Jerry West, the inspiration for the NBA logo and one of the most prolific scorers in league history, has passed away at the age of 86.
West was a 14-time NBA All-Star, holds the record for average points scored during a playoff series, and has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame three separate times.
He played a significant role in shaping the Los Angeles Lakers into a dominant team as both a player and a front-office executive.
With such a far-reaching effect not just on the city of Los Angeles, but the NBA as a whole, and as an ambassador for the game of basketball, West’s loss is enormous, and has already been felt by many.
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Jerry West – The Logo Remembered
Tributes have begun pouring in for Jerry West as athletes and sports media personalities alike share their thoughts on the passing of a legend.
Sports commentator Dan Patrick shared an emotional message on his passing, noting that West was a hero to him and his father while becoming a good friend later in life.
“We were very lucky,” a teary-eyed Patrick said. “We were very lucky that he opened himself up to us and developed a relationship there.”
DP pays tribute to his idol Jerry West pic.twitter.com/grRFY6E2OY
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) June 12, 2024
The greatest basketball player of all time shared his thoughts about once wanting to compete against West but ultimately deciding he’d have preferred playing alongside him.
“I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry’s passing,” Michael Jordan said in a statement. “He was truly a friend and a mentor. Like an older brother to me. I valued his friendship and knowledge.”
“I always wished I could’ve played against him as a competitor, but the more I came to know him, I wish I had been his teammate.”
One of the greatest competitors the game has ever seen showing admiration for another great competitor.
Michael Jordan provided a statement to Stephen A. Smith regarding the passing of Jerry West: "I always wished I could have played against him as a competitor, but the more I came to know him, I wish I had been his teammate… RIP, Logo." pic.twitter.com/vKHbiR0ojv
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 12, 2024
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The Love Keeps Coming
The sports world’s reaction to Jerry West’s passing shows just how important he was to the game. Perhaps the most important. Listen to ESPN’s Mike Greenberg announcing the terrible news earlier today.
“We have incredibly important news, and I’m sorry to be the one to tell you, but one of the greatest figures in the history of American sports, one of the greatest players and the most important people in the history of basketball in this or any country has died,” Greenberg said. “Jerry West has died at the age of 86.”
Mike Greenberg announces the death of Jerry West on ESPN's 'Get Up': "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but one of the greatest figures in the history of American sports, one of the greatest players and one of the most important people in the history of basketball in this or… pic.twitter.com/xbWEB8t8Kd
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 12, 2024
Byron Scott, a shooting guard who won three NBA championships with the Lakers in the 1980s, credited West with the ‘Showtime’ dynasty.
“It’s because of Jerry West that there was even ‘Showtime’,” Scott wrote on X. “It’s because of you that I am who I am today. You believed in me when no one else did and for that I’m forever grateful.”
“The NBA is the place it is today because of Jerry West. That’s not a passing comment,” said ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. “He’s a foundational core of the league for 60-plus years.”
Countless social media posts referred to Jerry West – correctly – as an icon of basketball if not sports as a whole. West was one of the few men who, as both a player and executive, displayed a relentless drive and passion to win and to make his teams better.
He belongs on the NBA’s Mount Rushmore. Rest in peace, Logo.
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