Source: MediaNews Group/Torrance Daily Breeze via Getty Images / Getty
News of his death was confirmed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“Jerry West lived a profound basketball and American life — iconic as a player, executive, and looming figure in the history of the game,” Woj tweeted. “He was an MVP, a champion, a gold medalist, a dynasty-builder, and literally the league’s logo. His loss leaves a massive void.”
Born Jerome Alan West, he was first known as a college player for his hometown school, West Virginia University, in Morgantown.
During his freshman year, he led the school to an undefeated season and went on to win many honors, foreshadowing his future NBA greatness, such as First Team All-Southern Conference, Southern Conference Tournament MVP Award, and Associated Press Third-team All-America honors.
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Then, after averaging nearly 30 points a game his senior year, he co-captained the U.S. men’s basketball team for the 1960 Olympics, where the team won the gold medal before qualifying for the draft.
He was drafted by the Lakers with the second overall pick, and he hit the ground running as soon as they relocated from Minneapolis to Los Angeles. He was solidified as the team’s leader in his second year when Elgin Baylor had to fulfill his Army Reserves Duty.
For nearly the next 15 years, Mr. Clutch helped usher in a new era of basketball. Despite only winning a championship in 1972, he’d be named an All-Star 14 times, receive All-NBA First Team 10 times, and an NBA Finals MVP despite losing that year to the Celtics.
Upon retiring in 1974, he didn’t sit on the sidelines for long and became a coach for the Lakers in 1976. While that gig was short-lived, he soon entered the C-suite, becoming the Lakers’ General Manager and helping the NBA’s popularity grow, particularly during the Showtime Lakers era of the 1980s. His front office success exploded, winning eight more rings. At the time of his death, West was an executive and consultant for the Los Angeles Clippers.
While West has helped influence the game in many ways, the most notable is that the NBA logo is modeled after West’s figure.
See how the basketball community is mourning the legend below.
