Mr.Clutch, The Logo, Tweety, Zeke From Cabin Creek, the many nicknames of a man who left behind an incredible legacy and influence on the world of basketball.
On Wednesday, it was reported that Jerry Alan West passed away peacefully at the age of 86. The sports world mourned the loss of West, bringing together their memories, thoughts and prayers. He not only meant a great deal to those in athletics but to many, many West Virginians.
Born in Cheylan, West Virginia on May 28, 1938, West spent his childhood living in different towns Southeast of Charleston, the state’s capital, with his father bouncing around from job to job as a mining electrician and union activist. West fell in love with basketball at a young age, shooting around tirelessly, at any chance he got, in any conditions. Along with basketball, he also grew a liking to fishing and hunting.
West was a standout at East Bank High School, leading his team to a state championship and leading himself to a scholarship offer at West Virginia University, where he would play collegiately from 1957-1960. West and the Mountaineers made it to the NCAA Championship game in 1959, coming up just short of the win over the University of California Berkeley, which unfortunately, would be a preview of what was to come for West in the NBA.
West was selected second overall by the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1960 NBA Draft, just before their move to Los Angeles that offseason. He was named an All-Star in all 14 seasons he played, a 10-time All-NBA first-team selection and finished top-five in MVP voting eight times, four of those times as a runner-up.
As a player, West and the Lakers made the NBA Finals nine times. It wasn’t until 1972 that West would get his first ring and only ring. However, he was awarded Finals MVP honors in 1969, averaging 37.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game in a series against the Boston Celtics, the only player to win the award as a member of the losing team, a feat that still stands to this day.
Following a successful playing career, West stayed close to the game of basketball and the Lakers organization. Just a couple of seasons after he retired, he became LA’s head coach, a position he held for three seasons, compiling a record of 145-101. West stayed on the Lakers’ staff as a scout for three more seasons before being named their general manager in 1982.
Under West, Los Angeles became a dynasty. During West’s tenure, they won six rings, having had players such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson sport the purple and gold, with the next generation of Lakers greats including Kobe Bryant, whom West traded for shortly after he was drafted before adding Shaquille O’Neal in free agency. For his efforts and performance as GM, West was awarded NBA Executive of the Year in 1995.
West would move on from LA in the early 2000s, becoming the GM of the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002, being at the forefront of a rebuild. Before stepping down from Memphis in 2007, he would earn his second NBA Executive of the Year honors in 2004. After a couple of years away from the front office, West became an executive with the Golden State Warriors in 2011 and then a consultant with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017.
This summer, West will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for a record-breaking third time. He was first inducted into the hall in 1980 as a player, in 2010 as a member of the 1960 US men’s basketball team that won gold in Rome and now as a Contributor.
“Jerry West was as impressive a person I have ever met. His demeanor, and his temperament, commanded respect when he walked into a room,” John Delova, president and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, said in a statement regarding West’s death. “From his college days, to his selection to the 1960 Olympics team, to his time as a player and executive in Los Angeles and the NBA, Jerry separated himself from the pack at every stop.”
In 2005, WVU retired West’s No. 44, forever immortalizing him as a Mountaineer great. He will forever be regarded as one of the most famous and influential natives of West Virginia ever. Although he lived a storied basketball career, West faced many hardships, but never backed down in the face of adversity, representing a strong and true West Virginian.
As we reflect on the life of Jerry West, we cannot help but see the true passion, resilience and continual pursuit of excellence of a man whose contributions may transcend generations. Off the court, his countless philanthropic efforts and advocacy for mental health shall not be forgotten. West leaves behind a legacy that can influence and inspire the future of a game that he loved so very much, a game he refused to stay away from until the very end.
