'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Wednesday morning, the NBA world was hit by the news that legend Jerry West passed away at the age of 86. The cause of West's death is not yet known at the time of writing. The former LA Lakers guard was a true NBA lifer, having been in and around the game since the 1960s.
Jerry West is best known for being the guy the NBA logo was created after. Due to his endless contributions to the league, fans are heartbroken by the news and have rushed to social media to pay respects to the Hall of Famer.
"RIP to the logo."
"Prayers for the Logo! You’ll always be etched in our hearts 😭🫶," a fan wrote.
"Rest in peace to one of the most important figures in sports history 🏀," another fan wrote.
Some fans are distraught to see another legend pass following the recent news of Bill Walton. Many also gave their condolences to the family of "The Logo."
"Damn. Another legend gone. Rest easy champ," one fan said.
"WOW. RIP and condolences to his family," Another fan said.
"RIP THE LOGO BRO ," said one fan.
Breaking down Jerry West's NBA career
Jerry West's long NBA tenure began back in 1960 when the LA Lakers drafted him with the No. 2 overall pick. He played 14 seasons with the organization, leading them to a title in 1972. West averaged over 20 points per game every season except his rookie year and is regarded as one of the NBA's first superstars.
West retired as a player in 1974 but had no intentions of leaving the game. In 1977, the Lakers hired him as a head coach, a job he held for three seasons, going 145-101 record in the regular season and 8-14 in the postseason.
After coaching, West moved into the Lakers' front office as general manager, where he helped build the "Showtime" Lakers dynasty, headlined by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He left the Lakers in 2000 after 40 years with the franchise as a player, coach and executive. He then took a front office job with the Memphis Grizzlies, which he held until 2007 before eventually retiring at nearly 70 years old.
In 2011, the Golden State Warriors talked West out of retirement, and there he helped build another NBA dynasty. In 2017, the LA Clippers hired him in a similar role, and he worked as a consultant for them until his death.
Jerry West is part of the rare group of people who have been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame multiple times. He first went in as a player in 1980 before being enshrined again in 2024 as a contributor.
