West Virginia Basketball: Legendary Hall of Famer Jerry West passes away at 86

The basketball community mourned the loss of one of the greatest and most important players to ever play the game on Wednesday, as Jerry West passed away at the age of 86. Originally from Chelyan, West Virginia, West both played and coached the Los Angeles Lakers from 1960-1979, winning an NBA championship in 1972 and earning numerous individual accolades throughout his pro career.

That doesn't even include what he accomplished off the court as an executive, where he won numerous champions and earned Executive of the Year with the Lakers and the Memphis Grizzlies from 2002-07. West's winning ways transferred over to both the Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers, including the Warriors winning a national title as well.

But many college fans are aware of West's legacy at West Virginia Basketball, where he was a multi-time All-American, setting numerous records during his time and making it to the national title game in 1959, dropping 28 points in the 1-point loss to Cal.

West, who won Conference Player of the Year twice, averaged 24.8 ppg in three seasons, including a career-high 29.3 ppg and 4.3 apg in his final year. To this day, West owns plenty of records with the Mountaineers and is easily the greatest player in program history.

Basketball has become a "guards game" but West was one of the first true elite guards in the sport, capable of scoring at a high level (without a three-point line at the time), along with being a double-digit rebounder at just 6'3.

The Logo has proven to be an all-time basketball great in every facet of the game, both on and off the floor. Few can say that they're Hall of Famers as a player and executive, showing that Mr. West's overall impact of the game simply can't be compared. There may be players who score more points than him but West's legacy will be secured and remember for generations to come.