Report: Jeanie Buss took away Jerry West’s Lakers season tickets

Even after doing so much to build the Lakers into the gold standard of basketball, Jerry West wasn’t treated well by owner Jeanie Buss.

Plenty of Los Angeles Lakers fans have lamented the fact that, in recent years, their beloved franchise has resembled a soap opera more than a legitimate championship-caliber operation.

Ever since former owner Dr. Jerry Buss died in 2013, his daughter Jeanie has assumed control of the team. Jeanie Buss’ brother Jim was put in charge of basketball operations, but he was seen as incompetent in that role, and the two didn’t exactly seem to get along.

Then there was Jeanie Buss’ romantic relationship with Phil Jackson, who coached the Lakers from 1999 to 2004, then returned for six more seasons in 2005 after taking a one-year sabbatical. While that relationship may have been sincere, it rubbed some in the organization the wrong way.

The late Jerry West, who was an executive for the team from 1982 to 2000, was one of those who didn’t approve of the relationship between Jeanie Buss and Jackson. According to one report, she responded by essentially dislodging West from the organization.

Via Ethan Strauss’ Substack:

“After Jerry Buss died, Jeanie Buss inherited the team and wholly excommunicated Jerry West from the franchise, even taking his season tickets,” Strauss notes. “According to sources, the bitterness started back when West was critical of Jeanie Buss’ relationship with then Laker coach Phil Jackson. Phil won that particular battle, and ultimately the power struggle with West.”

West is often credited with helping to transform the Lakers from a bridesmaid franchise to the gold standard of basketball. During his Hall of Fame playing career in the 1960s and early 1970s, they reached the NBA Finals nine times, only to lose there eight times. But once he took over as general manager in 1982, he made the shrewd moves that turned Showtime from a great team that won two world championships in three years to arguably the greatest NBA team ever.

He went on to work for the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors after leaving the Lakers in 2000. Once he left the Warriors in 2017, he wanted to return to the Lakers, but the team turned him down.

Two years ago, West expressed frustration about his fractured relationship with the Lakers in an interview with The Athletic.

“One disappointing thing (about my career) is that my relationship with the Lakers is horrible,” West told The Athletic. “I still don’t know why. And at the end of the day, when I look back, I say, ‘Well, maybe I should have played somewhere else instead of with the Lakers, where someone would have at least appreciated how much you give, how much you cared.’”

It is unthinkable that he was treated the way he was after all he had done to build up the Lakers brand for decades. But unfortunately, that’s the way it turned out.

Magic Johnson reacts to passing of basketball legend Jerry West

Magic Johnson reacts to passing of basketball legend Jerry West

Michigan State basketball legend Magic Johnson and Jerry West are two of the best players in the history of the Los Angeles Lakers franchise, so it was no surprise that Magic Johnson took to social media on Wednesday to remember the life of his old friend and mentor.

You can read his full message below:

I met Jerry West for the first time in 1979 at the Forum where he introduced me to Bill Sharman, Chick Hearn, and then Laker owner Jack Kent Cooke. My father, agent and I negotiated over lunch then Jerry took me to the locker room to show me my Lakers jersey. I started to cry and Jerry explained to me the expectation of wearing the purple and gold, how he saw my role, and how he envisioned me fitting into the organization. I’ll never forget that moment.   When training camp began, he gave me so many golden nuggets and really critiqued every facet of my game. After every practice he would give me notes on how I could get better and those sessions carried over to the regular season. Once a week we went over what I needed to improve and how I could dominate in the league. Those meetings meant everything to me because I learned so much from him.   We had a basketball camp in Hawaii called the Jerry West Magic Johnson Fantasy Camp for 20 years. At the camp we shared every meal together and that’s when we really bonded and solidified our great friendship outside of the Lakers. Jerry West was more than a general manager, he was a great friend and confidante. He was there in my highest moments, winning 5 NBA Championships, and in my lowest moment when I announced my HIV diagnosis and we cried together for hours in his office.   Every time I achieved a goal or crossed a milestone, one of the first calls I received was from Jerry West. When I started my business, was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame, was named Lakers President of Basketball Operations – he would always pick up the phone and give me a personalized call to congratulate me.    Beyond his basketball accolades as a basketball player and NBA executive, Jerry West was a great man, a leader of men, fiercely loved his family and friends, and despite holding jobs with other franchises, he was a Lakers fan for life. Laker Nation, the only reason we have 17 NBA championships is because of Jerry West and his expertise drafting players, trading for players, and hiring the right coaches. Today is a sad day for basketball fans and sports fans across the globe.   Cookie and I are just devastated and continue to lift up his beautiful wife Karen; sons David, Mark, Michael, Ryan and Jonnie, extended family, and loved ones in prayer.

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan state news, notes, and opinion. You can also follow Andrew Brewster on Twitter @IAmBrewster.

Lakers legend Jerry West dies at age 86

The Lakers have lost perhaps their greatest contributor, as Jerry West passed away on Wednesday.

When people debate who was the greatest Los Angeles Lakers player of all-time, Kobe Bryant and Magic Johnson are the names that come up most. Less frequently, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s name is mentioned.

But an argument could be made that Jerry West was the greatest Laker ever, if one doesn’t limit the debate to players.

On Wednesday, West passed away at age 86.

Via ESPN:

“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 taken by the Lakers with the No. 2 pick in the 1960 draft, and he teamed with Elgin Baylor to put them on the map as they moved to Los Angeles that same year. They would reach the NBA Finals seven times in West’s first decade with them, only to lose each time, usually to the Boston Celtics.

Even the trade for Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 wasn’t enough to get L.A. over the hump, and by the start of the 1970s, it looked like the team would never win it all.

Each finals loss took a toll on West. Decades before the world was introduced to Kobe Bryant, West was basketball’s quintessential competitor and clutch performer, leading to him being nicknamed “Mr. Clutch.” He didn’t want to win — he needed to win, and his repeated championship losses made him contemplate quitting.

But he stuck around long enough to help lead the Lakers to their first NBA championship since moving to Southern California in 1972. After retiring in 1974, he spent three years as their head coach in the late 1970s, then moved into the front office just as the Showtime era began.

Starting in 1982, he served as L.A.’s general manager, and in that capacity, he turned Showtime from a great team to a dynastic one and arguably the greatest team ever. The Lakers won five world titles in the 1980s, and they became the first team since 1969 to win back-to-back titles in 1988.

Magic Johnson’s abrupt retirement in 1991 forced them to rebuild earlier than expected. But West shook the NBA landscape when he brought in both Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the summer of 1996, which eventually started another Lakers dynasty that yielded five rings.

West left the Lakers in 2000, just after they won it all for the first time since 1988. Afterward, he served in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and most recently the Los Angeles Clippers.

He retired as a player with 14 All-Star selections, 10 All-NBA First Team nods, four All-Defensive First Team selections and one scoring title. He was named the NBA Finals MVP in 1969 even though the Lakers lost to the Celtics in Game 7 by two points.

His 27.0 points a game career scoring average still ranks eighth all time, and he has the fifth-highest career playoff scoring average at 29.1 points per game.

Thunder’s Jalen Williams pays tribute to NBA legend Jerry West

Thunder’s Jalen Williams pays tribute to NBA legend Jerry West.

The NBA lost a legend Wednesday morning when it was announced Jerry West died at 86 years old. He was a basketball pioneer as his silhouette was used for the league’s logo.

The Hall-of-Famer was a 14-time All-Star and NBA champion in 1972. He won the 1969 NBA Finals MVP. He was a member of the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team and spent time in recent years as an LA Clippers consultant.

When the Clippers drafted Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, West admitted he was a huge fan of his game. The Kentucky guard went 11th overall in 2018 and has blossomed into one of the best players in the league with the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“Shai’s just going to be a tremendous player in this league,” West said in 2018. “… He’s got instincts that set him apart from other players. he’s going to be a really good player.”

Jalen Williams took to social media to pay tributes to the late West. The 23-year-old was fond of the Los Angeles Lakers — who West famously played for — growing up as a Kobe Bryant fan.

Expect the NBA to celebrate West’s life in the coming days. He was a sports icon who left a massive mark both on and off the court during his lifetime.

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Rockets, NBA issue statements on death of hoops legend Jerry West

“The NBA lost a legend,” the Rockets said Wednesday. “Rest in peace, Jerry West.”

Jerry West, the high-scoring Hall of Famer whose silhouette is used for the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning. He was 86 years old.

After first entering the league in 1960, West left his mark on the NBA as a player, coach, and team executive.

“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. He was the league’s first Finals MVP and made rising to the occasion his signature quality, earning him the nickname ‘Mr. Clutch’.”

Silver’s statement continued:

Jerry’s four decades with the Lakers also included a successful stint as a head coach and a remarkable run in the front office that cemented his reputation as one of the greatest executives in sports history.  He helped build eight championship teams during his tenure in the NBA — a legacy of achievement that mirrors his on-court excellence. And he will be enshrined this October into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor, becoming the first person ever inducted as both a player and a contributor.

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.

Michael Jordan opens up on the passing of peer, mentor Jerry West

“I always wished I could’ve played against him as a competitor, but the more I came to know him, I wish I had been his teammate,” said MJ.

Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Fame wing and executive Jerry West has passed away. In response, Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan voiced his thoughts about the passing of his peer and mentor in a statement shared on social media by Jump Foundation senior vice president Estee Portnoy.

“I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry’s passing,” said Jordan of a man who shares a truly iconic level of recognition in the sport of basketball as the face of the sport. “He was truly a friend and a mentor. Like an older brother to me. I valued his friendship and knowledge.”

“I always wished I could’ve played against him as a competitor, but the more I came to know him, I wish I had been his teammate,” he added.

“I admired his basketball insights, and he and I shared many similarities to how we approached the game,” wrote Jordan.

“He will be forever missed. My condolences to his wife Karen and his sons. Rest in peace, Logo.”

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Here’s the Jerry West photos that may have inspired the NBA logo

The Logo was indeed the inspiration for the NBA logo and here are the photos to prove it.

Jerry West meant so much to the NBA from his days as a player to what he did as a member of multiple front offices.

And as the world mourns the death of the legend on Wednesday, we’re all reminded of the fact that it was his silhouette that was used on the NBA logo since 1969.

If you’re wondering where the logo came from, in terms of the pic that inspired it? You’ve come to the right place. We’ve seen photos that might be the inspiration shared a bunch on social media, and they’re just perfect.

Here you are:

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Sixers forward Nic Batum pays tribute to the late, great Jerry West

Philadelphia 76ers forward Nic Batum pays tribute to the late, great Jerry West and thanking him for everything.

The NBA world received some terrible news on Wednesday morning when the Los Angeles Clippers announced the passing of Jerry West at 86 years old. West’s likeness is the NBA logo and the impact he had on the game of basketball is undeniable.

A Hall of Famer, West was a 14-time All-Star, an NBA champion in 1972, and was named MVP of the 1969 finals. He was also a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team and was an executive for the Clippers in recent seasons.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Nic Batum, who played 207 games for the Clippers across four seasons, took to Twitter to pay tribute to West. He thanked him for the conversations and the wisdom he passed on to him while also offering up prayers to the West family.

The NBA family will always remember West and will continue to be honored for the great man he was. The impact he had in the league will never be forgotten.

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The long list of Jerry West’s legendary accomplishments as an NBA player and front office manager

Here’s a look at what Jerry West did in a storied NBA career as a player and GM.

Jerry West, who died on Wednesday morning at the age of 86, had what might be the most incredible NBA career of anyone in the game.

Not only was he an all-time great point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1960s and 1970s, but he finished his playing career and transitioned almost immediately into working in the front office of the franchise and brought glory and titles there.

Then, he kept it going with other front offices before his death on Wednesday. Oh, and there’s the fact that it’s his silhouette on the logo. What a story.

If you’re looking for a list of his accomplishments, we’ve got you covered:

Jerry West stats, awards, All-Star games and championships as a player

  • He averaged 27.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, and 6.7 apg in his 14-year career with the Lakers.
  • He was a 14-time All-Star. That’s right, he made the team every single year he played. He was All-NBA 12 times.
  • He was on the NBA All-Defensive team five times.
  • H won the scoring title in 1969-70.
  • He won the 1972 title with the Lakers.
  • He was Finals MVP in 1969.
  • He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980 as a player (and he got inducted a second time, as you’ll see below).

Jerry West accomplishments as a front office member

  • He won two NBA Executive of the Year awards
  • As a scout and, later, general manager of the Lakers in the 1980s, he won five rings as the architect of the Showtime dynasty. Although he left before the titles in the early 2000s, he traded for Kobe Bryant and signed Shaquille O’Neal.
  • He helped the Grizzlies make the playoffs three times as general manager in the mid 2000s.
  • He joined the Golden State Warriors in 2011 and helped pitch in with that dynasty, including reports that he helped Kevin Durant sign.

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