Mountaineers Now

One Year Ago, West Virginia and the Basketball World Lost an Icon

It's been one year without "The Logo."

Schuyler Callihan

Jan 18, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Karen West, wife of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West, watches on during a ceremony honoring her late husband at halftime against the Iowa State Cyclones at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images
Jan 18, 2025; Morgantown, West Virginia, USA; Karen West, wife of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West, watches on during a ceremony honoring her late husband at halftime against the Iowa State Cyclones at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-Imagn Images / Ben Queen-Imagn Images
In this story:

On June 12th, 2024, the legendary Jerry West passed away at the age of 86. When you think of the NBA or West Virginia, you think of "Zeke from Cabin Creek."

Not only was West a tremendous basketball player who was a 14-time All-Star, 12-time All-NBA selection, world champion, and Hall of Famer, but he further cemented his legacy by having a front office career that can't be rivaled. He helped form the greatest teams in Los Angeles Lakers history, helped rebuild the Memphis Grizzlies, pieced together the Golden State Warriors dynasty, and played a part in the Los Angeles Clippers turning things around and landing two premier free agents - James Harden and Paul George.

A year ago, WVU honored his legacy by officially retiring his No. 44 jersey across all sports at the university. This past season, the team had "Jerry West Day," where they honored his family, wore throwback uniforms, and pulled off the massive upset of No. 2 Iowa State. Although WVU struggled offensively that day, you could tell it was written in the stars to deliver a win for his family, who were overwhelmed with emotions as the final buzzer sounded, and rightfully so. It'll go down as one of the best moments in Mountaineer history.

MORE STORIES FROM WEST VIRGINIA ON SI

Source: Class of 2026 West Virginia Signee to Enroll at Another School

Who Could WVU Schedule Next? Predicting Their 2031 and 2032 Non-Conference Foes

WVU Baseball Got a Major Endorsement From LSU Head Coach Jay Johnson

Projecting Every WVU Player’s College Football 26 Rating Before the Game Drops

Published
Schuyler Callihan
SCHUYLER CALLIHAN

Schuyler Callihan is the publisher of West Virginia On SI and has been a trusted source covering the Mountaineers since 2016. He is the host of Between The Eers, The Walk Thru Game Day Show, and In the Gun Podcast. The Wheeling, WV native moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2020 to cover the Charlotte Hornets and Carolina Panthers.

Home/Basketball