Once more, Mr Logo did what he does best – make history. An NBA champion, one of the greatest Laker, and the literal silhouette of the league, Jerry West is now the only three-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame. West passed away this June at the age of 86. His son and Warriors exec, Jonnie West accepted the orange jacket and ring in his honor. While on stage with the HoFers, Jonnie took a moment to talk about his father and moved an entire room in Springfield of greats.

“When you speak to people who work closely with him over the years, what they tell you is that he had a unique ability to maintain a level of compassion and connection with his coworkers, on top of his deep desire to win,” Jonnie said on stage among Magic Johnson and Shaquille O’Neal, two NBA stars Jerry West scouted.

West won the 1972 championship as a player himself. His teammate then, Michael Cooper, was getting inducted in the 2024 class. Because of that ‘deep desire to win,’ West stayed as an executive where he won eight championships more.

To most players, West was the ultimate inspiration. As one legendary coach told Jonnie. “Pat Riley told me that for all his own incredible accomplishments in the game, he would not be where he is today without the ‘You can do this Pat’ encouragement from my dad.”

Jonnie concluded by saying, “Role, model, mentor, father figure, you were all those thongs to do many, contributor to the game of basketball, that is you in every single sense. And that will live on forever.” Through his speech, the room is rapt with silence and Jonnie’s eyes looked a tad watery. At the end, the entire room stood up for a standing ovation to the late, great Jerry West and Magic Johnson hugged Jonnie.

Jerry West’s impact can’t be forgotten

Jerry West was first enshrined for his playing career with the Lakers in 1980, and then again in 2010 as a member of the 1960 U.S. team that won an Olympic gold medal. This third one acknowledges his work as an executive.

West’s relationship with the storied franchise he’s the architect of soured in his last few decades. After setting it up, he had left before the Shaq & Kobe duo won three consecutive championships. But his influence remains visible in execs like Jonnie and Pat Riley.

Pat Riley began his own stacked career as West’s assistant coach of the Lakers and is now the pillar of Miami. Jonnie is the senior director of pro personnel for the Golden State Warriors, boasting a ring of his own and getting closer to his father’s record. West too spent his last few years as a consultant for the Warriors and Clippers.

While the Lakers and West never reconciled, the Buss family could never knock his legacy. They’ve been here before. Yet even today, his teammates, mentees, and friends, looked overwhelmed as Jerry West was enshrined in the Hall of Fame for the third time.