West Virginia Basketball: Forever a Mountaineer, Remembering the Life of Jerry West

Basketball legend, icon, and the player whose silhouette is depicted in the NBA logo, Jerry West has passed away at the age of 86. His impact on the basketball world will forever be felt as he has continued to be involved in the game since his playing days as a West Virginia Mountaineer which began in 1957. 

Jerry West (Chelyan, WV native) epitomized what it meant to be a proud West Virginian. Likewise, his impact and legacy in the world of basketball will forever make West Virginians proud. 

In three seasons with the Mountaineers, West averaged 17.8 points per game as a sophomore, 26.6 points per game as a Junior, and 29.3 points per game as a Senior. West totaled 2,309 points at WVU and remains the University’s all-time leading scorer. West was inducted into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in 1991.

West was a 2-time consensus All-American who led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA Championship game. WVU fell to the California Golden Bears by a score of 71-70. Jerry West went on to be the #2 pick of the 1960 NBA Draft by the Lakers, while Oscar Robertson was the first overall pick of the Cincinnati Royals. 

West had a 14-year playing career in the NBA in which he was a 14-time all-star. Though on the losing team in 1969, West was named the Finals MVP. He is the only player to receive the award while on the losing team. West finally won an NBA title in 1972. 

Throughout his playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, West averaged 27 points per game, was selected to an All-NBA team 12 times, and an all-defensive team 5 times. He was the third player in history to score 25,000 points, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson.

West’s silhouette has served as the inspiration for the NBA logo since 1969. 

West spent three years coaching the Lakers in the 1970s before becoming the Lakers general manager in 1982 in which he helped to build the Lakers dynasty. While serving as GM, the Lakers won 5 NBA Titles between 1982 and 2000. West spearheaded the acquisition of Shaquille O’Neal as a free agent and the draft-day trade for Kobe Bryant who entered the NBA out of high school in 1996. He also worked in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Clippers. 

Jerry West, forever a Mountaineer.