Jerry West - Wikipedia

6/21/24, 12:02 AM Jerry West - Wikipedia
Jerry West
Jerome Alan West (May 28, 1938 – June 12, 2024) was an
American basketball player and executive. He played professionally Jerry West
for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association
(NBA). His nicknames included "the Logo", in reference to his
silhouette being the basis for the NBA logo; "Mr. Clutch", for his
ability to make a big play in a key situation such as his famous
buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals
against the New York Knicks; "Mr. Outside", in reference to his
perimeter play with the Lakers and "Zeke from Cabin Creek" for
the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia.
West played the small forward position early in his career: he was a
standout at East Bank High School and at West Virginia University,
where he led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship
game. He earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player
honor despite the loss in the championship. He then embarked on a
14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers and was the co-captain of West in 1972
the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, a squad that was inducted Personal information
as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Born May 28, 1938
2010. Chelyan, West
Virginia, U.S.
West's NBA career was highly successful. Playing the guard position,
he was voted 12 times into the All-NBA First and Second Teams, was Died June 12, 2024
elected into the NBA All-Star Team 14 times and was chosen as the (aged 86)
All-Star MVP in 1972, the same year that he won the only title of his Los Angeles,
career. West holds the NBA record for the highest points per game California, U.S.
average in a playoff series with 46.3. He was also a member of the Listed 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[a]
first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (one second, followed by four height
firsts), which were introduced when he was 32 years old. Having Listed 175 lb (79 kg)
played in nine NBA Finals, he is also the only player in NBA history weight
to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team (1969). In
Career information
1980, West was inducted into the Hall of Fame and named to the
High school East Bank
NBA 35th Anniversary Team.[3] West was named as one of the 50
(East Bank, West
Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and to the NBA 75th
Virginia)
Anniversary Team in 2021.[4][5]
College West Virginia (1957–
After his playing career ended, West took over as head coach of the 1960)
Lakers for three years. He led Los Angeles into the playoffs each year NBA draft 1960: 1st round, 2nd
and earned a Western Conference finals berth once. Working as a overall pick
player-scout for three years, West was named general manager of the
Selected by the Minneapolis Lakers
Lakers before the 1982–83 NBA season. Under his reign, Los
Angeles won six championship rings. In 2002, West became general Playing 1960–1974
manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their career
first-ever playoff berths. For his contributions, West won the NBA Position Point guard
Executive of the Year Award twice: once as a Lakers manager (1995) Number 44
and then as a Grizzlies manager (2004). He won two more NBA titles
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_West 1/20
as a consultant with the Golden State Warriors (2015, 2017). In Coaching 1976–1979
2024, he will be inducted to the Hall of Fame as a contributor to the career
sport as an executive and consultant.[6] Career history
As player:
Early life 1960–1974 Los Angeles Lakers
West was born into a poor household in Chelyan, West Virginia, on As coach:
May 28, 1938.[7][8][9] He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue 1976–1979 Los Angeles Lakers
West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine Career highlights and awards
electrician.[10] West's father physically abused him, and West has
As player:
stated that for a time he slept with a loaded shotgun under his bed
out of fear that he might have to kill his father in self-defense.[11] NBA champion (1972)
NBA Finals MVP (1969)
West was an outgoing and aggressive child in his youth. In 1951, his
older brother, David, was killed in action in the Korean War, and the 14× NBA All-Star (1961–1974)
grief turned him into a shy and introverted boy.[9][12] Growing up, NBA All-Star Game MVP (1972)
West spent his days hunting and fishing, but his main activity was 10× All-NBA First Team (1962–
shooting at a basketball hoop that a neighbor had nailed to his 1967, 1970–1973)
storage shed. West spent days shooting baskets from every possible 2× All-NBA Second Team (1968,
angle, ignoring mud and snow in the backyard, as well as his 1969)
mother's whippings when he came home hours late for dinner.[9] 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team
(1970–1973)
West attended East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia,
from 1952 to 1956. During his first year, West was benched by his NBA All-Defensive Second Team
coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height. Shaver emphasized the (1969)
importance of conditioning and defense, which were lessons that the NBA scoring champion (1970)
teenager appreciated.[13] West soon became the captain of the NBA assists leader (1972)
freshman team, and during the summer of 1953 he grew to 6 ft 0 in NBA anniversary team (35th,
(1.83 m).[9] West eventually became the team's starting small 50th, 75th)
forward, and he quickly established himself as one of the finest West
No. 44 retired by Los Angeles
Virginia high school players of his generation. He was named All-
Lakers
State from 1953 to 1956, then All-American in 1956 when he was
NCAA Final Four Most
West Virginia Player of the Year, becoming the state's first high-
Outstanding Player (1959)
school player to score more than 900 points in a season, with an
average of 32.2 points per game. West's mid-range jump shot 2× Consensus first-team All-
became his trademark and he often used it to score while under American (1959, 1960)
pressure from opposing defenses.[9] West led East Bank to a state Third-team All-American – AP,
championship on March 24 that year, prompting East Bank High UPI (1958)
School to change its name to "West Bank High School" every year on 2× SoCon Player of the Year
March 24 in honor of their basketball prodigy. This practice (1959, 1960)
remained in effect until the school closed in 1999.[14] No. 44 retired by West Virginia
Mountaineers
College career Presidential Medal of Freedom
(2019)
West graduated from East Bank High School in 1956, and more than
60 universities showed interest in him. He eventually chose to stay in As executive:
his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located
in Morgantown.[15] In his freshman year (1956–57), West was a 8× NBA champion (1980, 1982,
member of the WVU freshman squad that achieved a perfect record 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2015,
of 17 straight wins over the course of the season;[15] other team 2017)
members included Jay Jacobs and Willie Akers.[16] In his first varsity 2× NBA Executive of the Year
year under head coach Fred Schaus, West scored 17.8 points per (1995, 2004)
game and averaged 11.1 rebounds; he Career playing statistics

also started in all 28 games while Points 25,192 (27.0 ppg)
shooting 49.6% from the field and 73.2% Rebounds 5,366 (5.8 rpg)
from the free throw line.[17] These Assists 6,238 (6.7 apg)
performances earned him a multitude of
Stats (https://www.nba.com/playe
honors, among them an All-American
r/78497) at NBA.com
Third Team call-up, First Team All-
Stats (https://www.basketball-refe
Southern Conference, Southern
rence.com/players/w/westje01.ht
Conference Tournament Most Valuable
ml) at Basketball-Reference.com
Player Award and First Team honors,
Chuck Taylor–Converse Second-team Career coaching record
All-American honors, and Associated NBA 145–101 (.589)
West from The Monticola, Press and United Press International
Basketball Hall of Fame as player
1959 Third-team All-America honors.[18] The (http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-
Mountaineers went 26–2 that year,
famers/jerry-west)
ending the season with a loss to
College Basketball Hall of Fame
Manhattan College in postseason tournament play.[19]
Inducted in 2006
During his junior year (1958–59), West scored 26.6 points per game Medals [hide]
and grabbed 12.3 rebounds per game.[17] He tied the NCAA five- Men's basketball
game tournament record of 160 points (32 points per game) and led
Representing the United
all scorers and rebounders in every West Virginia game, including
States
getting 28 points and 11 rebounds in a 71–70 loss to California in the
final. West was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Olympic Games
Four.[14] Further awards were All-America, Southern Conference 1960 Rome
Team
Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Player of the Year and competition
Athlete of the Year.[18] He was also named to be a member of the Pan American Games
U.S. Pan American Games basketball team that won the gold Team
1959 Chicago
medal.[9] West demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match competition
against the Kentucky Wildcats. He broke his nose during an incident
in the game, but he continued to play despite intense pain and having to breathe through his mouth. He
scored 19 points in the second half, leading WVU to an upset victory.[14]
In his final collegiate season (1959–60), West enjoyed several career highs, such as scoring 29.3 points
per game, a 134 season-assists, 16.5 rebounds per game, and a shooting average of 50.4% from the field,
76.6% from the free throw line.[17] He was honored again with several awards: a call-up to the All-
America selection, and being voted Southern Conference MVP.[18] West's best performance was a game
against Virginia, in which he grabbed 16 rebounds and scored 40 points. Moreover, during that final
year, he had 30 double-doubles and fifteen 30-point games.[20] In his collegiate career, West totaled
2,309 points and 1,240 rebounds. He averaged 24.8 points per game and 13.3 rebounds.[17] As of 2011,
West holds 12 WVU all-time records.[21] West and Oscar Robertson co-captained the U.S. men's
basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics.[9]
Professional career
Los Angeles Lakers (1960–1974)
1960–64: Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside
West made himself available for the 1960 NBA draft, and he was drafted with the second overall pick by
the Minneapolis Lakers, shortly before the team relocated to Los Angeles. West became the first draft
pick ever of the relocated franchise.[22] His college coach, Schaus, was also hired that same season to
coach the Lakers. He played West as a guard, in contrast to West's college days as a forward.[9] The
Lakers were captained by Hall-of-Fame forward Elgin Baylor, who was complemented by centers Jim
Krebs and Ray Felix; forwards Rudy LaRusso and Tom Hawkins; and guards Rod Hundley (from West
Virginia, like West), Frank Selvy, and Bobby Leonard.[23] This team perennially had strong forwards and
guards, but was constantly weak at center, giving them a disadvantage against the Boston Celtics with
their Hall-of-Fame center, Bill Russell.[24]
Initially, West felt odd in his new environment. He was a loner. His high-pitched voice earned him the
nickname "Tweety Bird", and he spoke with such a thick Appalachian accent that his teammates also
referred to him as "Zeke from Cabin Creek" (his nickname acknowledged his country roots, and his
accent was so thick that he squeaked his nickname sheepishly – "Zeek from Cab'n Creek").[25] He soon
impressed his colleagues with his defensive hustle, with his vertical jump—he could reach up 16 inches
above the rim when he went up—and with his work ethic, spending countless extra hours working on his
game.[25] On the floor, West scored 17.6 points, grabbed 7.7 rebounds and dished 4.2 assists per game.
West won Schaus's trust and, alternating with Hundley, Selvy, and Leonard, played 35 minutes per game
and established himself as the Lakers' second scoring option.[17] The NBA commented that the Lakers
now had a potent one-two-punch—with "Mr. Inside" (the low-post scorer, Baylor) and "Mr. Outside" (the
long-distance shooter, West).[9] These performances soon earned West his first of fourteen NBA All-Star
Game call-ups.[17]
West helped the Lakers improve from their previous 25-win season to 36 wins as they reached the 1961
NBA Playoffs. They needed all five games to put away the Detroit Pistons but then lost to the St. Louis
Hawks in seven games, losing the final game 105–103.[26]
In the 1961–62 NBA season, Baylor was called up by the U.S. Army Reserves
and could play only 48 games.[25] West took over the role of team leader and
established himself as the main Lakers scorer, averaging 30.8 points,
7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, winning All-NBA First Team honors.[17]
On January 17, 1962, West scored a career-high 63 points in a 129–121 win over
the New York Knicks.[27] West became known especially for hitting important
late-game shots, and Lakers' announcer Chick Hearn named him "Mr. Clutch"
a handle which stuck with West for his entire career.[25]
The Lakers won 54 regular-season games and secured a first-round bye in the
1962 NBA Playoffs. They beat the Pistons four games to two to advance to the
1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. The teams split the first two
games, and at the end of Game 3 in Los Angeles, West tied the game at 115. The
Celtics' Sam Jones inbounded the ball at half-court with three seconds left. West in 1961
West stole the ball, raced up court, and converted a running layup as the buzzer
sounded.[28] The Celtics tied the series in Game 6 at three games apiece, and
the teams headed to Boston for Game 7. For most of the game, the Lakers trailed, but West and Frank
Selvy hit several clutch baskets and tied the game at 100. Selvy then missed an open 8-foot shot which
would have won the Lakers their first title. Baylor's tip-in attempt was thwarted by Sam Jones.[28] In
overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110–107 win for the Celtics. The 1962 NBA
Finals would serve as the beginning of the greatest rivalry in NBA history.[28]
In the 1962–63 NBA season, Baylor was back full-time. West averaged 27.8 points, 7 rebounds and
5.6 assists and was again NBA All-Star and All-NBA First-Team.[17] He played only 55 regular-season
games, missing the last seven weeks due to a hamstring injury.[24] Again, the Lakers reached the Finals,
and again, they battled the Celtics. With West not yet in shape, Baylor and the Lakers fell back 3–2; then
they succumbed in Game 6 in front of their home crowd with a 112–109 loss. As the game ended, veteran
Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy threw the ball high into the rafters of the L.A. Sports Arena.[29]
In the following 1963–64 NBA season, West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time. His
28.7 points per game eclipsed the 25.4 by Baylor, who stated that he suffered from knee problems.[30]
The Lakers struggled during the entire season, winning only 42 games, and were beaten by the Hawks in
five games during the first round of the 1964 NBA Playoffs.[31]
1964–68: Leader of the Lakers

In the following 1964–65 NBA season, West averaged 31.0 points (at
the time, a career-high), only surpassed by perennial scoring
champion Wilt Chamberlain.[17] After ending the regular season with
49 wins, L.A. played the Baltimore Bullets in the first round of the
1965 NBA Playoffs, but then team captain Baylor suffered a career-
threatening knee injury.[30] West spectacularly took over Baylor's
leading role, as he scored 49 points and willed the shocked Lakers to
the win. In Game 2, Baltimore was unable to stop the Lakers guard, The Forum was the home of the
who scored 52 points, nearly half of L.A.'s total, in the 118–115 Lakers from 1967 until 1999.
win. [32] The Bullets took their two home games, despite West scoring
44 and 48 points respectively, but in the decisive Game 5 in L.A., the
guard helped beat the Bullets with 42 points in a close 117–115 win. West averaged 46.3 points per game,
a figure that is still an NBA record.[33] In the 1965 NBA Finals, the Celtics easily beat the short-handed
Lakers, 4–1. In Game 1, which Boston easily won, defensive Celtics guard K. C. Jones held West to only
26 points, and in Game 2, West scored 45 points, but Boston still won 129–123.[34] In Game 3, West
scored 49 points, and L.A. finally won a game, but in Games 4 and 5, the Lakers were beaten by double
digits; in the last quarter of Game 5, West missed 14 of 15 shots and could not prevent yet another Celtics
win.[34] Still, the Lakers guard finished the playoffs with 40.6 points per game.[24]
In the 1965–66 NBA season, West averaged a career-best 31.3 points, along with 7.1 rebounds and
6.1 assists per game. He made an NBA record 840 free throws, and earned yet another pair of All-Star
Team and All-NBA First Team nominations.[17] Winning 45 games, the Lakers beat the St. Louis Hawks
in a close seven-game series, and yet again met the Boston Celtics in the 1966 NBA Finals. West was
assisted by Baylor, who was a self-estimated "75 percent" of his pre-injury self,[35] The two long-standing
rivals split the first six games, with West's usual scoring dominance countered by Celtics forward John
Havlicek, whose size and speed created serious mismatch problems for the Lakers.[35] In Game 7, West
and Baylor shot a combined three of 18 in the first half, and the Lakers fell far behind; L.A. willed
themselves back to a close 95–93 with four seconds left, but the Celtics ran the clock out and the Lakers
were denied yet again.[35]
The 1966–67 NBA season saw West playing only 66 regular-season games due to injury;[24] his averages
fell slightly to 28 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game.[17] The Lakers had a disappointing
season, winning only 36 games and getting swept by the San Francisco Warriors in the first round of the
1967 NBA Playoffs.[36] Veteran coach Fred Schaus retired, and Butch Van Breda Kolff took over; under
his reign, the Lakers won 52 games in the 1967–68 NBA season in their first season in The Forum.[37]
The 52 wins were accumulated despite West playing only 51 regular season games due to injury[24] and
scoring 26.3 points, the lowest average since his rookie year: after being a First-Teamer for six times en
bloc, he only made the All-NBA Second Team.[17]
In the 1968 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls and the Warriors to set up yet another
Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals; it was considered a match of size versus speed, as the Lakers had nobody to
guard Celtics coach/center Bill Russell or forward John Havlicek close to the basket, but the Celtics in
return had difficulties guarding prolific L.A. outside shooters Baylor, West
and fellow guard Gail Goodrich.[38] In Game 1, West only hit seven of 24
shots, and the Lakers lost 107–101, but L.A. evened out the series at two
games each. But West, who had scored 38 points in a Game 4 win, had
sprained his ankle, and did not play at full strength the rest of the
series.[38] In Game 5, an injured West scored 35 points, but Boston won by
3 points. In Game 6, Havlicek shredded the Lakers with 40 points, and
after yet another Finals loss to Boston, West commented that the Lakers
lost two games they should have won: "We gave them the first game, and
we gave them the fifth. But I take nothing from them... They're all that way
on the Celtics, and you can't teach it."[38] West (right) in 1966, with
Elgin Baylor (left) and Jerry
Chambers (center)
1968–71: Arrival of Wilt Chamberlain
On July 9, 1968, the Lakers made a
trade that brought reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Wilt
Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers to Los Angeles at the
beginning of the 1968–69 NBA season. To get the center, the Lakers
traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark, starting center Darrall
Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia.[39]
Coach Van Breda Kolff was concerned about the drain at the guard
positions after losing Clark, and especially after losing Goodrich in
West's No. 44 jersey (upper left) the expansion draft to the Phoenix Suns. He only had diminutive,
was retired in 1983 and hangs in the defensively weak Johnny Egan left next to West.[39] While West
rafters of Crypto.com Arena. himself got on well with his new teammate, Chamberlain often
argued with team captain Elgin Baylor and had a poor relationship
with Van Breda Kolff. Van Breda Kolff pejoratively called
Chamberlain "The Load", and later complained that Chamberlain was egotistical, never respected him,
too often slacked off in practice and focused too much on his statistics.[40] In return, the center blasted
Van Breda Kolff as "the dumbest and worst coach ever".[40] There was an altercation in which
Chamberlain was about to punch Van Breda Kolff before Baylor had intervened.[41] West was disturbed
by locker room tension; used to playing on teams with good chemistry, his quality of play became erratic,
and his scoring average of 25.9 points was his lowest since his rookie season. He made the Second Team
of the inaugural All-Defensive Team.[41]
In the 1969 NBA Playoffs, the 55-win Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks and the San Francisco
Warriors, setting up the sixth finals series versus Boston in eight years. Before Game 1, West privately
complained to Bill Russell of exhaustion, but then the Lakers guard scored 53 points on Boston in a close
two-point win.[42] L.A. also took Game 2, with West scoring 41 points.[43] In Game 3, Russell opted to
double-team West, and the guard's exhaustion began to show: West twice asked to be subbed for longer
periods, and both times the Lakers fell back by double digits and finally lost by six points.[42] Game 4 saw
Celtics guard Sam Jones hit an off-balance buzzer beater to tie the series,[43] but in Game 5, the Lakers
struck back and won by 13 points. West – who scored 39 points and by far led all players in scoring
during the entire series – lunged for a meaningless late-game ball and seriously pulled his hamstring: it
was immediately visible that the injury would not heal until the end of the series.[42] Limping, he scored
26 points in Game 6, but the Celtics won 99–90 with a strong Bill Russell, who held Chamberlain to only
8 points in the entire game.[43] In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had put up thousands of
balloons in the rafters of the Forum in Los Angeles. This display of arrogance motivated the Celtics and
angered West.[39] The Lakers trailed the entire game and were behind 91–76 after three quarters, but
powered by a limping West, the Lakers closed the gap to 103–102 with two minutes to go and had the
ball. But West committed costly turnovers and L.A. lost the game 108–106 despite a triple-double of
42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists from West, who became the only recipient of the NBA Finals Most
Valuable Player Award from the losing team.[43] After the loss West was seen as the ultimate tragic hero:
after the game, Bill Russell held his hand, and John Havlicek said: "I love you, Jerry".[42]
In the 1969–70 NBA season under new coach Joe Mullaney, the Lakers' season began with a shock when
Wilt Chamberlain seriously injured his knee and missed practically the whole regular season.[44] As after
Baylor's injury years before, West stepped into the void, leading the NBA in scoring average with
31.2 points per game, and averaging 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, earning him his first of four
All-Defensive First Team votes and another All-NBA First Team berth after two Second Team years.[17]
The Lakers won 46 games, and in the 1970 NBA Playoffs, they narrowly beat the Phoenix Suns in seven
games and swept the Hawks in four, setting up the first NBA Finals between the Lakers and the rugged
New York Knicks, led by Hall-of-Famers, such as Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, and Walt
Frazier.[45] L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed
and the still-hobbling Chamberlain.[45] In Game 3, DeBusschere hit a mid-range jump shot with three
seconds left to put the Knicks ahead 102–100, and the Lakers had no time-outs left. Chamberlain
inbounded the ball to West, who raced past Walt Frazier and threw up a 60-foot shot. Frazier later
commented: "The man's crazy. He looks determined. He thinks it's going in!"[9] West incredibly
connected, and this basket was later called one of the greatest moments ever by the NBA.[46] As the
three-point line had not been introduced yet, the shot just tied the game. In overtime, West sprained his
left hand and missed all five of his shots, and the Knicks won 111–108.[14] In Game 4, the guard scored
37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won.[47] More frustration awaited West in Game 5, when Reed
pulled his thigh muscle and seemed out for the series; instead of capitalizing on a double-digit lead and
reeling off an easy win, the Lakers committed 19 second-half turnovers, and the two main scorers
Chamberlain and West shot the ball only three and two times, respectively, in the entire second half and
lost 107–100 in what was called one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history.[45][47] After
Chamberlain scored 45 points and West 31 points plus 13 assists in a series-equalizing 135–113 Lakers
win, the Lakers seemed favorites prior to Game 7. West had also injured his right hand and taken several
manual injections,[45] and Reed hobbled up court before Game 7: the Knicks center scored the first four
points, and inspired his team to one of the most famous playoff upsets of all time.[48] With his injured
hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36 points and
19 assists and was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett.[45][47]
In the 1970–71 NBA season, the Lakers reacquired Gail Goodrich, who came back from the Phoenix Suns
after playing for L.A. until 1968. At age 32, West averaged 26.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 9.5 assists,[17]
and helped the Lakers win 46 games and make the 1971 NBA Playoffs. After losing Elgin Baylor to an
Achilles tendon rupture that effectively ended his career, West himself injured his knee and was out for
the season; the short-handed Lakers lost the Western Conference Finals in five games to the
championship-bound Milwaukee Bucks, who were led by freshly-crowned Most Valuable Player Lew
Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and veteran Hall-of-Fame guard Oscar Robertson.[49]
1971–74: Late success and twilight years

Before the 1971–72 NBA season, West was smarting from his frequent injuries and losses and considered
retirement.[9] The Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as
head coach. Although injured captain Elgin Baylor ended his career, the Lakers had a season for the ages.
The team was powered by Sharman's emphasis on tough defense and fast break offense, and L.A.
embarked on an unprecedented 33 game win streak, en route to a then-record 69 wins in the regular
season.[50] West himself contributed with 25.8 points and led the league with a career-high 9.7 assists
per game. He was named All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense First Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star Game
MVP.[17]
In the postseason, the Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a four-

game sweep,[51] then went on to face the Milwaukee Bucks, and
defeated them in six games. In the 1972 NBA Finals, the Lakers again
met the New York Knicks. Although West suffered a terrible shooting
slump during Games 1 and 2, the Lakers tied the series at one win
each, and in Game 3, he scored 21 points and helped L.A. win Game
3. In this game, he reached 4,002 playoff points, which set an all-time
NBA record.[52] After winning Game 4 due to a superb outing from
Wilt Chamberlain, West scored 23 points and dished out 9 assists in
Game 5, helping the Lakers to win the game and the NBA
championship. The championship was West's first-ever NBA
Jerry West (with the ball) in 1971
title.[52][53] West conceded that he had played a terrible series and
credited the team for the success. Years later he said "I played terrible
basketball in the Finals, and we won... It was particularly frustrating because I was playing so poorly that
the team overcame me. Maybe that's what a team is all about."[50]
Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. In the 1972–73 NBA season,
the main scoring role was taken by Goodrich, and West was now a playmaker instead of a scorer. He
averaged 22.8 points, but also averaged 8.8 assists per game, and again was a First Teamer in the All-
Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense Teams.[17] The Lakers won 60 games and reached the 1973 NBA Finals
against the New York Knicks. In-Game 1 West scored 24 points before fouling out with three minutes left
and L.A. won Game 1 115–112.[54] The Knicks took Games 2 and 3, and West strained both of his
hamstrings: in Game 4, the shorthanded Lakers were no match for New York, and in Game 5, the valiant,
but injured West and Hairston had miserable games, and despite Chamberlain scoring 23 points and
grabbing 21 rebounds, the Lakers lost 102–93 and the series.[55][56]
The 1973–74 NBA season was to be West's last as a player. Now 36

years old, the veteran guard averaged 20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and
6.6 assists per game.[17] In two newly introduced statistics, steals and
blocks, he was credited with 2.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
Despite playing only 31 games due to a strained groin,[9] West was
still regarded as an elite guard, earning another call-up into his final
All-Star Game.[17] Without Chamberlain, who had ended his NBA
career, the Lakers won 47 games and lost in five games to the
West announcing his retirement
Milwaukee Bucks. After this loss, West retired due to contract
from playing in 1974
disagreements with Cooke, and filed a suit for unpaid back wages.[57]
West wanted to renegotiate his contract and keep playing. He said
Cooke "basically told my agent to go to hell. I felt I was deceived. When you feel that you're deceived you
don't want any part of the organization that deceived you. I could've played another very good year.
Every athlete says that. But I could've, and I knew I could've. But I could never have played for the Lakers
again, and I wasn't going to play for anybody else."[58] At the time of his departure, West had scored
more points than any other Laker in franchise history.[24]
Coaching career

Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke was known for a keen eye identifying leadership and teaching qualities
(he also gave Hall of Famers Sparky Anderson and Joe Gibbs their first managerial/head coaching
positions),[59] and asked West to coach and participate in player personnel decisions.[60] In the 1976–77
season, West became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. In three years, he led the Lakers and star center
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to a 145–101 record, making the playoffs all three seasons and reaching the
Western Conference finals in 1977.[61]
Executive career

After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the
Lakers before the 1982–83 season,[62] when he succeeded Bill Sharman.[63] West helped to build the
great 1980s Lakers dynasty, also known as Showtime, which brought five championship rings (1980,
1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988) to Los Angeles.[62]
Those championship-winning Lakers were coached by Pat Riley, and featured superstar players Magic
Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy. After a slump in the early 1990s, West rebuilt the
team of coach Del Harris around center Vlade Divac, forward Cedric Ceballos, and guard Nick Van Exel,
which won 48 games, and went to the Western Conference semifinals. In 1995, West received his first
Executive of the Year Award for his role in turning the Lakers around.[64]
West continued to propel the Lakers to championship contender status by trading Divac for the draft
rights to Kobe Bryant (1996), by signing free agent center Shaquille O'Neal (also in 1996), and by signing
six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson as a coach (1999). West departed from the Lakers at the end of the
1999–2000 season after he won his sixth championship as a Lakers' executive. He laid down the
foundation of the Lakers' three-peat, which saw L.A. win three NBA titles from 2000 to 2002.[65][66]
Memphis Grizzlies (2002–2007)

In 2002, West became the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies. He explained his decision with the
desire for exploring something new: "After being a part of the Laker's success for so many years, I have
always wondered how it would be to build a winning franchise that has not experienced much success. I
want to help make a difference."[67] West's Memphis stint was not as spectacular as his Los Angeles stint,
but he turned a franchise which was about to be sold into a reliable playoffs team, making few trades but
getting the maximum from the players he had available (such as Pau Gasol, James Posey, and Jason
Williams) and signing coach Hubie Brown, who became Coach of the Year in 2004.[68] West himself won
his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year.[64] In 2007, West retired as a Grizzlies
general manager and turned over managing duties to Chris Wallace.[68]
Golden State Warriors (2011–2017)

On May 19, 2011, West joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member, reporting
directly to new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber.[69][70] This role also came with an undisclosed
minority ownership stake in the team.[71][72] In 2015, the Warriors won their first championship in 40
years;[73] the championship was the seventh earned by West while serving as a team executive. He
earned his eighth in the 2016–17 season.[74]
Los Angeles Clippers (2017–2024)

On June 1, 2017, West publicly stated that he would have been interested in returning to the Lakers, but
nothing materialized as they hired Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka to run the team.[75][76] On June 14,
West announced that he would go to the Los Angeles Clippers as an executive board member and
consultant. Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, floated the idea of West joining the organization during the 2016
season. West referred to leaving Golden State as "one of the saddest days of his life", but was excited to
find a new challenge.[77][78][79]

On December 17, 2020, it was reported that West and the LA Clippers
were under investigation by the NBA following a lawsuit filed by John Wilkes against the LA Clippers
over the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard to the team.[80]
NBA career statistics

Legend
GP Games played GS Games started MPG Minutes per game
FG% Field goal percentage 3P% 3-point field goal percentage FT% Free throw percentage
RPG Rebounds per game APG Assists per game SPG Steals per game
BPG Blocks per game PPG Points per game Bold Career high
† Won an NBA championship * Led the league
Regular season
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1960– L.A.
79* — 35.4 .419 — .666 7.7 4.2 — — 17.6
61 Lakers
1961– L.A.
75 — 41.2 .445 — .769 7.9 5.4 — — 30.8
62 Lakers
1962– L.A.
55 — 39.3 .461 — .778 7.0 5.6 — — 27.1
63 Lakers
1963– L.A.
72 — 40.4 .484 — .832 6.0 5.6 — — 28.7
64 Lakers
1964– L.A.
74 — 41.4 .497 — .821 6.0 4.9 — — 31.0
65 Lakers
1965– L.A.
79 — 40.7 .473 — .860 7.1 6.1 — — 31.3
66 Lakers
1966– L.A.
66 — 40.5 .464 — .878 5.9 6.8 — — 28.7
67 Lakers
1967– L.A.
51 — 37.6 .514 — .811 5.8 6.1 — — 26.3
68 Lakers
1968– L.A.
61 — 39.2 .471 — .821 4.3 6.9 — — 25.9
69 Lakers
1969– L.A.
74 — 42.0 .497 — .824 4.6 7.5 — — 31.2*
70 Lakers
1970– L.A.
69 — 41.2 .494 — .832 4.6 9.5 — — 26.9
71 Lakers
1971– L.A.
77 — 38.6 .477 — .814 4.2 9.7* — — 25.8
72† Lakers
1972– L.A.
69 — 35.7 .479 — .805 4.2 8.8 — — 22.8
73 Lakers
1973– L.A.
31 — 31.2 .447 — .833 3.7 6.6 2.6 .7 20.3
74 Lakers
Career 932 — 39.2 .474 — .814 5.8 6.7 2.6 .7 27.0

All-Star 12 11 28.4 .453 — .720 3.9 4.6 — — 13.3
Source:[17]
Playoffs
Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
L.A.
1961 12 — 38.4 .490 — .726 8.7 5.3 — — 22.9
Lakers
L.A.
1962 13 — 42.8 .465 — .807 6.8 4.4 — — 31.5
Lakers
L.A.
1963 13 — 41.4 .503 — .740 8.2 4.7 — — 27.8
Lakers
L.A.
1964 5 — 41.2 .496 — .792 7.2 3.4 — — 31.2
Lakers
L.A.
1965 11 — 42.7 .442 — .890 5.7 5.3 — — 40.6
Lakers
L.A.
1966 14 — 44.2 .518 — .872 6.3 5.6 — — 34.2
Lakers
L.A.
1967 1 — 1.0 — — — 1.0 0.0 — — 0.0
Lakers
L.A.
1968 15 — 41.5 .527 — .781 5.4 5.5 — — 30.8
Lakers
L.A.
1969 18 — 42.1 .463 — .804 3.9 7.5 — — 30.9
Lakers
L.A.
1970 18 — 46.1 .469 — .802 3.7 8.4 — — 31.2
Lakers
L.A.
1972† 15 — 40.5 .376 — .830 4.9 8.9 — — 22.9
Lakers
L.A.
1973 17 — 37.5 .449 — .780 4.5 7.8 — — 23.6
Lakers
L.A.
1974 1 — 14.0 .222 — — 2.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 4.0
Lakers
Career 153 — 41.3 .469 — .805 5.6 6.3 0.0 0.0 29.1
Source:[17]
Head coaching record

Legend
Regular season G Games coached W Games won L Games lost W–L % Win–loss %
Playoffs PG Playoff games PW Playoff wins PL Playoff losses PW–L % Playoff win–loss %
W– PW–
Team Year G W L Finish PG PW PL Result
L% L%
L.A. 1976– 1st in Lost in Conference
82 53 29 .646 11 4 7 .364
Lakers 77 Pacific finals
L.A. 1977– 4th in

82 45 37 .549 3 1 2 .333 Lost in First round
Lakers 78 Pacific
L.A. 1978– 3rd in Lost in Conference
82 47 35 .573 8 3 5 .375
Lakers 79 Pacific semifinals
Career 246 145 101 .589 22 8 14 .364
Source:[81]
Player profile
West was an all-around combo guard who could take the playmaking roles of a point guard and score like
a shooting guard, while being equally strong on offense and defense.[9] He had a jump shot with a release
the NBA lauded as "lightning quick", and was known for making baskets late in the game, earning him
the nickname "Mr. Clutch".[9] Having played forward early in his career, he was also a capable
rebounder, and gifted with long arms, quick hands, and strong defensive instincts. He was also described
as one of the best ballhawks, man-to-man defenders and shot blockers among NBA guards:[25] when the
All-Defensive Teams were introduced in 1969, he made every one of them until his career ended in
1974.[17] "He stole more than anybody, although they didn't keep records on it then", said Sharman.[82]
Contemporaries were most impressed by his work ethic, practicing, shooting and, rarely satisfying
himself.[25]
West's all-round game and attitude is maybe best expressed in his statistically most spectacular game: he
once was credited with 44 points (16 of 17 shots from the field, 12 of 12 free throw attempts) with 12
rebounds, 12 assists, and (unofficially counted) 10 blocked shots, thus scoring a non-official ultra-rare
quadruple double.[9] He commented: "Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didn't feel I played very
well. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played."[9]
Legacy
West ended his playing career with 14 All-Star, 12 All-NBA Team and
five All-Defensive Team selections, and scored 25,192 points,
6,238 assists and 5,366 rebounds in 932 games, translating to an
average of 27.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game.[17]
Among retired players, only Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor and Wilt
Chamberlain surpass his 27.0 points per game average.[9] He led the
Lakers in scoring in seven seasons,[22] and is the league leader in
career scoring in the NBA Finals (1,679).[63] In 1979, West was
West receives the Presidential
elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Medal of Freedom from President
Lakers retired his No. 44 jersey in 1983.[22] He was also elected to the Donald Trump in the Oval Office in
Basketball Hall of Fame as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team 2019.
in 2010, and will be inducted as a contributor in 2024; his induction
as a contributor honors his tenure as a general manager and
consultant.[6] West was the first person to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a
contributor.[83]
The NBA logo, which was designed in 1969, incorporates a silhouette based on a photography of West
according to its designer Alan Siegel.[84] In March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting
guard of all time.[85] In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top
75 players of all time, and named West as the 14th greatest player in NBA history.[86] As a coach, West
led the Lakers into three consecutive playoff campaigns, and then went on to win eight NBA
championships as an executive and consultant.[63] West built the 1980s Lakers dynasty under coach Pat
Riley and players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy and the 2000s under coach
Phil Jackson and players Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. He was a member of Golden State's front
office when the Warriors won titles in 2015 and 2017.[9][74]
In the summer of 2000, the city of Morgantown, West Virginia, and West Virginia Governor Cecil
Underwood, dedicated the road outside of the West Virginia University Coliseum, "Jerry West
Boulevard". The same road is shared on the south end of Morgantown with Don Knotts Boulevard, in
honor of another WVU alumnus.[87] Also, on November 26, 2005, his number 44 became the first
basketball number to be retired by West Virginia University and on February 17, 2007, a bronze statue
created by sculptor Jamie Lester was installed outside of the WVU Coliseum.[88] On February 17, 2011, a
statue of West was unveiled outside Staples Center at the Star Plaza in Los Angeles, California.[89] On
September 5, 2019, West received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump in
recognition of his contributions to the sport.[90]
Personal life
West married his college sweetheart Martha Jane Kane in April 1960
in Morgantown;[91] they divorced in 1976.[14] They had three sons:
David, Mark, and Michael.[67]
Jerry married his second wife, Kristine "Karen" Bua, in 1978.[92]

They had two sons, Ryan and Jonnie.[14][67] Ryan is an executive with
the Detroit Pistons.[93] Jonnie played guard for West's college team,
the West Virginia Mountaineers, is director of Basketball Operations
West interviewed on ESPN Los for the Golden State Warriors, and married professional golfer
Angeles
Michelle Wie in 2019.[94][95]
West was often described as an introverted and nervous character,

but he also drew the highest praise for his uncompromising work ethic. Regarding his shyness, WVU
roommate Jody Gardner testified that West never dated in his entire freshman year, and Lakers coach
Fred Schaus once recalled two weeks when his guard never said a word.[96] Apart from being shy, West
was always restless: Schaus described him as a "bundle of nerves", Celtics contemporary Bob Cousy said
West "was always on the move", and fellow Laker and Mountaineer Rod Hundley testified that during
bar visits, West would quickly squirm and demand to go elsewhere before everybody else had settled.[97]
His first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband often had difficulties opening up to her. After a big
loss, the Wests would drive home and she would try to console him, but West would say "get out" at the
home porch and drive away—an experience that "killed" her as a wife.[98]
Early in his career, West's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild jeering. He spoke with a
high-pitched voice that became even shriller when he became excited so that Lakers captain Elgin Baylor
dubbed West "Tweety Bird".[25] His Appalachian accent was so thick that one coach interrupted him and
asked him to speak English.[25] Baylor once commented: "Rumors are safe with you, Tweety Bird. You
pass them on, but nobody can understand you."[96]
West was also regarded for his extreme mental toughness and his exemplary work ethic. The NBA said he
had "obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win... a level of
intensity so high it could melt lead".[9] Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: "He took a loss harder
than any player I've ever known. He would sit by himself and stare into space. A loss just ripped his guts
out."[9] Even before his sole championship in 1972, the Lakers held a "Jerry West Night", and eleven-
time NBA champion and perennial rival Bill Russell appeared and said: "Jerry, you are, in every sense of
the word, truly a champion... If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be
happy."[99]
In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote a memoir entitled West by West: My
Charmed, Tormented Life. The book had tremendous critical acclaim and became an instant New York
Times bestseller. During an interview on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, West revealed that as
a child he was the victim of physical abuse from his father and has suffered from depression ever
since.[100][101]
West was portrayed in the 2022 HBO docudrama series Winning Time: The
Rise of the Lakers Dynasty as a temperamental, foul-mouthed executive,
prone to angry outbursts and mood swings. On April 19, 2022, West
demanded a retraction from the network within two weeks for the "cruel"
and "deliberately false" depiction, as played by actor Jason Clarke.[102]
Death
West died in Los Angeles on June 12, 2024, at the age of 86.[66][103] A
moment of silence was held in West's memory before Game 3 of the ongoing
NBA Finals between the Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks that night.
West in 2010
See also
Sports portal
List of NBA career scoring leaders

List of NBA career assists leaders
List of NBA career free throw scoring leaders
List of NBA career playoff scoring leaders
List of NBA career playoff assists leaders
List of NBA annual scoring leaders
List of NBA single-game scoring leaders
List of NBA single-game assists leaders
List of NBA single-game steals leaders
List of NBA single-game playoff scoring leaders
List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds
List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise
Footnotes
a. Listed by the NBA at 6 feet 3 inches (1.91 m),[1] West has stated that he was 6 feet 4.5 inches
(1.943 m).[2]
Notes
1. "Jerry West" (https://stats.nba.com/player/78497/career/). National Basketball Association. Retrieved
October 23, 2020.
2. "Jerry West Reveals His Actual Height" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oj9jbyUlsPU&t=0m6s).
December 16, 2013. Archived (https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/Oj9jbyUlsPU)
from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2018 – via YouTube.
3. "NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team | Basketball-Reference.com" (https://web.archive.org/web/202
10515092025/https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/nba_35th_anniversary.html). Archived
from the original (https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/nba_35th_anniversary.html) on May
15, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
4. NBA at 50: Top 50 Players (https://www.nba.com/history/nba-at-50/top-50-players) at NBA.com.
Retrieved February 1, 2022.
5. NBA's 75 Anniversary Team Players (http://www.nba.com/75) at NBA.com. Retrieved February 1,
2022.
6. "Sources: Jerry West into Hall for record 3rd time" (https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/39868193/so
urces-jerry-west-elected-hall-fame-contributor). ESPN. April 3, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
7. "Jerry West" (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jerry-West). Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved

April 3, 2019.
8. Sachare, Alex; Sloan, Dave (1988). The Sporting News Official NBA Register, 1988–1989 (https://arc
hive.org/details/sportingnewsoffi00slan/page/352). Sporting News Publishing Company. p. 352.
ISBN 9780892042890 – via Internet Archive.
9. "Jerry West Bio" (https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-jerry-west). NBA.com. Retrieved
January 15, 2011.
10. "NBA legend Jerry West details depression, abusive father in new memoir 'West by West' " (https://w
ww.nydailynews.com/2011/10/16/nba-legend-jerry-west-details-depression-abusive-father-in-new-me
moir-west-by-west/). New York Daily News. October 16, 2011.
11. Patrick, Dan (October 18, 2011). "Jerry West talks about abusive father and lifelong struggle with
depression" (http://www.danpatrick.com/2011/10/18/jerry-west-talks-about-abusive-father-and-lifelong
-struggle-with-depression/). DanPatrick.com. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
12. "Jerry West on considering suicide" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OODfr7mNnTw&t=1m42s).
Graham Besinger. Archived (https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211117/OODfr7mNnTw)
from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
13. Ramen, Fred (2002). Basketball Hall of Famers: Jerry West (https://archive.org/details/jerrywest0000
rame/page/12). Rosen Publishing Group. p. 12 (https://archive.org/details/jerrywest0000rame/page/1
2). ISBN 978-0-8239-3482-9.
14. Kiger, Fred W. (November 19, 2003). "More info on Jerry West" (http://espn.go.com/classic/s/add_W
est_Jerry.html). ESPN Classic. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
15. Carter, Bob. "The also-ran was also a champion" (http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/0001660
1.html). ESPN.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
16. Poe, Shelly. "Willie Akers" (https://archive.today/20130209223659/http://www.wvusports.com/page.cf
m?section=12191). http://www.wvusports.com, The Official Athletic Site of West Virginia University.
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18. "Jerry West" (https://web.archive.org/web/20071122021854/http://wvustats.com/mbasketball/player.p
hp?team_id=308&person_id=365). WVU Stats. Archived from the original (http://www.wvustats.com/
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all/player_season.php?team_id=308&person_id=365&season=1958). WVU Stats. Archived from the
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all/player_season.php?team_id=308&person_id=365&season=1960). WVU Stats. Archived from the
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Sports Illustrated. Retrieved April 7, 2012.
102. Braxton, Greg (April 19, 2022). "Jerry West demands retraction of his 'cruel' portrayal in 'Winning
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9/jerry-west-demands-retraction-of-his-portayal-in-winning-time-lakers-hbo-series). Los Angeles
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References
Cherry, Robert (2004). Wilt: Larger than Life. Chicago: Triumph Books. ISBN 1-57243-672-7.
Lazenby, Roland (2005). The Show: The Inside Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers in the
Words of Those Who Lived It (https://archive.org/details/showinsidestoryo00laze). McGraw-Hill.
ISBN 0-07-143034-2.
Lazenby, Roland (2010). Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon. Random House.
p. 422. ISBN 978-0-345-51083-9.
West, Jerry; Libby, Bill (1969). Mr. Clutch: The Jerry West Story (https://archive.org/details/mrclutchje
rrywes0000west). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Associated Features; Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-604710-6.
LCCN 73-82904 (https://lccn.loc.gov/73-82904).
Taylor, John (2005). The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball (ht
tps://archive.org/details/rivalrybillrusse0000tayl). New York City: Random House. ISBN 1-4000-6114-
8.
External links
Career statistics and player information from NBA.com (https://stats.nba.com/player/7849
7/) and Basketball-Reference.com (https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/w/westje01.html)
Jerry West at nba.com (http://www.nba.com/history/players/west_bio.html)
Jerry West (http://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/jerry-west) at the Naismith Memorial Basketball
Hall of Fame
Jerry West Digital Collection (https://jerrywest.lib.wvu.edu/) at the West Virginia & Regional History
Center
Career Statistics (coach) (https://www.basketball-reference.com/coaches/westje01c.html)
Statistics (college) (https://web.archive.org/web/20080316203120/http://wvustats.com/mbasketball/pl
ayer.php?team_id=308&person_id=365)
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6/21/24, 12:02 AM Jerry West - Wikipedia

game and averaged 11.1 rebounds; he Career playing statistics

Los Angeles Lakers (1960–1974)

1960–64: Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside

1964–68: Leader of the Lakers

1971–74: Late success and twilight years

In the postseason, the Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a four-

The 1973–74 NBA season was to be West's last as a player. Now 36

Los Angeles Lakers (1976–1979)

Los Angeles Lakers (1979–2000)

Memphis Grizzlies (2002–2007)

Golden State Warriors (2011–2017)

Los Angeles Clippers (2017–2024)

find a new challenge.[77][78][79]

NBA career statistics

Career 932 — 39.2 .474 — .814 5.8 6.7 2.6 .7 27.0

Head coaching record

L.A. 1977– 4th in

Career 246 145 101 .589 22 8 14 .364

Jerry married his second wife, Kristine "Karen" Bua, in 1978.[92]

West was often described as an introverted and nervous character,

List of NBA career scoring leaders

7. "Jerry West" (https://www.britannica.com/biography/Jerry-West). Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved

26. "1961 NBA Playoffs Summary" (https://web.archive.org/web/20220711135344/https://www.basketball

50. "Laker's Legendary Season Leads To Elusive Title" (https://web.archive.org/web/20101119021335/htt

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jerry_West&oldid=1230094205"

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