Jerry West’s Legacy: The Most Influential Player in NBA History
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images. Pictured: Jerry West
The Logo.
It’s fitting that the NBA immortalized Jerry West’s silhouette because nobody had larger fingerprints on the game of basketball to this day than him. Nobody.
Playing Career
It’s 1960, and the George Mikan glory days are in the rearview mirror for the Minneapolis Lakers. With money struggles plaguing them, they decide to uproot the franchise and move to Los Angeles.
Their first draft pick as the L.A. Lakers? Jerry West with the second overall pick. Talk about a home run on the first swing.
As a rookie, West made the All-Star team and finished 12th in MVP voting. Los Angeles fell short in the postseason, but it had its superstar guard. The Lakers went on to reach the NBA Finals nine times over the remaining 13 seasons of West’s career, and the historic 1972 team won the title.
Unfortunately for him, Bill Russell and the loaded Boston Celtics simply had too much talent and depth every year.
Even though West only secured one championship for the franchise, he completely altered its trajectory and brought it back to relevance. The Lakers’ status as one of the top franchises across sports is largely due to his influence both as a player and executive.
After 14 stellar seasons, he retired with the following resume:
- 1x Champion
- 1x Finals MVP
- 10x All-NBA First Team
- 2x All-NBA Second Team
- 14x All-Star
- 1x Scoring Champion
- 1x Assist Champion
- 1x All-Star MVP
Players to earn Finals MVP and reach the All-NBA First Team 10 times include West, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan, Bob Pettit (unofficial) and Bob Cousy (unofficial).
He never won MVP, but he was top-five in voting a whopping eight times. That includes four second-place finishes, too.
West’s legacy was forged in the postseason. Mr. Clutch ranks fifth all-time in playoff points per game (29.13), and his 60-foot heave at the buzzer to tie Game 3 of the 1970 Finals is one of the most iconic plays in history.
Finally, he paved the path for guards to be high-volume scorers in a big-man dominated league. Before West, guards were thought of as distributors and playmakers who occasionally scored.
Post-Playing Career
West became the Lakers’ head coach from 1977 to 1979 before transitioning into a scout and subsequently the general manager in 1982. It was West who helped guide the Showtime Lakers’ success throughout the decade, and it was West who signed Shaquille O’Neal and head coach Phil Jackson before trading for Kobe Bryant on draft night.
The Logo turned his sights towards the Grizzlies and brought them their first playoff appearances ever. During his time with the Warriors (2011-2017), he helped orchestrate yet another dynasty.
Finally, West finished his basketball career with the Clippers and managed to acquire both Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for a potential title run. If injuries didn't strike, then it’s likely that the Clippers would have won a championship, especially in 2021.
Overall, West shaped basketball from the moment he stepped onto the court as a rookie in 1960 until his death today in 2024. That’s 64 years of prominence. From Pettit to Leonard, every star player felt West’s presence and influence on the game.
Where would basketball be without him? A much, much worse place. When Game 3 of the NBA Finals tips off tonight, remember that it wouldn’t be the same without West’s love of hoops.
How would you rate this article?