Jerry West may be known as ‘The Logo,’ but another nickname is the one that honors him best

Today, Jerry West is best known as “The Logo,” as a picture of him from Sport magazine was the basis for the silhouette that has literally symbolized the NBA for the past 55 years. In 2011, however, when West’s statue outside what was then known as Staples Center was unveiled, Boston Celtics legend Bill Russell, said, “As you all know, Jerry is the logo man, but to us [players], Jerry was not a silhouette. He was a man with a soul.”

West, who died Wednesday at the age of 86, is a man of many monikers. Fellow Hall of Famer Elgin Baylor, West’s teammate for 12 years with the Los Angeles Lakers, called him “Tweety Bird” (because of the high-pitched voice that came with his West Virginia accent); “Zeke from Cabin Creek,” which he hated (because he’s actually from Chelyan, not Cabin Creek) and Louella, which he hated even more (because it was a reference to gossip columnist Louella Parsons — West loved to talk). During his playing career, though, his most prominent nickname was “Mr. Clutch.” Chick Hearn, the Lakers’ legendary play-by-play announcer, bestowed the title on him.

Mr. Clutch is a perfect nickname because it requires no explanation. This is particularly true if you happen to have played against West.

“Jerry West was the best clutch player I ever saw, the best shooter, and one of the best competitors,” Hall of Fame Oscar Robertson wrote in his memoir, The Big O: My Life, My Times, My Game. “His biggest talent, perhaps, was emerging at the right moment to take advantage of a well-timed pick or pass. Jerry hated to lose so much that you could see it transform him. Jerry and I were friends, but our rivalry was intense.”

West’s most famous clutch shot is his 60-foot buzzer-beater in Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. When he launched it, Knicks guard Clyde Frazier thought to himself, “The man’s crazy,” the Hall of Fame player turned broadcaster told ESPN. “He looks determined. He thinks it’s really going in!”

West’s side of the story is different. “I said, ‘Oh my god, it’s pretty straight,'” he told the…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/jerry-west-may-be-known-as-the-logo-but-another-nickname-is-the-one-that-honors-him-best/

Author : James Herbert

Publish date : 2024-06-12 23:23:13

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.