On This Day In NBA History: August 7 - Jerry West Retires From Lakers
When you look at some of the greatest organizations in all of professional sports, both domestic and international, it is hard to overlook the Los Angeles Lakers as one of the premier sports franchises in the world.
Founded in 1947 as the Minneapolis Lakers, this franchise has been called home by some of the greatest to ever pick up and dribble a basketball in the NBA.
Kareem, Magic, Wilt, Shaq, Kobe… You don’t even need their last names to know which Lakers and NBA legends these are!
One name that always belongs on this list though is Jerry or Mr. West or as many like to refer to him as, “The Logo.” Jerry West was one of the greatest to ever play in the NBA and on this day in 2000, he finally stepped away from the Los Angeles Lakers organization, spending 40 years of his life with them as a player, coach and executive.
Playing in the 1960’s and early 1970’s, West spent all 14 years of his playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, making the All-Star Game every year of his career and winning one championship with the team in 1972.
After he retired as a player, West remained involved with the organization from a player development standpoint and then became the head coach of the team for three years in 1976, leading the Lakers and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to a 145-101 record over the three seasons he was the head coach of the team.
Then in 1979, West became a scout for the Lakers and then became the team’s general manager before the 1982-83 season. Being one of the main architects of the “Showtime Lakers” in the 1980’s, Jerry West worked closely with newly named head coach Pat Riley to once again make the Los Angeles Lakers the team to beat in the NBA.
Being “the voice” in the Lakers’ front-office, Jerry West was the main reason the team ended up with the likes of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, James Worthy and other greats that have put on the purple and gold.
While a press conference and news conference was not held for West’s retirement as the team’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, the Laker legend did issue a statement that said, in part, “This is a difficult yet happy time for me personally as I retire my position with the Los Angeles Lakers and enter another period of my life, one that will allow me more freedom to enjoy my friends and particularly my family, unburdened with the pressures of the professional athletic business.”
Jerry West is the epitome of what it means to be a basketball god strictly because he succeeded at every level possible in this game. He was one of the best executives this league has ever seen, he was a really strong head coach and as a player, Jerry West was simply remarkable. Not to mention, whether the NBA will admit it or not, West is the man on the league’s logo!
Still involved with the NBA and having a ton of relationships around the league due to his contributions with other franchises such as the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, Jerry West remains one of the most respected individuals across the league.
