They are elderly now, three of the greatest players in NBA history, retired to different corners of the country to quietly live out their days.
Bob Pettit, the league's first MVP, turned 87 years old a couple of weeks ago. Bob Cousy is 91, wintering in Florida and trying to keep moving, fretting that soon his legs will fail him. Elgin Baylor, who once starred for the Los Angeles Lakers and later served as general manager of the LA Clippers for over two decades, is 85 and has faded from the public eye, content with the memories of the game he loved. The three of them combined for 60,989 points and 35 All-Star appearances during a time when NBA salaries were so meager that most of them took second jobs.
But something unexpected has connected them again, providing a new glimmer of recognition during this holiday season. It all started when another old-timer, Bill Russell, finally acquiesced and accepted his Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ring last month at a private ceremony in California.
Russell did not attend his original ceremony in 1975 because he did not feel he was worthy of being the first African American inductee, that others should have gone before him. The Hall of Fame has been patiently working the channels of communication with Russell ever since to recognize his contributions. When Russell finally said he would accept the ring, John Doleva, president and CEO of the Hall of Fame, started doing some research.
"We were wondering, 'Where is Bill's original ring from '75?'" Doleva said. "After some digging, we discovered there was no ring. As it turned out, the Hall didn't start presenting inductees with rings until 1978.
"We didn't know. I was working my way through middle school [in 1978]. But once we realized it, we asked, 'Who else didn't get one?'"
Most of the pre-1978 Hall of Famers have passed away, but three of them -- Pettit, Baylor and Cousy -- are still alive and well. And Doleva said the Hall of Fame will soon present them with rings that will be crafted by Baron Rings, which initiated a Leave No One Behind Program created for players, coaches and/or organizations that might not have the means to celebrate their sport.
"It's a very nice surprise," Baylor told ESPN. "I will wear it. I consider it to be a great honor to do so."
Baylor, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977, said that back then the players were presented with a plaque.
"It was a different time," he said.
Baylor's championship dreams were thwarted by both Russell and Cousy during their historic Lakers-Celtics rivalry.
"But all that falls away over time," Baylor said. "Cousy and I are good friends. We've played a lot of golf together over the years. Pettit didn't play golf; he thought he was too tall.
"But I've always enjoyed getting together with the old players and reminiscing about the good times we've had."
Cousy said he doesn't wear jewelry but that he already has mapped out a location to display the new ring in his Worcester, Massachusetts, home.
"It's a very nice gesture," Cousy said. "At my age, it's easy to think everyone has forgotten you."
"I have tremendous respect for the Hall of Fame," Cousy added. "So many kids say to me, 'Mr. Cousy, I never saw you play, but my dad always talks about you. I didn't realize how good you were until I saw you in the Hall of Fame.'
"So, thanks to the Hall, new generations of basketball fans will know what Elgin and Bob and I were all about."