Jerry West
Minneapolis Lakers | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 1960–1974 | ||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Point guard / Shooting guard | ||||||||||||||||||||
Number | 44 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching career | 1976–1979 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||
As player: | |||||||||||||||||||||
1960–1974 | Los Angeles Lakers | ||||||||||||||||||||
As coach: | |||||||||||||||||||||
1976–1979 | Los Angeles Lakers | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
As player:
As executive: | |||||||||||||||||||||
Career playing statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||
Points | 25,192 (27.0 ppg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Rebounds | 5,366 (5.8 rpg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Assists | 6,238 (6.7 apg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
Career coaching record | |||||||||||||||||||||
NBA | 145–101 (.589) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Basketball Hall of Fame as player | |||||||||||||||||||||
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inducted in 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Jerome Alan West (born May 28, 1938)
West's NBA career was highly successful. Playing the
After his playing career ended, West took over as head coach of the Lakers for three years. He led Los Angeles into the playoffs each year and earned a Western Conference finals berth once. Working as a player-scout for three years, West was named general manager of the Lakers before the 1982–83 NBA season. Under his reign, Los Angeles won six championship rings. In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths. For his contributions, West won the NBA Executive of the Year Award twice: once as a Lakers manager (1995) and then as a Grizzlies manager (2004). West's son, Jonnie, also played college basketball for West Virginia.
Early life
West was born into a poor household in Chelyan, West Virginia.[8] He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine electrician.[citation needed] West's father physically abused him, and West has stated that for a time he slept with a loaded shotgun under his bed out of fear that he might have to kill his father in self-defense.[9]
West was an outgoing and aggressive child in his youth. However, in 1951 his older brother, David, was killed in action in the Korean War, and the trauma turned West into a shy and introverted boy.[8][10] He was so small, frail, and weak that he needed many vitamin injections from his doctor and was kept apart from children's sports, to prevent him from getting seriously injured.[8] Growing up, West spent his days hunting and fishing, but his main activity was shooting at a basketball hoop that a neighbor had nailed to his storage shed. West spent days shooting baskets from every possible angle, ignoring mud and snow in the backyard, as well as his mother's whippings when he came home hours late for dinner.[8]
West attended East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia from 1952 to 1956. During his first year, he was benched by his coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height. Shaver emphasized the importance of conditioning and defense, which were lessons that the teenager appreciated.[11] West soon became the captain of the freshman team, and during the summer of 1953 he grew to 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m).[8] West eventually became the team's starting small forward, and he quickly established himself as one of the finest West Virginia high school players of his generation. He was named All-State from 1953 to 1956, then All-American in 1956 when he was West Virginia Player of the Year, becoming the state's first high-school player to score more than 900 points in a season, with an average of 32.2 points per game. West's mid-range jump shot became his trademark and he often used it to score while under pressure from opposing defenses.[8] West led East Bank to a state championship on March 24 that year, prompting East Bank High School to change its name to "West Bank High School" every year on March 24 in honor of their basketball prodigy. This practice remained in effect until the school closed in 1999.[12]
College career
West graduated from East Bank High School in 1956, and more than 60 universities showed interest in him. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend
During his junior year (1958–59), West scored 26.6 points per game and grabbed 12.3 rebounds per game.
In his final collegiate season (1959–60) 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.
Professional career
Los Angeles Lakers (1960–1974)
1960–64: Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside
West made himself available for the
Initially, West felt odd in his new environment. He was a loner. His high-pitched voice earned him the nickname "Tweety Bird", and he spoke with such a thick Appalachian accent that his teammates also referred to him as "Zeke from Cabin Creek" (his nickname acknowledged his country roots, and his accent was so thick that he squeaked his nickname sheepishly – "Zeek from Cab'n Creek").[23] However, West soon impressed his colleagues with his defensive hustle, with his vertical jump—he could reach up 16 inches above the rim when he went up—and with his work ethic, spending countless extra hours working on his game.[23] On the floor, West scored 17.6 points, grabbed 7.7 rebounds and gave 4.2 assists per game. 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] The NBA commented that the Lakers now had a potent one-two-punch—with "Mr. Inside" (the low-post scorer, Baylor) and "Mr. Outside" (the long-distance shooter, West).[8] These performances soon earned West his first of fourteen NBA All-Star Game call-ups.[15]
West helped the Lakers improve from their previous 25-win season to 36 wins as they reached the
In West's
The Lakers won 54 regular-season games and secured a first-round bye in the
In the 1962–63 NBA season, Baylor was back full-time. West averaged 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists and was again NBA All-Star and All-NBA First-Team;[15] however, he played in only 55 regular-season games, missing the last seven weeks due to a hamstring injury.[22] Again, the Lakers reached the finals, and again, they battled the Celtics. With West not yet in shape, Baylor and the Lakers fell back 3–2; then they succumbed in Game 6 in front of their home crowd with a 112–109 loss. As the game ended, veteran Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy threw the ball high into the rafters of the L.A. Sports Arena.[27]
In the following
1964–68: Leader of the Lakers
In the following
In the
The
In the
1968–71: Arrival of Wilt Chamberlain
On July 9, 1968, the Lakers made a trade that brought reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia 76ers to Los Angeles at the beginning of the 1968–69 NBA season. To get the center, the Lakers traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark, starting center Darrall Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia.[37] Coach Van Breda Kolff was concerned about the drain at the guard positions after losing Clark, and especially after losing Goodrich in the expansion draft to the Phoenix Suns. He only had diminutive, defensively weak Johnny Egan left next to West.[37] While West himself got on well with the recruit, Chamberlain often argued with team captain Elgin Baylor and had a poor relationship with Van Breda Kolff. Van Breda Kolff pejoratively called Chamberlain "The Load", and later complained that Chamberlain was egotistical, never respected him, too often slacked off in practice and focused too much on his statistics.[38] In return, the center blasted Van Breda Kolff as "the dumbest and worst coach ever".[38] There was an altercation in which Chamberlain was about to punch Van Breda Kolff before Baylor had intervened.[39] West was disturbed by locker room tension; used to playing on teams with good chemistry, his quality of play became erratic, and his scoring average of 25.9 points was his lowest since his rookie season. However, he made the Second Team of the inaugural All-Defensive Team.[39]
In the
In the
In the
1971–74: Late success and twilight years
Before the
In the postseason, the Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a four-game sweep,[49] then went on to face the Milwaukee Bucks, and defeated them in six games. In the 1972 NBA Finals, the Lakers again met the New York Knicks. Although West suffered a terrible shooting slump during Games 1 and 2, the Lakers tied the series at one win each, and in Game 3, he scored 21 points and helped L.A. win Game 3. In this game, he now had scored 4,002 playoff points, which set an all-time NBA record.[50] After winning Game 4 due to a superb outing from Wilt Chamberlain, West scored 23 points and dished out 9 assists in Game 5, helping the Lakers to win the game and the NBA championship. The championship was West's first-ever NBA title.[50][51] West conceded that he had played a terrible series, and credited the team for the success. Years later he said "I played terrible basketball in the Finals, and we won... It was particularly frustrating because I was playing so poorly that the team overcame me. Maybe that's what a team is all about."[48]
Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. In the 1972–73 NBA season, the main scoring role was taken by Goodrich, and West was now a playmaker instead of a scorer. However, West averaged 22.8 points, but also averaged 8.8 assists per game, and again was a First Teamer in the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense Teams.[15] The Lakers won 60 games and reached the 1973 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. In-Game 1 West scored 24 points before fouling out with three minutes left and L.A. won Game 1 115–112.[52] However, the Knicks took Games 2 and 3, and West strained both of his hamstrings: in Game 4, the shorthanded Lakers were no match for New York, and in Game 5, the valiant, but injured West and Hairston had miserable games, and despite Chamberlain scoring 23 points and grabbing 21 rebounds, the Lakers lost 102–93 and the series.[53][54]
The 1973–74 NBA season was to be West's last as a player. Now 36 years old, the veteran guard averaged 20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game.[15] In two newly introduced statistics, steals and blocks, he was credited with 2.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. Despite playing only 31 games due to a strained groin,[8] West was still regarded as an elite guard, earning another call-up into his final All-Star Game.[15] Without Chamberlain, who had ended his NBA career, the Lakers won 47 games and lost in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks. After this loss, West retired due to contract disagreements with Cooke, and filed a suit for unpaid back wages.[55] West wanted to re-negotiate his contract and keep playing, however, he said Cooke "basically told my agent to go to hell. I felt I was deceived. When you feel that you're deceived you don't want any part of the organization that deceived you. I could've played another very good year. Every athlete says that. But I could've, and I knew I could've. But I could never have played for the Lakers again, and I wasn't going to play for anybody else."[56] At the time of his departure, West had scored more points than any other Laker in franchise history.[22]
Coaching career
Los Angeles Lakers (1976–1979)
Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke was known for a keen eye identifying leadership and teaching qualities (he also gave Hall of Famers Sparky Anderson and Joe Gibbs their first managerial/head coaching positions),[57] and asked West to coach and participate in player personnel decisions.[58] In the 1976–77 season, West became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. In three years, he led the Lakers and star center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to a 145–101 record, making the playoffs all three seasons and reaching the Western Conference finals in 1977.[59]
Executive career
Los Angeles Lakers (1979–2000)
After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the Lakers before the 1982–83 seasons. 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.[60]
Those championship-winning Lakers were coached by
West continued to propel the Lakers to championship contender status by trading Divac for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant (1996), by signing free agent center Shaquille O'Neal (also 1996), and by signing six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson as a coach (1999). West departed from the Lakers at the end of the 1999-2000 season.[62] However, he laid down the foundation of the Lakers three-peat, which saw L.A. win three NBA titles from 2000-2002.
Memphis Grizzlies (2002–2007)
In 2002, West became the general manager of the
Golden State Warriors (2011–2017)
On May 19, 2011, West joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member, reporting directly to new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber.[65][66] This role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the team.[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. He earned his eighth in the 2016–17 season.
Los Angeles Clippers (2017–present)
After helping the Golden State Warriors win the championship against the Cleveland Cavaliers, on June 14, 2017, West announced that he would go to the Los Angeles Clippers as an executive board member and consultant. Clippers coach, Doc Rivers, floated the idea of West joining the organization during the 2016 season. West referred to leaving Golden State as "one of the saddest days of his life," but was excited to find a new challenge. [68] [69][70]
Kawhi Leonard recruiting controversy
On December 17, 2020, it was reported that West and the LA Clippers were under investigation by the NBA following a lawsuit filed by John Wilkes against the LA Clippers over the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard to the team.[71]
NBA career statistics
GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
† | Won an NBA championship | * | Led the league |
Regular season
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960–61 | L.A. Lakers | 79* | — | 35.4 | .419 | — | .666 | 7.7 | 4.2 | — | — | 17.6 |
1961–62 | L.A. Lakers | 75 | — | 41.2 | .445 | — | .769 | 7.9 | 5.4 | — | — | 30.8 |
1962–63 | L.A. Lakers | 55 | — | 39.3 | .461 | — | .778 | 7.0 | 5.6 | — | — | 27.1 |
1963–64 | L.A. Lakers | 72 | — | 40.4 | .484 | — | .832 | 6.0 | 5.6 | — | — | 28.7 |
1964–65 | L.A. Lakers | 74 | — | 41.4 | .497 | — | .821 | 6.0 | 4.9 | — | — | 31.0 |
1965–66 | L.A. Lakers | 79 | — | 40.7 | .473 | — | .860 | 7.1 | 6.1 | — | — | 31.3 |
1966–67 | L.A. Lakers | 66 | — | 40.5 | .464 | — | .878 | 5.9 | 6.8 | — | — | 28.7 |
1967–68 | L.A. Lakers | 51 | — | 37.6 | .514 | — | .811 | 5.8 | 6.1 | — | — | 26.3 |
1968–69 | L.A. Lakers | 61 | — | 39.2 | .471 | — | .821 | 4.3 | 6.9 | — | — | 25.9 |
1969–70 | L.A. Lakers | 74 | — | 42.0 | .497 | — | .824 | 4.6 | 7.5 | — | — | 31.2* |
1970–71 | L.A. Lakers | 69 | — | 41.2 | .494 | — | .832 | 4.6 | 9.5 | — | — | 26.9 |
1971–72† | L.A. Lakers | 77 | — | 38.6 | .477 | — | .814 | 4.2 | 9.7* | — | — | 25.8 |
1972–73 | L.A. Lakers | 69 | — | 35.7 | .479 | — | .805 | 4.2 | 8.8 | — | — | 22.8 |
1973–74 | L.A. Lakers | 31 | — | 31.2 | .447 | — | .833 | 3.7 | 6.6 | 2.6 | .7 | 20.3 |
Career | 932 | — | 39.2 | .474 | — | .814 | 5.8 | 6.7 | 2.6 | .7 | 27.0 | |
All-Star | 12 | 11 | 28.4 | .453 | — | .720 | 3.9 | 4.6 | — | — | 13.3 |
Playoffs
Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1961 | L.A. Lakers | 12 | — | 38.4 | .490 | — | .726 | 8.7 | 5.3 | — | — | 22.9 |
1962 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | — | 42.8 | .465 | — | .807 | 6.8 | 4.4 | — | — | 31.5 |
1963 | L.A. Lakers | 13 | — | 41.4 | .503 | — | .740 | 8.2 | 4.7 | — | — | 27.8 |
1964 | L.A. Lakers | 5 | — | 41.2 | .496 | — | .792 | 7.2 | 3.4 | — | — | 31.2 |
1965 | L.A. Lakers | 11 | — | 42.7 | .442 | — | .890 | 5.7 | 5.3 | — | — | 40.6 |
1966 | L.A. Lakers | 14 | — | 44.2 | .518 | — | .872 | 6.3 | 5.6 | — | — | 34.2 |
1967 | L.A. Lakers | 1 | — | 1.0 | — | — | — | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | — | 0.0 |
1968 | L.A. Lakers | 15 | — | 41.5 | .527 | — | .781 | 5.4 | 5.5 | — | — | 30.8 |
1969 | L.A. Lakers | 18 | — | 42.1 | .463 | — | .804 | 3.9 | 7.5 | — | — | 30.9 |
1970 | L.A. Lakers | 18 | — | 46.1 | .469 | — | .802 | 3.7 | 8.4 | — | — | 31.2 |
1972† | L.A. Lakers | 15 | — | 40.5 | .376 | — | .830 | 4.9 | 8.9 | — | — | 22.9 |
1973 | L.A. Lakers | 17 | — | 37.5 | .449 | — | .780 | 4.5 | 7.8 | — | — | 23.6 |
1974 | L.A. Lakers | 1 | — | 14.0 | .222 | — | — | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 4.0 |
Career | 153 | — | 41.3 | .469 | — | .805 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 29.1 |
Head coaching record
Regular season | G | Games coached | W | Games won | L | Games lost | W–L % | Win–loss % |
Playoffs | PG | Playoff games | PW | Playoff wins | PL | Playoff losses | PW–L % | Playoff win–loss % |
Team | Year | G | W | L | W–L% | Finish | PG | PW | PL | PW–L% | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
L.A. Lakers | 1976–77 | 82 | 53 | 29 | .646 | 1st in Pacific | 17 | 9 | 8 | .529 | Lost in Conference finals
|
L.A. Lakers | 1977–78 | 82 | 45 | 37 | .549 | 4th in Pacific | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | Lost in Conference semifinals
|
L.A. Lakers | 1978–79 | 82 | 47 | 35 | .573 | 3rd in Pacific | 8 | 3 | 5 | .375 | Lost in Conference semifinals
|
Career | 246 | 145 | 101 | .589 | 22 | 8 | 14 | .364 |
Player profile
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.[8] He had a jump shot with a release the NBA lauded as "lightning quick", and was known for making baskets late in the game, earning him the nickname "Mr. Clutch".[8] Having played forward early in his career, West was also a capable rebounder, and gifted with long arms, quick hands, and strong defensive instincts, West was also once described as one of the best ballhawks, man-to-man defenders and shot blockers among NBA guards:[23] when the All-Defensive Teams were introduced in 1969, West made every one of them until his career ended in 1974.[15] "He stole more than anybody, although they didn't keep records on it then", said Sharman.[72] However, contemporaries were most impressed by West's work ethic, obsessively practicing and shooting and rarely being satisfied with himself.[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
Legacy
West ended his playing career with 14 All-Star, 12 All-NBA Team and five All-Defensive Team selections, and scored 25,192 points, 6,238 assists and 5,366 rebounds in 932 games, translating to an average of 27.0 points, 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game.[15] Among retired players, only Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain surpass his 27.0 points per game average.[8] He led the Lakers in scoring in seven seasons,[20] and only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1).[73] In 1979, West was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Lakers retired his No. 44 jersey in 1983.[20] In March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all time.[74] In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named West as the 14th greatest player in NBA history.[75] As a coach, West led the Lakers into three consecutive playoff campaigns, and then went on to win seven NBA championships as a general manager, building the 1980s Lakers dynasty under coach Pat Riley and players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy and the 2000s under coach Phil Jackson and players Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant.[8]
In the summer of 2000, the city of
Personal life
West married his college sweetheart Martha Jane Kane in April 1960 in Morgantown;[81] they divorced in 1976.[12] They have three sons, David, Mark and Michael.[63]
Jerry married his current wife, Kristine "Karen" Bua, in 1978.
As a person, West was often described as an introverted and nervous character, but who also drew the highest praise for his uncompromising work ethic. Regarding his shyness, WVU roommate Jody Gardner testified that West never dated in his entire freshman year, and Lakers coach
Early in his career, West's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild jeering. He spoke with a high pitched voice that became even shriller when he became excited so that Lakers captain Elgin Baylor dubbed West "Tweety Bird".[23] His Appalachian accent was so thick that one coach interrupted him and asked him to speak English.[23] Baylor once commented: "Rumors are safe with you, Tweety Bird. You pass them on, but nobody can understand you."[84]
West was also regarded for his extreme mental toughness and his exemplary work ethic. The NBA described West as "obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win... a level of intensity so high it could melt lead".[8] Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: "He took a loss harder than any player I've ever known. He would sit by himself and stare into space. A loss just ripped his guts out."[8] Even before his sole championship in 1972, the Lakers held a "Jerry West Night", and eleven-time NBA champion and perennial rival Bill Russell appeared and said: "Jerry, you are, in every sense of the word, truly a champion... If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy."[87]
In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote a memoir entitled West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. The book has had tremendous critical acclaim and became an instant
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. On April 19, 2022, West demanded a retraction from the network within two weeks for the "cruel" and "deliberately false" depiction, as played by actor Jason Clarke.[90]
See also
- 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
Footnotes
Notes
- ^ "Jerry West". National Basketball Association. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- ^ "Jerry West Reveals His Actual Height". YouTube. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2018.
- Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ISBN 9780892042890– via Internet Archive.
- ^ "NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team | Basketball-Reference.com". Archived from the original on May 15, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
- ^ NBA at 50: Top 50 Players at NBA.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ NBA’s 75 Anniversary Team Players at NBA.com. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Jerry West Bio". NBA.com. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
- ^ Patrick, Dan (October 18, 2011). "Jerry West talks about abusive father and lifelong struggle with depression". DanPatrick.com. Retrieved January 30, 2020.
- ^ "Jerry West on considering suicide". Graham Besinger. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
- ISBN 978-0-8239-3482-9.
- ^ a b c d e f Kiger, Fred W. (November 19, 2003). "More info on Jerry West". ESPN Classic. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
- ^ a b Carter, Bob. "The also-ran was also a champion". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ Poe, Shelly. "Willie Akers". http://www.wvusports.com, The Official Athletic Site of West Virginia University. Archived from the original on February 9, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Jerry West Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Jerry West". WVU Stats. Archived from the original on November 22, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "Jerry West 1958". WVU Stats. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "Jerry West 1960". WVU Stats. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "WVU Alumni: Jerry West ('60 BS)". West Virginia University Alumni Association. Archived from the original on May 31, 2010. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Lakers Retired numbers". NBA.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "1960-61 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Statistics". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f "LAKERS: Los Angeles Lakers History". NBA.com. Retrieved September 23, 2008.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Taylor, 163–167
- ^ "1961 NBA Playoffs Summary". Basketball-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 11, 2022. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, January 17, 1962". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Celtics, Lakers work OT to start Rivalry". NBA.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "Cousy retires as Six-Time champion". NBA.com. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ a b "Elgin Baylor Bio". NBA.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "1963-64 Los Angeles Lakers". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "Baltimore Bullets at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 5, 1965". Basketball-Reference. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
- ^ "West averages 46.3 PPG". NBA.com. Archived from the original on March 23, 2009. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ a b "Celtics Win Seventh Straight Finals". NBA.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
- ^ a b c "Red Lights Cigar to close coaching career". NBA.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "1966–67 Los Angeles Lakers". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "1967–68 Los Angeles Lakers". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 30, 2008.
- ^ a b c "Boston is alive and well". NBA.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c Cherry, 216–222.
- ^ a b Cherry, 213–215
- ^ a b Cherry, 323–326.
- ^ a b c d Cherry, 336–353.
- ^ a b c d "West's heroics can't deprive Russell of 11th title". NBA.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ Cherry, 227
- ^ a b c d e "Gutsy Reed Rallies Knicks in Game 7". NBA.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2011. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ "Mr. Clutch Sinks a 60-Footer". NBA.com. Archived from the original on March 14, 2009. Retrieved September 22, 2008.
- ^ a b c Cherry, 231–239
- ^ "Willis Reed Bio". NBA.com. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
- ^ "1971 NBA Season Summary". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved January 27, 2008.
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References
- Cherry, Robert (2004). ISBN 1-57243-672-7.
- ISBN 0-07-143034-2.
- Lazenby, Roland (2010). Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon. Random House. p. 422. ISBN 978-0-345-51083-9.
- Libby, Bill; West, Jerry (1969). Mr. Clutch. The Jerry West story. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall. ISBN 0-13-604710-6.
- Taylor, John (2005). The Rivalry: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and the Golden Age of Basketball. New York City: Random House. ISBN 1-4000-6114-8.
External links
- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Jerry West at nba.com
- Jerry West at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
- Jerry West Digital Collection at the West Virginia & Regional History Center
- Career Statistics (coach)
- Statistics (college)