Halfway through the year 2024, the basketball world finds itself enveloped in mourning. Following the death of NBA champion Bill Walton, the hooper world is once again left with a tragic piece of news. The man behind the legendary years of the Los Angeles Lakers, who is often credited with recognizing talents like Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, is no more. Consequently, the basketball world today mourns the loss of one such indomitable force- Jerry West, 86, the silhouette behind the NBA logo.

As the Los Angeles Clippers announced the demise of ‘The Logo’ at his home beside his wife, Karen West, it left the both the fans and the NBA world in equal shock. And soon the condolences for the West family started pouring in. Among them was Kendrick Perkins who took to his official X account and penned, “Damn!!!! Not the Legend Jerry West. Rest In Peace to one of the best to step foot on the basketball court.” 

The Star that rose from struggles

Life from early childhood wasn’t smooth for Jerry West. Born and brought up in a poor household in Chelyan, West Virginia, he faced a traumatized childhood. Once he coped with the situation, he was hit hard again when his elder brother was killed in the 1951 Korean War.

This time, he wasn’t able to tackle these issues effectively. Consequently, he remained a shy and introverted child in school, who was quite weak and frail. The intensity of the situation was such that doctors injected him with vitamins while keeping him away from sports, fearing his fragile body would not be able to endure sports injuries. However, West found a ray of hope in this dark situation in the form of a basketball hoop.

He spent hours shooting into a hoop nailed to a storage shed in the neighborhood. Unknowingly, he mastered his shooting accuracy right there, attempting shots from every possible angle. But no one was there to applaud his accomplishment and nurture his unpolished skills. In 1952, he became part of East Bank High School’s team in hopes of experiencing the on-court thrill. But once again, bad luck struck, and he was benched for most matches due to the lack of height.

Eventually, he grew six feet tall, enough to take up the team’s small forward position in the summer of 1953. This marked the beginning of his unmatched journey to the NBA. But all this now seems to be just a chapter in history, as West, at 86, took his last breath at his abode.

NBA World mourns the loss of its Legend

Long before establishing himself as the greatest manager in the history of the basketball league, West was a renowned league superstar. And it is this superstar, that the NBA world says goodbye to.

“My guy Jerry. Brief interactions. But you could always feel the fire inside. May The Logo live on!! R.I.P.” Coach Metta tweeted. West has been one of the most accomplished contributors across the league, with a relationship spanning eight decades. He was also known as the architect of the Lakers’ impressive six title wins from the 1980s to the 2000s.

That’s why the NBA mourns his departure. “RIP to the Logo and one of our greatest players and executives ever,” added Eddie A Johnson. West Virginia High School’s co-captain secured All-Star each season across 14 years. But his tenure with the Lakers is even more impressive, as he achieved 12 All-NBA selections and five All-Defensive appearances, all with basketball’s winningest franchise.

“Legendary Hall of Famer Jerry West passed away peacefully this morning at the age of 86. His wife, Karen, was by his side.” penned Chris Hannes on X. Back in 1969, West became the influence behind the NBA’s logo. At that time, the NBA hired consultant Alan Siegel to create a logo. Siegel came up with an iconic silhouette inspired by West’s dribbling, in a photograph taken by Wen Roberts. Despite the clear resemblance, the NBA never officially acknowledged the man behind the iconic logo.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.