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Jerry West (Source: RNZ)
The Los Angeles Clippers said on Wednesday that 86-year-old Jerry West, the man who inspired the NBA logo, had died quietly. Over eight decades, and nine titles, the great West participated in the sport as a player, scout, coach, manager, and consultant. Los Angeles Lakers' 10 championships in the 1980s and 2000s were a result of his vision, and Golden State Warriors' dynastic success was attributed to his advice.
Long before Jerry West became probably the greatest general manager in NBA history, he was one of the league's initial superstars. West, a West Virginia high school and college basketball star and co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, appeared in the All-Star Game every season of his 14-year career, which included 12 All-NBA choices and five All-Defensive appearances for the Lakers.
He won just one title in nine trips to the NBA Finals, losing six title series against Bill Russell's Boston Celtics, and West's Finals MVP award in 1969 is the only time the honor has been conferred on a member of the losing team. In a seven-game losing streak against the Celtics, he averaged 37.9 points per game.
Jerry West got Presidential Medal of Freedom
West, a trailblazing scoring guard, and tenacious competitor, was a powerful shooter before the 3-point line, and his most memorable shot was a 60-foot buzzer-beating shot that took Game 3 of the 1970 Finals into overtime against the New York Knicks. He joined Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the league's first players to amass 25,000 points. Throughout his career, West averaged 27 points, 6.7 points, and 5.8 rebounds.
All 14 of his NBA seasons were All-Stars, he was chosen for the NBA's 75th anniversary team, was an NBA Finals MVP in 1969 when the Lakers lost to the Boston Celtics the first year the award was given out and still the only time it went to a player on the losing team. He was also a member of the 1972 Lakers championship team. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.