Legend Lost: Hall of Fame Jerry West, the Architect of Laker Greatness, Passes Away at 86

The oddity added to the grief. The Clippers announced the passing of the all-time great Laker Jerry West.

The statement from the Clippers’ media department on Wednesday morning said, “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.”

Throughout his seven years as their consultant, Jerry West was treated with the highest decency and respect. The Clippers loved Jerry West, and he loved them.

However, he will always be a Laker. As a player, he transformed the Lakers into an institution in Southern California. As general manager, he built and nourished the Lakers’ brilliance. Their conscience was him. Their pulse was him. Their soul belonged to him. The most significant individual to pass through their gym doors was him.

Remembering The Great Jerry West: Early Life and Achievements

Nicknames and Accolades: “The Logo,” “Mr. Clutch,” and More

Jerry West, the American basketball superstar, lived from May 28, 1938, until June 12, 2024. He spent his whole playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most well-known teams in the NBA.

Nicknames followed him around! He became nicknamed as “the Logo” since his smooth playing style was used to design the official NBA logo. Another nickname, “Mr. Clutch,” described his remarkable ability to make tremendous plays when the game was on the line. Imagine nailing a winning shot just as the buzzer sounds – that’s Mr. Clutch! He also gained the nickname “Mr. Outside” due to his exceptional shooting abilities, particularly from a distance. Finally, a more personal nickname tied him to his hometown. Because he grew up near Cabin Creek in West Virginia, he was sometimes known as “Zeke from Cabin Creek,” with “Zeke” being a nickname for his initial name, Jerome.

Early Life and College Career

• A Basketball Star is Born: Jerry West’s Rise to Prominence
• Leading the Mountaineers: NCAA Championship Run and Most Outstanding Player Award

Jerry West began his basketball career at the position of small forward. Even in high school at East Bank High, he was a star. When he attended West Virginia University, his talent grew even more. He led his team, the Mountaineers, to the biggest game in collegiate basketball, the NCAA championship in 1959! Even though they lost the final game, Jerry’s play was so impressive that he was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player! This was a big honor and demonstrated to everyone his brilliance.

Professional Playing Career

• From East Bank High to the Lakers: A Long and Successful Journey
• Beyond Championships: All-Star Appearances and Scoring Records
• A First for Defense: All-Defensive Teams and a Unique Distinction
• Finals MVP for the Losing Team: A Historic Performance
• Honors and Recognition

Jerry’s skills were so good after graduation that he was able to spend 14 years playing for the famed Los Angeles Lakers. He was even co-captain of the winning United States Olympic basketball team in 1960, which won the gold medal! This team was so good that years later, in 2010, all of the players were admitted into a special Hall of Fame for Basketball Legends.

West had a very prosperous NBA career. Playing guard, he was selected as the All-Star MVP in 1972—the year he won his sole championship—and was voted into the NBA First and Second Teams twelve times. He was also named into the NBA All-Star Team fourteen times. With 46.3 points per game in a playoff series, West owns the NBA record for highest points per game average.

Additionally, at the age of thirty-two, he was a part of the first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (one second, then four firsts). He is the only player in NBA history to have been named Finals MVP while playing for the losing team, having been in nine Finals (1969). West was selected for the NBA 35th Anniversary Team and inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.In 1996, West was chosen to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team, and in 2021, he was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history.

Coaching and Executive Success

• Leading the Lakers on the Bench
• Building Championships as General Manager: Six Rings with the Lakers
• Executive of the Year Awards: Recognition for Building Winning Teams

Following his playing career, Jerry West spent three years leading the Lakers as head coach. Every year he guided Los Angeles into the playoffs, and once he qualified for the Western Conference finals. After serving for three years as a player-scout, West was appointed general manager of the Lakers prior to the 1982–1983 NBA season. Los Angeles won six championship rings under his rule. After joining the Memphis Grizzlies as general manager in 2002, West assisted the team in earning its first-ever playoff berths. West was recognized for his achievements with two NBA Executive of the Year Awards: one in 1995 when managing the Lakers, and another in 2004 while managing the Grizzlies.

A Legacy Beyond Playing: Induction into the Hall of Fame as a Sports Executive

In October 2024, he will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a sports executive and consultant.

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