Player Of The Day 7/25/12: Jerry West

[King Taharqa]

#44 Jerry West (aka "Mr. Clutch", "The Logo", "Zeke From Cabin Creek")

Position: Guard ▪ Height: 6-3 ▪ Weight: 175 lbs.

Born: May 28, 1938 (Age 74) in Chelyan, West Virginia

High School: East Bank in East Bank, West Virginia

College: West Virginia University

Draft: Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (2nd pick, 2nd overall), 1960 NBA Draft

NBA Debut: October 19, 1960

Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 1980

The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick behind Oscar Robertson in the 1960 NBA Draft. Emboldened by the success of the westward-bound Brooklyn Dodgers and faced with the dilemma of finding a site for its home games, the Lakers franchise moved to Los Angeles for the 1960-61 season. The team had posted a 25-50 record in its last season in Minneapolis.

With Elgin Baylor ("Mr. Inside") scoring nearly 35 ppg and West ("Mr. Outside") contributing 17.6 ppg, the Lakers improved to 36-43 and finished in second place in the Western Division. They edged the Detroit Pistons in the division semifinals but then lost to the St. Louis Hawks in the division finals.

During the remaining 13 seasons of West's playing career the Lakers missed the Finals only four times. However, the Lakers and West came out on the losing end in eight of those nine Finals. Six of the losses came at the hands of the powerhouse Celtics. A few months before winning the title against the Knicks in 1972, West told Family Weekly, "It would almost be better not to get to the playoffs at all than to go so far but no further."

No one was affected more by those defeats more than West. "He took a loss harder than any player I've ever known," said longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn in the National Sports Daily. "He would sit by himself and stare into space. A loss just ripped his guts out." It's no wonder. West held himself to seemingly impossible standards. "I'm surprised when the ball doesn't go into the hoop," West said toward the end of his career. "I think I should make every shot."

Unrealistic or not, West the perfectionist propelled the Lakers to the Finals repeatedly in the 1960s and early 1970s. In 1961-62 West established himself as a deadly scoring threat in only his second year in the league. That year he averaged 30.8 ppg, the first of four seasons in which he averaged better than 30 points. The Lakers had risen from third place in the division to first since West's arrival, posting a 54-26 record. In the playoffs West averaged 31.5 ppg.

The Lakers' seven-game defeat at the hands of the Celtics in the 1962 NBA Finals was particularly heartbreaking. After taking the series lead on Baylor's then record 61-point performance in Game 5, Los Angeles dropped the next two. In Game 7 a 15-foot Frank Selvy jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation bounced off the rim. Boston won in overtime, 110-107.

Although West enjoyed great individual success during his prime, the team's record is a study in frustration -- "unbelievable frustration" is how West described it to the Los Angeles Times Magazine. During the nine seasons from 1962 to 1970 the Lakers reached the Finals six times, losing to Boston five times and to the Knicks once. Three of the Finals went seven games, with the Lakers losing two of those Game 7 contests to the Celtics by a single basket. And in 1969, as in 1962, the Lakers led Boston after five games only to drop the last two contests.

Despite the Lakers' failure to win more league titles, most of West's legendary exploits came during the postseason. In the 1965 NBA Playoffs, West averaged 40.6 ppg over 11 contests; his 46.3 ppg average against Baltimore in the division finals was a record for a six-game series.

In 1965-66, West had another stellar year, averaging 31.3 ppg and finishing behind only Chamberlain in the scoring race. He also ranked fourth in both assists (6.1 apg) and free- throw percentage (.860). In the playoffs he kept up his torrid scoring pace, averaging 34.2 ppg over 14 contests. Boston won another NBA Finals matchup, prevailing in Game 7 at Boston Garden, 95-93.

In the 1969 NBA Finals against Boston, West became the only member of a losing team ever to win the Finals MVP Award. And in the 1970 NBA Finals against New York, West launched the famous bomb that, at least briefly, resuscitated the Lakers. The Knicks' Walt Frazier recalled thinking as West let the miracle shot fly, "The man's crazy. He looks determined. He thinks it's really going in!" It did, sending Game 3 into overtime. New York, however, won the game and the title. "It was a beautiful thing wasted," West later said.

As players on a perennial bridesmaid team, West and Baylor were frequently eclipsed by Chamberlain, Robertson and Bill Russell, who collectively won virtually every Most Valuable Player Award during West's and Baylor's most productive years. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won the award. Still, West was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times in his career, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in four of his final five seasons.

Prior to the 1971-72 season the 33-year-old West was considering retirement. He thought of the broken noses, the broken hands, the pulled muscles and the lost championships. West returned, however, and helped make history. With Chamberlain now in the middle and Gail Goodrich pitching in on offense, the Lakers won a record 33 games in a row under new coach and former Celtics star Bill Sharman.

At midseason they were 39-3. At year's end they were 69-13, the best single-season record in NBA history until surpassed by the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls (72-10). Despite his age and physical problems West kept scoring, averaging 25.8 ppg while leading the NBA in assists with 9.7 per contest.

Having come this far, West would not be denied an NBA title. In the playoffs the Lakers swept the Chicago Bulls in four games and beat the Milwaukee Bucks in six. In the 1972 NBA Finals against the Knicks, Los Angeles lost Game 1 but then won four straight by relatively large margins. Including playoff games, the Lakers' record for the year was 81-16.

West's long wait had ended. He had finally won a championship, in one of the greatest seasons ever for an NBA team. Revitalized, he went on to play for two more years. In 1972-73 the Lakers lost yet another Finals to the Knicks. In 1973-74 a pulled groin limited West to 31 regular-season contests and only one playoff game. "I'm not willing to sacrifice my standards," West told the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner when he retired. "Perhaps I expect too much."

In 1974, the 36-year-old West left the game as the NBA's third-leading career scorer, behind Chamberlain and Robertson, with 25,192 points in 932 games. His average of 27.0 ppg game stands as the fourth highest among retired players, behind Michael Jordan, Chamberlain and Baylor. His 31.2 ppg in 1969-70 (at age 31) is the highest average ever for a player over 30. And his 6,238 career assists (6.7 apg) rank among the best ever. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the postseason.

[nickzz]

The only sports franchise in the Carolinas "fans" want to gentrify/re-name/re-brand/whitewash/pray to fail is the one started by a wealthy self made black man.

why would you even write this lol

[King Taharqa]

Because its true. We've had people on this board openly admit theyd feel like the Bobcats belonged to them more if they were founded by a white guy like Larry Bird or Steve Belkin.

[nickzz]

Because its true. We've had people on this board openly admit theyd feel like the Bobcats belonged to them more if they were founded by a white guy like Larry Bird or Steve Belkin.

even if what you say is true, that's just a select few individuals that are deeply troubled. your sig is directed towards a pretty broad group of people

[King Taharqa]

even if what you say is true, that's just a select few individuals that are deeply troubled. your sig is directed towards a pretty broad group of people

If a pretty broad group of people sits by and doesnt say anything or gives quiet support to a select few individuals they are just as bad. What other sports team in NC has been asked or should I say been demanded to "rebrand"?

[nickzz]

i'm sorry you feel that way

[JGib23]

If a pretty broad group of people sits by and doesnt say anything or gives quiet support to a select few individuals they are just as bad. What other sports team in NC has been asked or should I say been demanded to "rebrand"?

The Charlotte Spirit. The name of Charlottes first NBA team which was owned by a white guy, the fans "demanded" that the name be changed and it was changed to the Charlotte Hornets.

You should disregard that though because the broad group of people demanding change were clearly racist against George Shinn.

[King Taharqa]

There was never a basketball team that played in Charlotte called the spirit. That was a proposed "name" for the eventual Hornets franchise.

By the way JGib when are we gonna sport our new rebranded Hornets jerseys this season? You and John Morgan were emphatic "its coming!" a few months ago. Now you guys barely post. I always knew you really werent Bobcats fans. :)

[JGib23]

Exactly, that dumb name never made it to the court because the fans demanded change. you asked what team has been asked or "demanded" a change and I gave you an example. Here is a link to a Chicago Tribune article the day after the Charlotte Spirit was announced as the next NBA franchise.

http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1987-04-24/sports/8701310716_1_charlotte-spirit-nba-expansion-committee-miami-franchise

I never said the name was going to change, I said I prefer that they change the name. I love the new jersey's but, I still prefer they change the name when it becomes available.

I love the MKG pick and was skeptical of the Dunlap hire because it looked like a cheap hire but, he looks like the real deal.

I'm curious will you vote for Obama or do you prefer Bob Johnson's favored candidate Mitt Romney?

[King Taharqa]

The key word I used was "rebranded". So you still havent answered the question.

You did say the name was going to change and that so was New Orleans. Neither has by the way.

I, like the majority of people in this area will vote for the Bobcats Bob Johnson's prefered team over Shinn's, the Hornets. Who our founder endorses is of no concern to me. I don't care about the Repubs Jerry Richardson prefers either.

[JGib23]

They were rebranded, they were originally going to be called the Spirit.... That lasted about a nanosecond and the name was changed. (as the article clearly states)

The name on the jersey has changed, they dropped Bob hoping that it would appease the fans that want a bane change. N.O. Winning the lottery no doubt hurt the chances of a rebrand but, it's still a real possibility. I don't think anyone that wanted a name change expected it this soon, even Bonnell has reported that it could take up to 2 years. We will all enjoy pulling for the "CATS"

You worship Bob like a God and I thought he would have influenced your political viewpoints as well.

I bet your head would have exploded if Herman Cain would have kept his dick in his pants and won the Republican nomination. How would you have chosen which candidate to vote for?

I would have voted for Cain!

[King Taharqa]

They were rebranded, they were originally going to be called the Spirit.... That lasted about a nanosecond and the name was changed. (as the article clearly states)

Can you post a pic of a Charlotte Spirit jersey or give me their win loss record one year? Shouldnt be hard.

The name on the jersey has changed, they dropped Bob hoping that it would appease the fans that want a bane change. N.O. Winning the lottery no doubt hurt the chances of a rebrand but, it's still a real possibility. I don't think anyone that wanted a name change expected it this soon, even Bonnell has reported that it could take up to 2 years. We will all enjoy pulling for the "CATS"

Call it what you want, just keep giving rich black folks your money. As long as you keep doing that Jgib, Mike and minority owner Bob are still winning. We all appreciate the support for 9 years and running.

You worship Bob like a God and I thought he would have influenced your political viewpoints as well.

I bet your head would have exploded if Herman Cain would have kept his dick in his pants and won the Republican nomination. How would you have chosen which candidate to vote for?

I would have voted for Cain!

I dont worship Bob like a god. I just give him his respect as founder.

[JGib23]

Don't change the subject- you know there was never a jersey because the fans demanded a rebrand before the Spirit ever made it out of the gate. They were originally the Charlotte Spirit. The fans went ape poo and Shinn made a good business decision and changed the name.

Unlike you- I don't think about the race of the person I spend my money with. The only time I purposefully spend money with a certain group over another is I try to buy products that are made in the USA. I don't care what color they are- I care that my money is supporting Americans being employed. I will continue to give my $ to Bob & Mike because having a team in Charlotte is way more important than my preference for what they are called.

I give Bob respect as our founder too. I wish Shinn would have sold him the Hornets the first time he tried to own a team in Charlotte. But, I also give him the blame for making horrible decisions that hurt the teams image and the horrible CSET idea that still is the reason the Bobcats have the worst TV rankings in the entire NBA. He is no doubt a smart man and a great business man but, he wasn't a good NBA owner and quit frankly that's his only business that I give a poo about.