Washington basketball reached its peak when Elvin Hayes powered the franchise to its lone 1978 championship with the patented turnaround jumper that made him one of the game’s most unstoppable scorers. The 6-foot-9 “Big E” became Washington’s all-time leader in points and rebounds, piling up over 27,000 points and 16,000 boards while missing only nine games across 16 seasons. A 12-time All-Star and Hall of Famer, Hayes logged exactly 50,000 career minutes and ranked among the NBA’s top ten in both scoring and rebounding upon retirement. His college heroics at Houston, including the famous “Game of the Century” win over UCLA, foreshadowed a pro career defined by durability, dominance, and championship heart. Battling era-defining giants like Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, and Moses Malone, he capped this vintage performance with 39 points and 15 rebounds. · Apr 30, 1979