Los Angeles Lakers basketball great Jerry West died on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. He was 86 years old.

West was nicknamed “Mr. Clutch” for his late game saves, and his image was used for the NBA logo design. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame three times as an NBA player, Olympic team member, and his work as an executive. He was the third NBA player to reach 25,000 points, he was an All-Star each year during his career, and a 12-time All-NBA selection. West led the Lakers to the NBA Finals nine times, was an NBA Finals MVP in 1969, and was part of the NBA’s 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams.

Born on May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia, he would become the first high school player in the state to score over 900 points in a season. West attended West Virginia University from 1957 to 1960, where he was a two-time All-American. He played in the 1959 championship game and was named the Final Four Most Outstanding Player. In 1960, he was part of the Olympic team that led the US to gold.

That same year, West was selected as the second overall pick in the first round of the NBA draft. He played for the Lakers from 1960 to ’74 as a point guard/shooting guard. Some of his stats also included being an NBA champion and All-Star game MVP in ’72, 10-time All-NBA first team selection, scoring champion in ’70, and assists leader in ’72.

Once he finished playing, West was part of the coaching staff from ’76 to ’79. He became an NBA executive, helping to grow the Lakers’ success in the 1980s which included five titles. He worked with the team until they won their first title in the 2000s.

In 2017, West became an advisor for the LA Clippers, helping to sign players like Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. While he was with the team the Clippers reached the Western Conference finals for the first time in 2021. His time behind the scenes also included tenures with the Golden State Warriors and Memphis Grizzlies.