Jerry West was greater than only a Basketball Corridor of Fame participant – he embodied the NBA, actually, when he was the inspiration for the silhouette within the league’s emblem.
West spent his whole enjoying profession with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a champion with them in 1972, received the NBA Finals MVP regardless of not profitable the title in 1969 and was a 14-time All-Star.
On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Clippers introduced West – who had became a legendary entrance workplace govt in his post-playing profession – had died. He was 86.
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Jerry West attends a basketball recreation between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns at Crypto.com Area on April 20, 2023 in Los Angeles. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Pictures)
“Jerry West, the personification of basketball excellence and a pal to all who knew him, handed away peacefully this morning on the age of 86,” the group stated. “His spouse, Karen, was by his facet.”
West wrapped up his enjoying profession averaging 27 factors, 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per recreation. Amongst retired gamers, solely Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor had greater averages. West averaged 29.1 factors per recreation within the playoffs – solely Jordan had the next common.
He retired following the 1973-74 season and have become the top coach of the Lakers two years later. He was 145-101 in his teaching profession however by no means received a title on the bench.
He moved to the scouting division in 1979 after which grew to become common supervisor of the group at first of the 1982-83 season. He was credited with constructing the Showtime Lakers of Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy with Pat Riley roaming the sidelines.
Then-Golden State Warriors govt board member Jerry West sits on the bench by NBA logos earlier than the sport the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Middle on March 31, 2015 in Los Angeles. (Stephen Dunn/Getty Pictures)
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His entrance workplace genius didn’t cease there, as he was chargeable for making a draft day commerce with the Charlotte Hornets to amass Kobe Bryant and lure Shaquille O’Neal away from the Orlando Magic to signal with them. Each acquisitions occurred in 1996. The group received three titles.
Los Angeles Lakers Jerry West, #44, takes a foul shot towards the Chicago Bulls. (George Lengthy/Sports activities Illustrated by way of Getty Pictures)
A Wilson model official recreation ball NBA basketball is pictured in the course of the recreation between the Detroit Pistons and Dallas Mavericks at Little Caesars Area on March 9, 2024 in Detroit. (Nic Antaya/Getty Pictures)
West tried his hand at rebuilding the Memphis Grizzlies from 2002-2007. Pau Gasol emerged because the star participant of that group. Nonetheless, after West was gone, Gasol was traded to the Lakers and helped Bryant and the franchise win one other championship.
In 2011, West grew to become an govt board member with the Golden State Warriors. The group received its first championship in 2015 to kick-start a dynasty led by Stephen Curry and later Kevin Durant. He joined the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017, constructing the group right into a perennial contender.
Then-President Trump gave West the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.
Then-President Trump, proper, presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jerry West, former Nationwide Basketball Affiliation participant for the Los Angeles Lakers, throughout a ceremony within the Oval Workplace of the White Home in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019. (Tom Brenner/Bloomberg by way of Getty Pictures)
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West will likely be remembered as maybe the participant who helped put the NBA on the map. His legacy on the basketball courtroom and within the entrance workplace will likely be remembered without end.
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