Jerry West Has Passed Away
According to multiple statements and reports, the inspiration for the NBA’s logo, Jerry West, has tragically passed away at the age of 86.
West has left an incredible legacy not only in the basketball world but also in the sports world; while playing for the Lakers from 1960-1974, he won one championship and had epic feuds with the Celtics and Bill Russell. As an executive with the Lakers, he won eight championships. Then as a consultant with the Warriors, he won two more championships. In recent memory, the Hall of Famer was a consultant to the Clippers.
Beyond all those achievements, he was an incredible trailblazer by sealing his name in history with Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the league’s first 25,000-point scorers. West averaged 27 points, 6.7 points, and 5.8 rebounds in his career. Plus, he is the only player in NBA history to win Finals MVP on the losing team. The 1969 NBA Finals was an impressive showing by him.
“Jerry West was a basketball genius and a defining figure in our league for more than 60 years,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “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.”
