[41] In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had put up thousands of balloons in the rafters of the Forum in Los Angeles. In Game 1, which Boston easily won, defensive Celtics guard K. C. Jones kept West to the only 26 points, and in Game 2, West scored 45 points, but Boston still won 129123. 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. It was particularly frustrating because I was playing so poorly that the team overcame me. "Who else would you want to take it but Kobe?" The Americans' average margin of victory was 42.4 points per game. However, he started at West Virginia, getting 13 rebounds and 25 points for each game. On the most recent episode of his podcast, Simmons named (in order) his top 15 in the "Pantheon." Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon . The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. When the chips were down, West, with his lightning-quick release, was the guy the Lakers turned to for the big basket. He remained a . Wilt Chamberlain definitely had an explanation for why fans from his time fell out of love with NBA basketball. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Estimated PSA 8 Value: $3,500. Wests statistical record only begins to tell his story. 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. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. "I was one of the fortunate ones selected as a player and to be a part of a team," West said. said "Mr. To hear Jerry West and to see Jerry West talk about Oscar Robertson Ill never forget it. He is a. man for the ages." Jerry West. [34] Veteran coach Fred Schaus retired, and Butch Van Breda Kolff took over; under his reign, the Lakers won 52 games in the 196768 NBA season in their first season in The Forum. He grew up in Cheylan, West Virginia, although his family got its mail in Cabin Creek. But West committed costly turnovers and L.A. lost the game 108106 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. From there, he played his college ball at the University of Cincinnati, where in his three seasons with the Bearcats, he won the scoring title each year, was named a 3x All-American and 3x College Player of the Year (the Player of the Year award is now called the Oscar Robertson Trophy), made the Final Four twice, compiled 10 triple-doubles (a staple of his pro career), and set 14 NCAA and 19 school records. Robertson played point guard and was a 12-time All-Star, 11-time member of the All-NBA Team, and one-time winner of the MVP award in 14 seasons. [23], 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. For the children's author, see, In the summer of 1996, West traded for shooting guard. Advertisement. In the 1969 Finals against Boston, West became the only member of a losing team to be named Finals MVP. He explained (h/t YouTube) that Wests appraisals of Robertson solidified the Big Os greatness that much more. When you think about iconic NBA players of the 1960s and 1970s, a few players come to mind the great Russell vs. Chamberlain rivalry (and the great Celtics teams and players in general), Oscar Robertson and his triple-double season, Jerry West gracing the NBA logo with his silhouette, just to name a few. "I would never bet against the Lakers," he said. His 31.2 ppg in 1969-70 (at age 31) is the highest average ever for a player over 30. He was the son of a coal mine electrician who could afford no luxuries and who was usually too drained from work to play with his children. [43] L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain. He has profusely praised Oscar Robertson and others in his era. "[48], Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. "I told coach Wooden, 'I'll play him for lunch every day, and he'll pay.' Also Read Dwyane Wade is the most accomplished athlete thats come out of Chicago! . Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. The East Bank High School legend and Oscar Robertson also led the United States basketball team to the gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. [67] In 2015, the Warriors won their first championship in 40 years; the championship was the seventh earned by West while serving as a team executive. FantasyPros considers the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS. The team had posted a 25-50 record in its last season in Minneapolis. Also Read - "A cast of characters, different personalities and Charles Barkley": Larry Bird's hilarious trash talk shone through even in his Dream Team Hall of Fame induction speech. Unfortunately for West, individual success could not prevent. West became the first draft pick ever of the relocated franchise. 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. [15] 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's son, Jonnie, also played college basketball for West Virginia. Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, floated the idea of West joining the organization during the 2016 season. [8] Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: "He took a loss harder than any player I've ever known. This site contains affiliate links to products. Robertson was a broadcaster for CBS for the 1974-75 season. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. [15] As of 2011, West holds 12 WVU all-time records. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played. This obsessive quest for perfection was a constant during Wests playing years, and it continued in his later roles as coach and general manager of the Lakers and in similar front-office roles he held with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers. [55] West wanted to re-negotiate his contract and keep playing, however, he said Cooke "basically told my agent to go to hell. [11] West soon became the captain of the freshman team, and during the summer of 1953 he grew to 6ft 0in (1.83m). His nicknames included "Mr. As a rookie, West would make the first of 14 straight All-Star teams by averaging 17.6 points (41.9% shooting), 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. [22], In the 196566 NBA season, West averaged a career-best 31.3points, along with 7.1rebounds and 6.1assists per game. "In my era, they were afraid to foul you then, because the officials were right on top of every play.". [43] In Game 3, DeBusschere hit a mid-range jump shot with three seconds left to put the Knicks ahead 102100, and the Lakers had no time-outs left. Overall, both Robertson and West played 14 NBA seasons from 1960-1974, with Robertson having a 100+ games played advantage due to better health. They're all that way on the Celtics, and you can't teach it. [8] West demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats. Media createst the impression that Oh, he had a triple-double! he did something spectacular. Clutch", for his ability to make a big play in a clutch situation, such as his famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks; "the Logo", in reference to his silhouette being incorporated into the NBA logo; "Mr. Outside", in reference to his perimeter play with the Los Angeles Lakers; and "Zeke from Cabin Creek", for the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia. [27], In the following 196364 NBA season, West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time. The Knicks' Walt Frazier is stopped by Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain (13) as Jerry West (44) drives around them for a score in first quarter of an NBA finals game on April 26, 1972. In Game 7, a 15-foot Frank Selvy jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation bounced off the rim. He was named All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense First Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star Game MVP. Now 36 years old, the veteran guard averaged 20.3points, 3.7rebounds and 6.6assists per game. [5] West was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in 1996, and to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.[6][7]. Despite being listed at 6feet 3inches (1.91m), Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 15:05, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, finals series versus Boston in eight years, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, List of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association annual scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most points in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game, List of National Basketball Association single-game playoff scoring leaders, List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds, List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise, "NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team | Basketball-Reference.com", "Jerry West talks about abusive father and lifelong struggle with depression", "1960-61 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Statistics", "New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, January 17, 1962", "Celtics, Lakers work OT to start Rivalry", "Baltimore Bullets at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 5, 1965", "Red Lights Cigar to close coaching career", "West's heroics can't deprive Russell of 11th title", "Laker's Legendary Season Leads To Elusive Title", "Los Angeles Lakers 1971-72 Game Log and Scores", "New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, May 7, 1972", "Owning Up to the Truth: Cooke Was the Best", "Los Angeles Lakers Owners, GM, Coaches", "Jerry West: Biography, Accomplishments & Awards", "Memphis Grizzlies Announce the Hiring of Jerry West as Franchise's New President of Basketball Operations", "Jerry West set to join Warriors front office, according to multiple NBA sources", "Hall of Famer Jerry West joins L.A. Clippers as consultant", "Looking for a new challenge, iconic executive Jerry West will join Clippers", "Jerry West explains his move to the Clippers", "NBA investigating Clippers' recruitment of Kawhi", Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Points Per Game, "Special Dime: Greatest Shooting Guards Ever", "WVU legend has a Morgantown street named in his honor", "That iconic NBA silhouette can be traced back to him", The Great Jerry West will be receiving our Nation's highest civilian honor, The Presidential Medal of Freedom, for his outstanding career, both on and off the court. Jerome Alan West (Cheylan, 28 de maio de 1938) um ex-jogador de basquetebol norte-americano que atualmente exerce a funo de Conselheiro nos Clippers. There were fewer jobs, and the ones that were open were filled by players who had spent multiple years in college. Boston won another NBA Finals matchup, prevailing in Game 7 at Boston Garden, 95-93. [87][88], West is 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. He was a loner. But just a word to . [19] West and Oscar Robertson co-captained the U.S. men's basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Jerry West could easily feel a sense of bitterness toward Russell, even though The Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972. Of the 87 regular season matchups, West holds a 50-37 lead, though Robertson outscored his counterpart by 28.5 to 27.7 points per game. They were also both on the gold medal winning team at the 1959 Pan American Games. [71], 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. He looks determined. 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