(Reuters) – Jerry West, a Hall of Fame player, executive and the inspiration for the silhouette NBA logo, died on Wednesday morning (June 12). He was 86.
West won nine NBA championships as a player, scout, coach, executive and consultant during a storied career that spanned eight decades. Nicknamed “Mr Clutch,” West was an All-Star during each season of his 14-year playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping the club win the title in 1971-72.
West was named the MVP for the 1969 NBA Finals despite playing on a losing team. He scored 42 points in Game 7, but the Lakers fell to the rival Boston Celtics.
A 12-time All-NBA selection, West found much more success after retiring from a career on the court.
He helped the “Showtime” Lakers win five titles in the 1980s and oversaw the formation of the Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant tandem. In a rebirth of the franchise’s glory days, the All-NBA duo led the Lakers to three straight titles (2000-02).
West became an adviser for the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017, and the club reached the Western Conference finals for the first time in franchise history in 2021. He was a two-time executive of the year.
“Jerry West was a basketball genius and a defining figure in our league for more than 60 years,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “He distinguished himself not only as an NBA champion and an All-Star in all 14 of his playing seasons, but also as a consummate competitor who embraced the biggest moments. He was the league’s first Finals MVP and made rising to the occasion his signature quality, earning him the nickname ‘Mr. Clutch’.
“Jerry’s four decades with the Lakers also included a successful stint as a head coach and a remarkable run in the front office that cemented his reputation as one of the greatest executives in sports history. He helped build eight championship teams during his tenure in the NBA — a legacy of achievement that mirrors his on-court excellence. And he will be enshrined this October into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor, becoming the first person ever inducted as both a player and a contributor.”
West was the third player in NBA history to eclipse 25,000 and was part of the league’s 75th anniversary team. He averaged 27.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds in 932 career games.
“Will truly miss our convos my dear friend!” Lakers superstar LeBron James wrote on X, formerly Twitter. “My thoughts and prayers goes out to your wonderful family! Forever love Jerry! Rest in Paradise my guy!”
A two-time All-American at West Virginia, he guided the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship game. He was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player despite West Virginia falling to California in the final.
He went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again 30 years later as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team.
