Jerry West, A 3-time Hall Of Fame Selection And The Inspiration For The NBA Logo, Dies At 86

AirTalk

Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game exploits as a player, was an NBA champion who went into the Hall of Fame as a player in 1980 and again as a member of the gold medal-winning 1960 U.S. Olympic Team in 2010. He will be enshrined for a third time later this year as a contributor. West was “the personification of basketball excellence and a friend to all who knew him,” the Clippers said in announcing his death. West’s wife, Karen, was by his side when he died, the Clippers said. West worked for the Clippers as a consultant for the last seven years. Joining us on AirTalk this morning to discuss his legacy and career is Dan Woike, Lakers beat writer for The Los Angeles Times and Roland Lazenby, author of the book Jerry West, The Life And Legend Of A Basketball Icon.