American · Chelyan, West Virginia · Born 28 May 1938American basketball legend known as 'Mr. Clutch', Hall of Fame guard who spent his entire 14-year NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers from 1960-1974.
Jerry Alan West was born in Chelyan, West Virginia in 1938. Los Angeles Lakers selected him second overall in the 1960 NBA Draft. His 14-season career produced 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game. He was selected to 14 All-Star games and named All-NBA First Team ten times. He won the NBA championship with the Lakers in 1972. He won the Finals MVP in 1969 — the only time in NBA history the award went to a player on the losing team, after he averaged 37.9 points against the Celtics. He was named All-NBA Defensive First Team four times. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1980 and named to the NBA 50th Anniversary Team. His silhouette was chosen as the NBA logo in 1969 — a recognition acknowledged informally for decades and formally by the league in 2024. He led the league in assists in 1972 despite being primarily a scorer. He made a half-court buzzer-beater in the 1970 Finals against New York — a shot that would have been a three-pointer worth the game, but the three did not exist yet. He served as an executive with the Lakers, Memphis and Golden State Warriors, building championship teams in every role.
NBA logo silhouette, clutch shooting, only Finals MVP from losing team
He won the NBA Finals MVP award in 1969 — despite being on the losing team. It is the only time in history that a player from the losing side has won the award.
Did You Know?How They Played
Clutch shooter, excellent defense, competitive drive, smooth jumper
Lasting Impact
Mr. Clutch, NBA logo inspiration, Lakers legend, Hall of Famer
Career Honours
- NBA Champion (1972)
- Finals MVP (1969 — losing team)
- All-Star 14x
- All-NBA First Team 10x
- Hall of Fame (1980)
- NBA 50th Anniversary Team
- NBA Logo
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Lakers | 1960–1974 | 932 |
American Athletes