From One GOAT to another.
NBA legend Jerry West passed away at the age of 86, an announcement made by the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. Following the news, tributes from across the basketball world began to surface, with one notably heartfelt tribute coming from NBA great Michael Jordan.
During a live segment on ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith shared a message he received from Jordan. “I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry’s passing. Jerry was like an older brother to me, a true friend and a mentor,” Jordan’s text read. “His wisdom and companionship were invaluable to me. While I never had the chance to compete against him on the court, getting to know him made me wish we had been teammates. Our approaches to the game were strikingly similar, and I deeply admired his insight into basketball. He will be greatly missed. My condolences go out to his wife, Karen, and his sons. Rest in Peace, Logo.”
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Jerry West’s illustrious career spanned 14 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he left a permanent mark with averages of 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 6.7 assists per game.
He contributed to the Lakers’ NBA championship win, was a 14-time All-Star, and earned a place on 12 All-NBA teams and five All-Defense teams. Notably, West is the only player to receive the Finals MVP award as a member of the losing team.
His silhouette famously became the NBA logo, earning him the nickname “The Logo.”
Beyond his playing days, West also coached the Lakers, served as a scout, and later as general manager.
He was the Memphis Grizzlies’ general manager from 2002 to 2007, joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member in 2011, and had been consulting for the Clippers since the 2017 season.
