Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Jerry West

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Jerry West made an impact.

Jerry West, nicknamed "the Logo" due to his silhouette inspiring the NBA logo, was a celebrated American basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers and later a successful NBA executive. Known as "Mr. Clutch" for his game-winning shots, including a memorable 60-footer in the 1970 NBA Finals, West is considered one of basketball's all-time greats. He also earned the moniker "Mr. Outside" for his perimeter play and "Zeke from Cabin Creek" referencing his West Virginia roots.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Legacy & Impact

1956: All-American and Player of the Year

In 1956, Jerry West was named All-American and West Virginia Player of the Year.

1958: Exceptional Performance and Awards

In 1958, during his junior year, Jerry West achieved remarkable statistics, was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four, and received further awards, like All-America, Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Player of the Year and Athlete of the Year. He also demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats.

1959: NCAA Championship Game Appearance

In 1959, Jerry West led the West Virginia Mountaineers to the NCAA championship game and earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor.

1959: Career Highs in Collegiate Season

In 1959, during his final collegiate season, Jerry West enjoyed several career highs, such as scoring 29.3 points per game, a 134 season-assists, 16.5 rebounds per game, and a shooting average of 50.4% from the field, 76.6% from the free throw line.

1960: Olympic Gold Medal with Oscar Robertson

In 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson co-captained the U.S. men's basketball team that won the gold medal at the Summer Olympics.

1960: Olympic Gold Medal

In 1960, Jerry West co-captained the U.S. Olympic gold medal team.

1960: NBA Draft and Lakers Debut

In 1960, Jerry West was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers with the second overall pick and became the first draft pick of the relocated franchise in Los Angeles.

1961: Improved Lakers Performance and Playoff Appearance

In 1961, Jerry West helped the Lakers improve to 36 wins and reach the NBA playoffs.

1961: Assuming Team Leadership

In 1961, with Elgin Baylor's limited availability, Jerry West took over as team leader and established himself as the main Lakers scorer.

January 17, 1962: Career-High 63 Points

On January 17, 1962, Jerry West scored a career-high 63 points in a 129–121 win over the New York Knicks.

1962: NBA Finals Loss to Celtics

In 1962, Jerry West and the Lakers reached the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, ultimately losing in a close game 7.

1962: All-Star and All-NBA First-Team Honors

In 1962, Jerry West was recognized as an NBA All-Star and earned All-NBA First-Team honors.

1963: Lakers' Scoring Leader

In 1963, Jerry West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time, surpassing Elgin Baylor.

1963: NBA Finals Loss

In 1963, the Lakers, with Jerry West, reached the NBA Finals but were defeated by the Celtics in six games.

1964: West Averaged Career-High Points

In 1964, Jerry West averaged a then-career-high of 31.0 points during the NBA season.

1964: Playoff Loss to the Hawks

In 1964, after struggling during the regular season, the Lakers were beaten by the Hawks in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

1965: West Achieves Career-Best Stats

During the 1965 NBA season, Jerry West averaged a career-best of 31.3 points, along with 7.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game. He also set an NBA record with 840 free throws.

1965: West Leads Lakers in Playoffs and NBA Finals

In 1965, with Baylor injured, West led the Lakers to victory over the Bullets in the playoffs with exceptional performances, including averaging 46.3 points per game, an NBA record. He then led the Lakers to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Celtics 4-1, despite West's high scoring average of 40.6 points per game in the playoffs.

July 9, 1968: Lakers Acquire Wilt Chamberlain

On July 9, 1968, the Lakers traded for Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers, sending Archie Clark, Darrall Imhoff, and Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia. This trade concerned coach Van Breda Kolff, who worried about the team's guard positions.

1969: Finals MVP on Losing Team

In 1969, Jerry West became the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team.

1969: West Leads Lakers to Finals

In 1969, Jerry West led the Lakers to the NBA Finals, facing the Boston Celtics. Despite scoring 53 points in game 1, a hamstring injury hampered his performance later in the series, contributing to their loss.

1969: NBA Logo Design

In 1969, the NBA logo, designed by Alan Siegel, was created incorporating a silhouette based on a photograph of Jerry West.

1969: All-Defensive Team Selection

In 1969, when the All-Defensive Teams were introduced, Jerry West made every one of them until his career ended.

1970: Buzzer-Beating Shot in the NBA Finals

In 1970, Jerry West made a famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied game 3 of the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks.

1970: Lakers Reacquire Gail Goodrich

In 1970, the Lakers reacquired Gail Goodrich from the Phoenix Suns. West averaged 26.9 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 9.5 assists during the season.

1970: West Leads NBA in Scoring

In 1970, with Chamberlain injured, West led the NBA in scoring average with 31.2 points per game. He also played a pivotal role in the NBA Finals against the New York Knicks, where his 60-foot shot tied game 3, although the Lakers eventually lost the series.

1972: Deferring to Chamberlain as Team Captain

In 1972, Jerry West deferred the role of team captain to Wilt Chamberlain.

1972: Shift to Playmaking Guard

In 1972, Jerry West transitioned to primarily being a playmaking guard, with Gail Goodrich taking over as the principal scorer for the Lakers.

1972: NBA All-Star MVP and Championship Title

In 1972, Jerry West was chosen as the NBA All-Star MVP and won the only title of his NBA career.

1972: Lakers Achieve Record-Breaking Season

In 1972, under coach Bill Sharman, the Lakers achieved a record-breaking 69 wins in the regular season, including a 33-game win streak. West contributed with 25.8 points and led the league with 9.7 assists per game, earning several accolades, including All-Star Game MVP.

1973: Final NBA Season and Groin Injury

In the 1973-74 NBA season, West played his final year as a player, averaging 20.3 points per game. Despite a strained groin muscle that limited him to 31 games, he earned his final All-Star Game selection.

1974: End of NBA Career

Jerry West's NBA career ended in 1974, concluding his consistent selection to the All-Defensive Teams since their introduction in 1969.

1976: Became Coach of the Lakers

In 1976, Jerry West became the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, after being asked by owner Jack Kent Cooke.

1977: Western Conference Finals

In 1977, Jerry West coached the Lakers with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to reach the Western Conference Finals.

1980: Lakers Championship Ring

In 1980, as general manager, Jerry West helped bring a championship ring to the Los Angeles Lakers.

1982: Lakers General Manager Appointment

Before the 1982–83 NBA season, Jerry West was named general manager of the Los Angeles Lakers.

1982: General Manager of the Lakers

In 1982, Jerry West became the general manager of the Lakers, succeeding Bill Sharman.

1985: Lakers Championship Ring

In 1985, as general manager, Jerry West helped bring a championship ring to the Los Angeles Lakers.

1987: Lakers Championship Ring

In 1987, as general manager, Jerry West helped bring a championship ring to the Los Angeles Lakers.

1988: Lakers Championship Ring

In 1988, as general manager, Jerry West helped bring a championship ring to the Los Angeles Lakers.

1995: Executive of the Year Award

In 1995, Jerry West received his first Executive of the Year Award for turning the Lakers around.

1996: Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal

In 1996, Jerry West traded for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant and signed Shaquille O'Neal.

1999: Phil Jackson Hired

In 1999, Jerry West signed Phil Jackson as coach of the Lakers.

2000: Sixth Championship as Lakers Executive

At the end of the 1999-2000 season, Jerry West won his sixth championship as a Lakers executive.

2002: Grizzlies General Manager Appointment

In 2002, Jerry West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies.

2002: General Manager of the Memphis Grizzlies

In 2002, Jerry West became the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies.

2004: Executive of the Year Award

In 2004, Jerry West won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award.

2007: Retirement from the Grizzlies

In 2007, Jerry West retired as general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies.

May 19, 2011: Joined Golden State Warriors

On May 19, 2011, Jerry West joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member.

2015: Golden State Warriors Win Championship

In 2015, as a member of Golden State's front office, Jerry West won the title when the Warriors won the championship.

2015: Warriors Championship

In 2015, the Golden State Warriors won their first championship in 40 years, marking the seventh championship for West as an executive.

2016: Clippers Coach Floated Idea

During the 2016 season, Clippers coach Doc Rivers floated the idea of Jerry West joining the organization.

June 1, 2017: Expressed Interest in Returning to Lakers

On June 1, 2017, Jerry West publicly stated that he would have been interested in returning to the Lakers.

June 14, 2017: Joined Los Angeles Clippers

On June 14, 2017, Jerry West announced he would join the Los Angeles Clippers as an executive board member and consultant.

2017: Eighth Championship as Executive

In 2017, Jerry West earned his eighth championship while serving as a team executive with the Golden State Warriors.

2017: Golden State Warriors Win Championship

In 2017, as a member of Golden State's front office, Jerry West won the title when the Warriors won the championship.

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