Despite the result of West Virginia’s game against No.2 Iowa St, Saturday will be a night to remember for all Mountaineer fans. The team and the entire state will be celebrating the life of Jerry West, a Mountaineer icon in the basketball world.
It’s easy to say West changed WVU basketball in the 1950s, making it one of the real powerhouses of college basketball. Most people see West as “the logo”, which is arguably his greatest accomplishment to this day, but many don’t realize he completely changed the game on many levels.
West grew up in Chelyan, West Virginia, a town and state not known for cultivating basketball talent. He decided to stay home and go to West Virginia, a team that had been struggling in recent years. He managed to lead the team to within one point of the National Championship, only losing 12 games in his entire collegiate career.
After college, West then took his talents to the next level and was selected in the first round of the 1960 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He became one of the best Lakers to ever touch a basketball, playing 14 seasons and winning pretty much every accolade you can think of. He was the first player ever to be the MVP of a Finals to be on the losing team. That series, West scored 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in Game 7.
West Virginia head coach Darian DeVries spoke on what West means to him and the game of basketball as a whole leading up to Jerry West Day.
“Everybody across the world thinks of the logo. I think having been here now, and you think about what he did. The stats and records that still stand today. It’s an unbelievable accomplishment from him, and what he has meant to this sport,” said DeVries. “It’s awesome that we get to be a part of celebrating his legacy. Having all of the people that will be here to do that with us makes for a really special day,” he added.
The entire day will be celebrating his greatest accomplishment, “The Logo.” Fans will receive a memorial pennant, a Jerry West collection of licensed merchandise will be available for purchase inside the WVU Team Shop, and videos will be displayed throughout the night that pay tribute to his legacy.
On the court, the players will be wearing throwback West Virginia jerseys, imitating the look the Mountaineers wore when West suited up for WVU from 1958-60. The jerseys will be announced shortly before tip-off on Saturday.
“He is a huge icon to the basketball community. Losing him was devastating, but we are looking to honor his name tomorrow,” said senior guard Joseph Yesufu.
With a team full of transfers who are new to the West Virginia culture, it seems they have quickly grasped just how important West is to this state and University.
Saturday will be a meaningful day for all Mountaineer fans. The team will look to honor his name and pull off one of the best upsets of the year in college basketball. They will take on No.2 Iowa State, a team that has yet to lose in conference play and whose only loss came at the hands of No.1 ranked Auburn.
