NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West has died at age 86, the Clippers announced today. According to the team, he passed away “peacefully” on Wednesday morning with his wife Karen at his side.
Few individuals have had a greater impact on the NBA during its history than West, who played 14 seasons for the Lakers from 1960-74, earning All-Star honors in all 14 years.
West also made 12 All-NBA teams and five All-Defensive squads, winning a championship, an NBA Finals MVP award, and an All-Star MVP award while leading the league in points per game in one season and assists per game in another. He averaged 27.0 points, 6.7 assists, and 5.8 rebounds per game across 932 regular season contests and was part of the NBA’s 50th and 75th anniversary teams.
West’s contributions as a player were enough to earn him a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, but his legacy extends far beyond that. His silhouette serves as the basis for the NBA’s logo, and after a brief stint as the Lakers’ head coach from 1976-79, he enjoyed a long and successful career as a front office executive for multiple organizations.
West, who transitioned into a scouting role with the Lakers in 1979, was named L.A.’s general manager in 1982 and served as the architect of a team that made it to the NBA Finals eight times and won four titles during his tenure from 1982-2000. Los Angeles had a 972-472 (.673) record in the regular season and a 140-90 (.609) mark in the playoffs under West’s stewardship, and also won championships in each of the two years following his departure.
Following his long run with the Lakers, West became the Grizzlies‘ general manager in 2002, a year after the team had made the move from Vancouver to Memphis. Prior to West’s arrival, the Grizzlies had never won more than 23 games in a season, but he helped turn the franchise around, leading Memphis to its first three playoff appearances from 2004-06 and claiming his second Executive of the Year award in 2004.
West retired as a lead basketball decision-maker in 2007, but later served as a consultant with the Warriors, winning two more titles in 2015 and 2017, and with the Clippers beginning in 2017.
In addition to being inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player, West was enshrined as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team that won gold in Rome and was elected to the Hall a third time in 2024 for his work as an executive. That enshrinement ceremony will take place later this year.
Our condolences go out to West’s family and friends, as well as all those in the basketball world affected by this tremendous loss to the sport.
Bad month for NBA legends.
Wow! Prayers of healing go out to the loved ones of Mr. Jerry “The Logo” West.
Damn The Logo gone too now.
Jerome West was so good that I’d bet even as of yesterday morning he could of given an NBA team 15 and 10 in a ga
I’ve never seen him play in person, but from videos and what I’ve read, he’s still one of my favorite players of all time.
Rest in peace, Mr. West. You will not be forgotten.
Zeke from Cabin Creek was undoubtedly a legend that will never be replaced.
Much respect. Lakers should have treated him better.
Rip logo. There won’t be another like you.
Has to be the most well-respected yet humble dude ever to play at such a high level. I didn’t even realize he averaged 27 points a game for his career !!
If you had to pick one guy as the face of the NBA in regards of impact as a player and executive, this has to be the guy.
Yes there were great players who became great coaches and perhaps Lenny Wilkins is the closest, Jerry West definitely was the most successful NBA “employee” of all time. Maybe the player championships aren’t there but combine top 25 player and top 10 executive with rings and you can’t beat The Logo.
Playoff poise
He eclipsed the 40-point mark in 1965 and still holds the record for highest scoring average for a series. He averaged 46.3 points against Baltimore in the 1965 Western Division Finals. West helped the Lakers reach the NBA Finals nine times but won just once, in 1972 against the Knicks.
Jerry West was a wolf among dogs. He said it. Not me. Everyone copied his jump shot.
Also one of the greatest college players of all time.
Lucky enough to have seen him play, especially in the 1969 finals. Absolute legend. And the definition of ‘class’. RIP, Mr. West. And thank you for the great memories.
“The LOGO”
One of best cutch shooters ever.
One of best shooters ever.
One of best scorers ever.
Played D too.
He was one of first true big SG. Jerry and Oscar were always considered best backcourt ever. Till Magic.
Jerry was a true basketball legend. Player, executive, talent scout. GM he did it all.
Even though I can’t stand the Lakers.
Jerry is the best SG I ever saw. He’s on my starting team of Goats. Thanks for the memories Sir. You taught me the game.
RIP Jerry West ……..
Great post Al. I think Jerry was the point guard and Gail Goodrich was the shooting guard? That’s not correct? Maybe I’m wrong but that’s what I remember as the lineup. I’m not old enough to have watched them but it’s how I remember it was layed out.
link to youtu.be
Those days they played both. But he was a true SG
@Gary – that’s probably closer to how they played than the reverse, but I’m fairly certain that if you mentioned the term “point guard” to either guy (GG or JW), they’d likely give you a funny look, assuming you weren’t a basketball fan and were thinking of another sport. West was clearly the better facilitator, and the guy with the ball in his hands to start possessions. I believe he led the league in Assists in 1972.
1960 NBA draft. Oscar 1, West 2. Not bad.
I was just wondering why he was #2 ….
Forgot about the Big O ……….
link to basketball-reference.com
Here’s a great memory I have related to Jerry West. I played one year of junior college basketball and I wanted # 44 in his honor. I thought he was an amazing player in his time and that he was respected by everyone.
At the beginning of the season when I asked for 44 and gave the reason why, the assistant coach laughed at me.
He handed me a jersey and I wound up wearing # 34 for the year lol.
RIP to The Logo, Mr. Jerry West.
Just a few hours ago, I was watching a podcast video of him, explaining how it befuddled him how 2 teams passed on Luka.
Another legend passes away RIP Jerry West thank you for everything you did in the NBA
RIP
Some good facts about Mr West. good reading
link to yardbarker.com
Good read right there. I forgot about two Warriors items.
With the Monte Ellis Steph Curry thing the Warriors were actually thinking of keeping Ellis and trading Curry instead. Jerry West shot that down immediately.
Then when the Warriors realized they needed a stretch 4 they knocked on the Timberwolves door about Kevin Love and of course Minnesota demanded Clay Thompson. Jerry West advised against it and the rest is history.
Good stuff Al once again.
He did it all man. He loved the game.
West was a great among greats. I’ll always think of him, together with the Big O, as the only non-centers in his era that were mentioned in the same breath as the best big men. 14 seasons, 14 x all star, 12 x All NBA, 5 x All Defense. Left the game (as a player) before anyone could even discuss if there was any decline. Then, in his next act, as a FO chief, he was, in the opinion of many (myself included), the greatest team builder in NBA history. That’s an exacta that won’t be repeated any time soon, if ever.
Yes agreed. He could see guys coming out of college and determine who would make it and who would not. Who would be a star and who would be just a guy.
As a warrior fan I saw firsthand his touch on the roster.
Told Golden State they had to trade either Monta Ellis over Steph Curry. They couldn’t keep 2 small starting guards and be contenders. Told them they needed to go get Andrew Bogut who was available. Both requests in one swipe.
He told the Warriors to draft Klay Thompson when he was not on any of the top 30 boards.
Also sort of ran Mark Jackson out of town but would never say so in those words. But for the good of the team and seeing his limitations as an offensive X and O’s guy, Jerry started hanging around practice and making observations.
I say this as a compliment to Mr West because he cared about the team first. Not necessarily tried to hurt Mark Jackson’s career but knew with that roster, they should be able to go further.
Of course kudos to Mark Jackson for establishing credibility for the franchise, especially defensively, but they were limited with him as their head guy. Jerry West Saw that.
Thompson is a huge thing. Says a lot
Yes, I remember that 2011 draft well. NYK had pick #17, and were looking for a shooter. Based on the mocks/ reports, that was too early for Thompson. Then out of nowhere he goes #11. Probably saved the Knicks from having to regret not picking him.
To me, 1996 off season will always rank as the greatest by an executive in the history of the NBA.
Oh yes I remember it well. In fact during the previous 25 years pre Steph Curry, the NBA draft was my favorite sports day !! LOL
My warriors were crappy for so long that was the highlight of the year.
But of course Chris Mullen didn’t know what he was doing and ruined the Warriors for years with five crappy drafts. Ike Diogu, Patrick O’Brien, Todd Fullet, Mike Dunleavy Jr.
Wasn’t until Don Nelson came back and fixed everything and we enjoyed We Believe 07.
He actually had more ast than Goodrich. Did not know that. 6’ 1” Goodrich handled the ball a lot. He was a nice lefty. Could get hot.
Logo forever !
Not only one of the greatest players of all time but one of the best NBA Executives of all time. I remember that team of Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor and West with Goodrich. Elgin was a little hobbled by then but can you imagine trying to beat that? R.I.P.
RIP West. You are better than LeBron flopping everywhere