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, the Los Angeles Clippers announced.
He was 86.
Jerry West, General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers, sits at his desk circa 1987 at The Forum in Los Angeles, California. (Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor.
U.S. President Donald Trump (R) gives the Presidential Medal of Freedom to National Basket Ball Hall of Fame inductee Jerry West during a ceremony in the Oval Office at the White House on September 05, 2019, in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
He was general manager of eight NBA championship teams with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping build the “Showtime” dynasty. He also worked in the front offices of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors, and the Clippers.