On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Clippers announced NBA Hall of Famer and team consultant Jerry West died at 86 years old. Per the team’s release, the basketball legend died “peacefully.”
“Jerry West, the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him, passed away peacefully this morning at the age of 86,” the statement said. “His wife, Karen, was by his side.”
West has had an impact on the NBA from the moment he first stepped foot on the court. He joined the then-Minneapolis Lakers in the 1960 NBA Draft right before the franchise moved to Los Angeles. He played in purple and gold for 14 years, winning one NBA title. During this time his silhouette was used for the now-famous logo of the league, hence his most famous nickname: The Logo.
For his career, West averaged 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game. Along with his one championship, West was a 14-time All-Star and named to 12 All-NBA teams along with five All-Defense teams. He is still the only player in NBA history to win a Finals MVP while playing for the losing team.
After retiring in 1974 West coached the Lakers from 1976-1979, amassing a record of 145-101 over three seasons. He then moved to the front office, where he further impacted the Lakers organization by building the Showtime Lakers, first as a scout and then as a general manager beginning in 1982. West left the Lakers in 2000 but not before trading for Kobe Bryant and signing Shaquille O’Neal, laying the foundation for one of the NBA’s greatest modern dynasties.
Upon leaving the Lakers, West joined the Memphis Grizzlies front office from 2002-2007 as the general manager. He retired from that role, but couldn’t stay away from basketball and joined the Golden State Warriors in 2011 as an executive board member. He stayed with the organization through its second title in 2016-’17 before heading back to Los Angeles to consult for the Clippers. He remained in that role until his death.
West was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980. His influence could be felt at every stage of the NBA’s evolution. He is a true legend of the game and will go down in the history books as one of the most influential figures the NBA has ever seen.
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