The NBA mourns one of its legends. American basketball legend Jerry West died on Tuesday at the age of 86. Champion in 1972 and eight times finalist, the former leader gave his silhouette to the famous NBA logo, which earned him one of his nicknames “The Logo”.
The other “Mister Clutch” was more similar to his performances on the field, especially in money time. He is the only player in history, still today, to have been elected MVP of the NBA Finals, while having lost, in 1969. He left his mark on the NBA thanks to his scoring talent, ending his career at more than 27 points on average per game, at a time when the three-point shot, an exercise in which he would certainly have excelled, did not exist. As a national team player, he won Olympic gold with Team USA at the 1960 Rome Olympics.
“He passed away in peace (…) his wife Karen was at his side,” added his Los Angeles Clippers franchise of which he was manager, without revealing the causes of his death.
After fourteen seasons at the Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1974), Jerry West was also a successful manager of the Californian franchise, as well as the Golden State Warriors or the Memphis Grizzlies and since 2017 the Los Angeles Clippers. As a manager, he won 8 NBA championship titles, while attracting Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant into his nets. He remains the only man to have been inducted into the Hall of Fame 3 times, as a player, manager or contributor (1980, 2010 and 2024). A legend on and off the field.
