Legendary NBA player and long-time executive Jerry West has died at the age 86. The Los Angeles Clippers stated West died Wednesday morning with his wife Karen by his side.
West has been famously known as “The Logo,” having inspired the NBA’s current moniker which is a silhouette of West during a Lakers’ game. On the court, he was given the nickname “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game plays. He was inducted in the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He was enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor to the game.
During his time as a NBA player, he was the third player in the league’s history to reach 25,000 points. An All-Star player every year of his career, even leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals nine times and winning one title in 1971-72. A 12-time All-NBA selection and a NBA Finals MVP, West is also a part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. In the Clippers’ announcement of West’s death, they said that he was “the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him.”
Following his player career, he continued to find success as an NBA executive, building the Showtime Lakers with the Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant pairing. He later joined the front offices of the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies. In his final years, he became an advisor for the Clippers since 2017. He was a prominent figure in the signing of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, bringing the team to the Western Conference finals for the first time in 2021.
