Posted on 06/12/2024 8:07:39 AM PDT by hole_n_one
Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning at the age of 86, the LA Clippers announced.
West was the third player in NBA history to reach 25,000 points, was an All-Star every year of his career and led the Los Angeles Lakers to the NBA Finals nine times, winning one title in 1971-72. He was also a 12-time All-NBA selection, an NBA Finals MVP as part of a losing team in 1969 and part of the NBA's 75th anniversary team.
"Jerry West was a basketball genius and a defining figure in our league for more than 60 years," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "He distinguished himself not only as an NBA champion and an All-Star in all 14 of his playing seasons, but also as a consummate competitor who embraced the biggest moments."
"... I valued my friendship with Jerry and the knowledge he shared with me over many years about basketball and life. On behalf of the NBA, we send our deepest condolences to Jerry's wife, Karen, his family and his many friends in the NBA community."
(Excerpt) Read more at espn.com ...
Which NY Post sports writer Murray Kempton said was like surrendering after Hiroshima. To the Japanese.
Thanks for sharing it!
What a series that was. Maybe the greatest ever.
Everybody was in the shadow of Chamberlain, just the Celtics won anyway. The guy scored a hundred points in a game.
Alcindor joined an expansion team. Won the title in his second year.
Everybody was in the shadow of Chamberlain
Not Bill Russell.
Wow; I didn’t know we lost “The Jet”. How did I miss it, I wonder?
Sometimes I don’t know why I bother to add to a discussion.
I had a similar feeling when the Raptors won in 2019. I heard or read the results after and was happy they won but I never watched any of it. That would have been unheard of 20 or 25 years ago for me but here I am ignoring it all now for the most part.
I would have preferred the Stars making the Stanley Cup Finals.
If Edmonton gets swept they might feel the same. Next game is pretty much do or die for them. Comebacks when you’re down 3-0 are somewhat rare. Happened a few times in the NHL and once in MLB. Never in the NBA so the Mavs are in a similar sticky wicket.
Edmonton dominated Game 1 on the ice, but Bobrovsky was a wall.
Rest in peace.
that’s cool- alcindor is now kind of a jerk- but was fun to watch back i nthe day-
Just saw a special on Pistol Pete Maravich- what a player he was! incredible record- averaging 44.2 shots per game- scored 60+ points one game- Too bad his health was so bad- He died at 40- and saw that his son died at 42 this year 2024- not sure what happened to him though-
They had quite a team though. Bob Dandridge, and Oscar Robertson. Dandridge scored a ton and Oscar dishing out th rock. He was the best PG of his era to me. Like Magic of the day. I watched them play, it was magic too.
There’s no doubt now about how this series will go.
Boston wraps it up on Friday.
“Amazing that the Lakers didn’t win more titles with those teams.”
They ran into a little team in the northeast called the Celtics with Bill Russell, Tom Heinson, Sam and KC Jones and an established coach in Auerbach. The Lakers lacked good coching during those years. Fred Schaus and Bill van Breda Kolff.
Schaus was the first LA Laker coach when they came in and had a good record, but not like Boston. Van Breda Kolff in two seasons had a less than 500 percentage and couldn’t control the players.
Jerry West retired in 1974 but the Lakers didn’t win a majority of their championships until the late 1970’s to late 1980’s. Wilt retired in 1973 and Baylor in 1971, long before they were winning championships in LA.
wy69
Yeah I guess he and also Cassius clay both grew up in tough times for black folks- I guess I object to alcindors radical liberal views and animosity towards Trump and conservatives in r3cent years, and for calling for the repeal of 1st amendment rights of politicians.
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