Jerry “Mr. Clutch” West, whose illustrious basketball profession spanned six a long time, died peacefully in his dwelling on Monday at age 86, in keeping with the Los Angeles Clippers.
West was “the personification of basketball excellence and a good friend to all who knew him,” the crew wrote in a press release, including that West’s spouse Karen was by his aspect when he died.
West grew up in Chelyan, West Virginia, the son of a coal miner and housewife and the second youngest of six youngsters. He attended East Financial institution Excessive College, the place his basketball profession would start, after which later West Virginia College.
He was on the forefront of the league ever since his first season as a Los Angeles Laker and U.S. Olympic crew member in 1960. In 1972, he joined the Lakers in successful a hoop. He performed professionally till 1974 when he took a training place with the identical crew.
He rallied the Lakers to the playoffs in 1977, however his affect can be felt the next decade, when as normal supervisor he led the crew to 5 rings through the Showtime dynasty. West bounced to the Memphis Grizzlies, then the Golden State Warriors and made his approach again to Los Angeles in 2017 to educate the Clippers.
Nevertheless, his legacy wasn’t felt simply on the courtroom. West was immortalized within the NBA emblem, being the dribbling determine within the middle.
In 2019, former President Donald Trump awarded West the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
