Jerry West, a Hall of Fame player, executive and the inspiration for the silhouette NBA logo, died on Wednesday morning. 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 seven, however 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 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.
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. He also was name to the Hall as a contributor.
