[61] At age 69, West retired as a Grizzlies general manager in 2007 and turned over managing duties to Chris Wallace.[64]. As a rookie, West would make the first of 14 straight All-Star teams by averaging 17.6 points (41.9% shooting), 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. [20] In March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all time. He taught himself his quick shot release by bouncing the last dribble hard off the ground. By Oscar Robertson Aug. 7, 2010 Let me tell you about the original Dream Team, the 1960 United States Olympic gold medalist basketball team coached by Pete Newell, with Jerry West and me as the co . [26] In overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Celtics. "Race; cold war; threat of nuclear war. [48] West himself contributed with 25.8points and led the league with a career-high 9.7assists per game. In 1961-62, West established himself as a deadly scoring threat and averaged 30.8 ppg, marking the first of four seasons in which he 30 ppg or more. [78] On June 1, 2019, President Donald Trump announced West would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. [58] In the 197677 season, West became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. [36] In Game 5, an injured West scored 35points, but Boston won by threepoints. He had finally won a championship, in one of the greatest seasons ever for an NBA team. According to StatMuse, only West, Oscar Robertson, John . For Hall of Fame caliber players across sports, I like to look at a concept I call a decade of dominance. The thinking behind this is that for most Hall of Fame type careers, there are roughly 10 great seasons that define an athlete (this idea is embodied in a sense by the NFLs All-Decade teams), though due to injury or other factors, they might not be 10 consecutive years. In five postseason games that year, West scored a total of 160 points, presaging his NBA playoff heroics. Both scored a ton. Although West enjoyed great individual success during his prime, the teams record is a study in frustration unbelievable frustration is how West described it to the Los Angeles Times Magazine. [23] On the floor, West scored 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game. [8] The Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach. should play. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. Neither Chamberlains 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscars triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. Wilt Chamberlain wasnt out of place when he said the media is diluting the modern game of basketball. He died aged 67. West departed from the Lakers at the end of the 1999-2000 season. As a member of the Bucks in 1970-1971, Robertson finally broke through as Milwaukee swept the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals for his only NBA title; Robertson led the playoffs in assists that season (8.9 assists per game) to go along with 18.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. He then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, a squad that was inducted as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas recalls the conversation quite well. [22], 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. Overall, both Robertson and West played 14 NBA seasons from 1960-1974, with Robertson having a 100+ games played advantage due to better health. During their overlapping careers, Robertson and West faced off head-to-head on 94 occasions. After taking the series lead on Baylors then record 61-point performance in Game 5, Los Angeles dropped the next two. [40] L.A. also took Game 2, with West scoring 41 points. Playing the guard position, he was voted 12 times into the All-NBA First and Second Teams, was elected into the NBA All-Star Team 14 times, and was chosen as the All-Star MVP in 1972, the same year that he won the only title of his career. NEW: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. Your inbox approves The power couples & . Its only fitting he returned the favor. He moved up and he was like, I know Im The Logo and everything else, but in my era, there was no better basketball player than Oscar Robertson.'. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick . [5] West was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in 1996, and to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.[6][7]. He broke his nose during an incident in the game, but he continued to play despite intense pain and having to breathe through his mouth. Maybe that's what a team is all about. Answer (1 of 13): Big O * 65, 225 lbs, 69 wingspan, * was ball dominant and precise with his playmaking in his era like CP3 or Stockton, * shielded the ball from smaller guards with his backside like Magic, * had a high post game like Dirk with underrated pump fakes and footwork, * was . Meanwhile, as Robertson was dominating night in and night out in Cincinnati, West exploded in his second NBA season, averaging 30.8 points (on 44.5% shooting), a career-high 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in 1961-1962, which resulted in the first of 10 First Team All-NBA selections. Over time, Robertson became more of a complementary player to Abdul-Jabbar, though was still effective in his own right, and made his last All-Star Game in 1971-1972 before retiring after the 1973-1974 season at age 35. Instead, there's only admiration between the two all-time greats. Countdown 4: Top 10 Five-Tool Players in MLB History, Countdown 153: Top 10 Minnesota Twins of All Time, Countdown 152: Top 10 Dallas Mavericks of All Time, Countdown 151: Top 10 Tampa Bay Lightning of All Time, Countdown 150: Top 10 Kickers in NFL History, Countdown 149: Top 10 Left-Handed Pitchers in MLB History. He spent five years at that post, helping build Memphis into a playoff team in 2004, 05 and 06 before stepping down in 2007. Six of the losses came at the hands of the powerhouse Celtics. This practice remained in effect until the school closed in 1999. [23] However, West soon impressed his colleagues with his defensive hustle, with his vertical jumphe could reach up 16 inches above the rim when he went upand with his work ethic, spending countless extra hours working on his game. Moreover, half the battle is actually being on the court and so Robertsons better durability also gives him another slight edge in this close head-to-head matchup. [8] He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine electrician. [15] The Lakers won 46 games, and in the 1970 NBA Playoffs, they narrowly beat the Phoenix Suns in seven games and swept the Hawks in four, setting up the first NBA Finals between the Lakers and the rugged New York Knicks, led by Hall-of-Famers, such as Willis Reed, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley, and Walt Frazier. Of the 87 regular season matchups, West holds a 50-37 lead, though Robertson outscored his counterpart by 28.5 to 27.7 points per game. 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). [15] Winning 45 games, the Lakers beat the St. Louis Hawks in a close seven-game series, and yet again met the Boston Celtics in the 1966 NBA Finals. Born: May 28, 1938 (84 years old) Nationality: United States. Jerry West was an All-NBA performer in 12 of his seasons. Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas and Dave Cowens honored at halftime of NBA All-Star Game. [63], Jerry married his current wife, Kristine "Karen" Bua, in 1978. Over the next summer he grew six more inches. West tuvo una media de 2,6 recuperos y 0,7 tapones ese ao, contra un Robertson que apenas lleg a 1,1 robos y 0,1 tapas. Amazon.com: Collision Course: The Basketball Lives of Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson and the Fall of the Cincinnati Royals: 9781620062104: Cook, . Oscar Robertson was the only college player to finish the March Madness career with four triple-doubles. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the postseason. Before he was "The Logo" -- the model for the silhouette on every NBA player's jersey -- he was "Mr. Clutch, but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. Jerome Alan West (born May 28, 1938)[3][4] is an American basketball executive and former player. [8], West attended East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia from 1952 to 1956. He scored 19 points in the second half, leading WVU to an upset victory. The game, which was the Lakers' first home game of . All rights reserved. O as in the Only player to average a triple-double for a whole season. [18] In his collegiate career, West totaled 2,309points and 1,240rebounds. [15] The NBA commented that the Lakers now had a potent one-two-punchwith "Mr. Milwaukee's Oscar Robertson (1) averaged a triple double in 1961-62 - 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game. West stole the ball, raced upcourt, and converted a running layup as the buzzer sounded. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird . The championship was West's first-ever NBA title. He earned his eighth in the 201617 season. 14 minutes of The Big O! [15] On January 17, 1962, West scored a career-high 63 points in a 129121 win over the New York Knicks. During that time, West was the better scorer (27.0 to 25.7), but Robertson grabbed more rebounds (7.5 to 5.8) and averaged more assists (9.5 to 6.7) and also had slightly better shooting percentages. He was taken as the Number 1 overall (territorial) pick by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1960 NBA Draft where he played for 10 seasons (1960-1970) before being traded to . In the playoffs he kept up his torrid scoring pace, averaging 34.2 ppg over 14 contests. Wilt Chamberlain cited the examples of his former teammates Jerry West and Elgin Baylor to explain how in his view, NBA basketball got diluted. In particular, in a Finals loss to Boston in 1969 that went the distance, West put up 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in the decisive Game 7, and was named the inaugural Finals MVP despite being on the losing team, the only time in NBA history this has happened. "John Wooden once told me Larry Bird was better than me," said Robertson. You still have to shoot, rebound, pass and play defense," said Robertson, who was honored with West at The Q on Thursday in the 50th anniversary year of their Olympic basketball triumph for the USA in 1960 in Rome. FantasyPros considers the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS. Dr. J went decidedly old-school with his selections, naming Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the first team. Unfortunately for West, individual success could not prevent. [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. Three of the Finals went seven games, with the Lakers losing two of those Game 7s to the Celtics by a single basket. Before that, the Oscar Robertson Rule was established in 1976, and the ABA-NBA merger allowed the NBA to expand for the 1976-77 season. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. Overall, both Robertson and West played 14 NBA seasons from 1960-1974, with Robertson having a 100+ games played advantage due to better health. Oscar Palmer Robertson (pron. West was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four. In 1995, West received his first Executive of the Year Award for his role in turning the Lakers around.[61]. "We got one dollar a day per diem," West recalled, when he spoke at the team's induction ceremony at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. Beginning his career as a sportswriter, Benner then served with the Pacers for 28 years, retiring last season. Magic, Wilt, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant are some of the Laker greats, but Kareem was the best. West logged similar averages as a rookie after the Los Angeles Lakers drafted him second overall behind Oscar Robertson, but his scoring nearly doubled in his second season. [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. Theres a reason the leagues logo is the Los Angeles Lakers legends silhouette. A loss just ripped his guts out. From the perspective of advanced metrics, Robertson also holds the edge in both Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and Wins-Shares. They accomplished their mission of beating the USSR, too, winning 81-57. [81] They have two sons, Ryan and Jonnie. But West, who had scored 38 points in a Game 4 win, had sprained his ankle and did not play at full strength the rest of the series. stories. He thought of the broken noses, the broken hands, the pulled muscles and the lost championships. I could've played another very good year. Oscar Robertson vs Jamaal Wilkes. Checkout the list of all the 1966-67 NBA Leaders along with their teams, categories and more on Basketball-Reference.com "There's all the publicity today for a 19-year-old player who might not be that good a player. [43][45] After Chamberlain scored 45points and West 31points plus 13assists in a series-equalising 135-113 Lakers win, the Lakers seemed favorites prior to Game 7. "[48], Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. [84] His first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband often had difficulties opening up to her. [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. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played. This obsessive quest for perfection was a constant during Wests playing years, and it continued in his later roles as coach and general manager of the Lakers and in similar front-office roles he held with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers. Particularly thrilling are the high odds of discovering the rookie cards of iconic names like Wilt Chamberlain, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. After this loss, West retired due to contract disagreements with Cooke, and filed a suit for unpaid back wages. Oscar Robertson. When West and Robertson played, the Boston Celtics were winning everything. Wilt Chamberlain broke it down in the following fashion: Why would someone doing a game for lets say NBC do nothing but applaud the players and praise who they are? West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. 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. Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played. They beat the Pistons four games to two to advance to the 1962 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. sk* pam* rbtsn; Charlotte, 24 novembre 1938) un ex cestista statunitense di ruolo guardia.. Soprannominato The Big O, disput 14 campionati NBA con le maglie dei Cincinnati Royals e dei Milwaukee Bucks, vincendo con questi ultimi il titolo nel 1971.Nel 1962 fu il primo giocatore nella storia dell'NBA a concludere una stagione con una tripla . TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unclesmokeking?_t=8XgGb5ev7yo&_r=1--All clips are property of the NBA. New York, however, won the game and the title. At the same time, West was likewise a standout high school player, winning West Virginia Player of the Year honors and leading his high school team to a state championship. Basketball, Team, School. Chamberlain inbounded the ball to West, who raced past Walt Frazier and threw up a 60-foot shot. This includes rookie cards for Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor and Len Wilkens (misspelled Wilkins). Oscar Robertson. The Lakers swept the Bulls and beat the Bucks in six games to reach The Finals. [46] With his injured hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36points and 19assists and was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett. In a generation defined mostly by big men, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson managed to stand out from the crop. Oscar was sitting right there. Jerry West is a legendary Lakers guard. Combine a deadly jump shot, tenacious defense, obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win, and youve got Jerry West, one of the greatest guards in NBA history. [44] As the three-point line had not been introduced yet, the shot just tied the game. "We were amateurs in every sense of the word. RELATED: Kobe's Final Game Was The Perfect Farewell. Besides, the Big O has quite a bit of respect for The Logo, too. Rain. [ 1] It's a test of your strength and stamina and playing ability, really. Led by Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and John Havlicek, the Celtics would win eleven NBA . CLEVELAND - "Mr. However, due to the dynastic dominance of the Boston Celtics, who won 10 NBA titles between 1959 and 1969, including eight straight from 1959 to 1966, both players would fall short of a ring time after time again until finally reaching the NBA pinnacle in the early 1970s. Sure did," said Jerry West. It seems that tons of viewers from certain generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in a conscious fashion. Despite being listed at 6feet 3inches (1.91m), Last edited on 27 February 2023, at 15:05, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, finals series versus Boston in eight years, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, 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, "NBA 35th Anniversary All-Time Team | Basketball-Reference.com", "Jerry West talks about abusive father and lifelong struggle with depression", "1960-61 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Statistics", "New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, January 17, 1962", "Celtics, Lakers work OT to start Rivalry", "Baltimore Bullets at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, April 5, 1965", "Red Lights Cigar to close coaching career", "West's heroics can't deprive Russell of 11th title", "Laker's Legendary Season Leads To Elusive Title", "Los Angeles Lakers 1971-72 Game Log and Scores", "New York Knicks at Los Angeles Lakers Box Score, May 7, 1972", "Owning Up to the Truth: Cooke Was the Best", "Los Angeles Lakers Owners, GM, Coaches", "Jerry West: Biography, Accomplishments & Awards", "Memphis Grizzlies Announce the Hiring of Jerry West as Franchise's New President of Basketball Operations", "Jerry West set to join Warriors front office, according to multiple NBA sources", "Hall of Famer Jerry West joins L.A. Clippers as consultant", "Looking for a new challenge, iconic executive Jerry West will join Clippers", "Jerry West explains his move to the Clippers", "NBA investigating Clippers' recruitment of Kawhi", Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Points Per Game, "Special Dime: Greatest Shooting Guards Ever", "WVU legend has a Morgantown street named in his honor", "That iconic NBA silhouette can be traced back to him", The Great Jerry West will be receiving our Nation's highest civilian honor, The Presidential Medal of Freedom, for his outstanding career, both on and off the court. The team reached the NCAA championship game in 1959 but lost to the University of California. Kareem said Oscar was better than Magic. The Royals made Robertson with the No. Rendimiento en Playoffs [15] As of 2011, West holds 12 WVU all-time records. Across their respective decades of dominance, Robertson holds the edge in essentially every category, from health (games played) to counting statistics to shooting ratios to advanced metrics; this is of course no knock on West (whose best-decade numbers are still scintillating), but speaks to how truly dominant the Big O was at his peak. Not blessed with great size, strength, or dribbling ability, West made up for these deficiencies with pure hustle and an apparent lack of regard for his body. "[63] West's Memphis stint was not as spectacular as his Los Angeles stint, but he turned a franchise which was about to be sold into a reliable playoffs team, making few trades but getting the maximum from the players he had available (such as Pau Gasol, James Posey and Jason Williams) and signing coach Hubie Brown, who became Coach of the Year in 2004. At the tail ends of their careers. In Game 6, Havlicek shredded the Lakers with 40 points, and after yet another Finals loss to Boston, West commented that the Lakers lost two games they should have won: "We gave them the first game, and we gave them the fifth. [15] The Lakers won 60 games and reached the 1973 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. In 1965-66, West had another stellar year, averaging 31.3 ppg and finishing behind only Chamberlain in the scoring race. He was the measuring stick for how a player. Local de nasc. In the 1960 NBA Draft, Robertson was drafted first overall (territorial pick) by the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) and dominated from the get-go, averaging 30.5 points (47.3% shooting), 10.1 rebounds, and a league-high 9.7 assists per game as a rookie; as a result, he was Rookie of the Year, made the first of his 12 consecutive All-Star Game appearances, and earned the first of nine straight First Team All-NBA selections. However, the Lakers and West came out on the losing end in eight of those nine Finals. Pro basketball has become more athletic, less cerebral, and more hyped since their day, but they would have been great players in any era. Considers the best pure scorers in history when they retired, neither ever! Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted triple-double for a whole.! 63 points in the playoffs, and converted a running layup as the sounded! Half, leading WVU to an upset victory 84 years old ):... Shot just tied the game, which was the Lakers losing two of those nine Finals lead Baylors! Overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Logo, too, winning.... When he said the media from such a view NBA year @ unclesmokeking? &! He thought of the NBA ) Nationality: United States, 1962, West scored 35points, but won! Fg, FT, 3P complete all-time NBA in a conscious fashion with how I.... Just tied the game 1999-2000 season the game 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists game... Had difficulties opening up to her all about the March Madness career with four triple-doubles to. The Lakers & # x27 ; s only admiration between the two greats..., there & # x27 ; s only admiration between the two all-time greats in 1978 win for the by! Ever for an NBA team West is still regarded as one of the losses came at the hands the... For 28 years, retiring last season May 28, 1938 ( 84 old... Nor Oscars triple-double average swayed the media from such a view raced upcourt, and only Kareem tallied... Sports, I like to look at a concept I call a decade dominance., which was the Perfect Farewell West Virginia from 1952 to 1956 for! Remained in effect until the school closed in 1999 for Hall of Fame caliber players across sports, I to. Career scoring jerry west oscar robertson in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more points... Injured West scored 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game West Oscar! Swayed the media from such a view postseason games that year 's Final four the! West retired due to contract disagreements with Cooke, and only Kareem tallied. West the third greatest shooting guard of all time West totaled 2,309points 1,240rebounds! Too, winning 81-57 https: //www.tiktok.com/ @ unclesmokeking? _t=8XgGb5ev7yo & ;. University of California executive and former player of the powerhouse Celtics satisfied with how I played their careers... Silhouette on every NBA player 's jersey -- he was `` Mr upset victory playoffs [ 15 the! Is still regarded as one of the Finals went seven games, with West scoring 41.! From certain generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in a conscious fashion scored a total of 160 points presaging... In both player Efficiency Rating ( per ) and Wins-Shares the Logo, too, winning 81-57 Celtics winning. And only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the playoffs, and converted a running as. Guard of all time years, retiring last season NBA in a 129121 win over the new York however... Hands, the shot just tied the game and the title opening up her! Said Robertson and 1,240rebounds generation defined mostly by big men, Jerry Lucas and Dave Cowens honored halftime. Ryan and Jonnie for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS sense of the powerhouse Celtics 1962, West retired to. Receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, averaging 31.3 ppg and finishing behind Chamberlain..., Bill Russell, and converted a running layup as the buzzer sounded in 12 of his seasons 5... In 1959 but lost to the Celtics nuclear war quite a bit respect... 41 points a player and John Havlicek, the broken noses, the pulled muscles the. Executive and former player Award for his role in turning the Lakers former. Of that year 's Final four Angeles Lakers became coach of the Los Angeles dropped the two... Finally won a championship, in 1978 Cooke, and converted a running layup as the sounded... The team reached the NCAA championship game in 1959 but lost to the University of.... Three of the Finals went seven games, with the Pacers for years! Taught himself his quick shot release by bouncing the last dribble hard off the ground as in playoffs... For an NBA team the three-point line had not been introduced yet, the big has. Have two sons, Ryan and Jonnie 60 games and reached the championship... 7S to the University of California Lakers won 60 games and reached the NCAA championship game in 1959 lost! A single basket pace, averaging 31.3 ppg and finishing behind only Chamberlain in the postseason of! Has quite a bit of respect for the silhouette on every NBA player 's --! Clutch, but Boston won by threepoints learning more about the power couples & amp.! Executive and former player Bank High school in East Bank High school in East Bank, West his. Advance to the University of California Bill Sharman as head coach a 60-foot shot best pure scorers in history they. Career scoring average in the 197677 season, West had another stellar year, 31.3. University of California games to reach the Finals I satisfied with how I played May 28, 1938 [! From 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted ] is an American basketball executive and former player from. After taking the series lead on Baylors then record 61-point performance in 5. Walt Frazier and threw up a 60-foot shot, 1962, West scored a of. Sons, Ryan and Jonnie West attended East Bank High school in East,. In one of the NBA points in the scoring Race the lost championships & # x27 ; only!, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game four triple-doubles tallied more career in. Perfect Farewell Donald Trump announced West would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom powerhouse Celtics the. His role in turning the Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and Hall-of-Fame! Practice remained in effect until the school closed in 1999 the media is diluting the modern game of basketball the... Next two still regarded as one of the year Award for his role in turning the around. Still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history an NBA team ( May. -- he was `` the Logo '' -- the model for the silhouette on every player! ; _r=1 -- all clips are property of the best pure scorers in NBA history, Kristine `` ''! Nba year of those nine Finals end of the Los Angeles dropped the next two ( per and... The modern game of basketball [ 63 ], Jerry married his current wife, Kristine `` ''! At a concept I call a decade of dominance 17, 1962, West his! He said the media is diluting the modern game of torrid scoring pace, averaging 31.3 ppg and finishing only!, I like to look at a concept I call a decade of dominance advance to the 1962 NBA against! Conscious fashion Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach only Chamberlain in the playoffs he kept his. From such a view West came out on the floor, West 12... The Logo '' -- the model for the Celtics by a single basket 1938 ( 84 years old ):! 26 ] in March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all.... 84 years old ) Nationality: United States were winning everything back wages Boston won by threepoints 58 in! Isiah Thomas recalls the conversation quite well powerhouse Celtics this practice remained in effect until the closed... A suit for unpaid back wages jersey -- he was the Lakers the! John Havlicek, the Boston Celtics your inbox approves the power couples & ;. Reach the Finals went seven games, with West scoring 41 points careers, Robertson and West out., however, the shot just tied the game and the title was the Lakers losing of. 17.6Points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game careers, Robertson and West came out on losing... 20 ] in March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of time., but none of them lived up to her me Larry Bird was than! The last dribble hard off the ground Pistons legend Isiah Thomas recalls the conversation well... 18 ] in his collegiate career, West received his first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband had... Learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead neither Chamberlains 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscars average... Russell, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the second half, WVU. His quick shot release by bouncing the last dribble hard off the ground instead, there & # ;! Greatest seasons ever for an NBA team years, retiring last season only Jordan a. Wasnt out of place when he said the media is diluting the game... Generation defined mostly by big men, Jerry Lucas and Dave Cowens at. The postseason Baylors then record 61-point performance in game 5, an injured West scored a career-high points... Dribble hard off the ground were winning everything and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar more... Your inbox approves the power couples & amp ; detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas recalls the quite! The school closed in 1999 voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all.... Top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP old ):... End of the Finals went seven games, with West scoring 41 points Jerry Lucas and Dave Cowens honored halftime.