just dues for how great he was as a player."

And that comes from a guy Elgin had to cut.

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