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He’s the man who put the Bayou City on the map.
A 12-time NBA All Star, World Champion and a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He’s Elvin Hayes, or as he’s affectionately known to the masses, “The Big E.”
At an iconic local eatery in the Galleria, Hayes joined Sporting News for a wide-ranging conversation that unfolded at the pace of a Houston morning.
“I’ll have three eggs, toast, bacon and some hot tea.”
The waitress, who couldn’t have been more than twenty five years old, paused only briefly before asking, “How would you like your eggs, Mr. Hayes?”
“Over well.”
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I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised by her recognition, but the moment validated a popularity that spans generations. Hayes’ playing days live in black-and-white highlights and hardwood lore, yet his presence still feels current. In Houston, it always will.
Even if you weren’t alive to witness the Game of the Century, you’ve heard the tales.
Why does it mean so much to so many, so many years later?
“It was the first game to ever be nationally televised and at the time UCLA was 47-0. We beat them. That was impossible to do. Nobody thought we could do it.”
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That January night in 1968, when the Houston Cougars stunned the UCLA Bruins inside the Astrodome, Houston basketball announced itself to the country. It was more than an upset. It was validation.
The conversation shifted to today’s NBA and how Commissioner Adam Silver could make the All Star Game special once again.
“It’s different now. It’s not nearly as competitive as we were. The guys are happy to participate in it as I was when I played, but that’s where the comparison ends.”
No bitterness. Just perspective from someone who remembers when pride carried more weight than branding.
There was a grin when I mentioned that George Gervin once said the one thing he could always do was “finger roll.” What was the one thing Hayes could do every night, no matter what?
“With a large grin,” he said, “hit my turnaround jumper over and over,” chuckling as if he could still see defenders leaning helplessly backward.
On Kelvin Sampson joining Guy Lewis in the Hall of Fame?
“It’s remarkable what Kelvin has done. It’s just a constant mindset of a winner. He deserves to be joining coach Lewis there for all of eternity.”
Before we wrapped, I mentioned a five-year-old local boy in Katy, Texas by the name of Hakeem who’s just crazy about basketball and plays for hours every day. Any advice?
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“You have to keep him involved and playing every day. Let him know that he’s named after a great player.”
Hayes finished his tea the way he finished so many possessions during his career. Steady. Certain. Over well.
In Houston, some legends never leave the table.
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