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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