Coming out of college, basketball center/power forward Elvin Hayes was a dominant force. He was especially terrorizing to opponents in his senior year at the University of Houston,
when he averaged 36.8 points and 18.9 rebounds per game. Coming out of college,
there were plenty who wanted a shot to bring Hayes into their organization. But only
one was able to get him.
The San Diego Rockets received the first overall pick that offseason and selected
Hayes with their pick, adding an incredibly talented player to their team. After he signed
his contract and committed to playing with the team, Hayes made his NBA debut on
October 17, 1968, against the Seattle SuperSonics. The Rockets would win that game
128-110 with Hayes scoring 25 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.
