The basketball world was sorrowful when Jerry West announced his retirement in 1974. The man was a true legend who brought the Los Angeles Lakers a championship.
Jerry retires from pro ball
In addition, West was the NBA's logo, and his clutch shooting left an indelible mark on the game. In a press conference, the guard announced exactly why it was time to say goodbye to the game.
"The major reason for my retirement," said West, fighting back tears in a news conference at the Forum in Los Angeles , "Is because I have set high standards for myself that I'm not willing to compromise. I have seen other players play longer than I thought they should have. I did not want to do that."
Mr. Clutch was already 36 years old then. He played just 31 games due to a strained groin and averaged 20.3 points and 6.6 assists per game. In 14 seasons in the NBA, West was an All-Star each year.
"I guess a person feels he can find the fountain of youth," West continued. "But you just can't. I would have probably been able to play all season, but not up to my standards. In practice sessions, I felt I was taking time away from the younger players. I suddenly realized I was 36 years old, not 27."
Jerry retired as the third-highest scorer in the NBA with 25,192 points, including the 1969–70 individual scoring championship (31.2 points a game). His 63-point explosion against the Knicks on Jan 17, 1962, is ranked the third-best scoring performance by a point guard in the history of the NBA.
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Relentless competitive drive
Even though he retired from professional ball, West remained on the sidelines as the Lakers' coach for three years. Later, Jerry became an executive, where he channeled his relentless competitive drive.
Mr. Clutch showed off his winning mentality by closing some of the biggest deals in NBA history: trading for Kobe Bryant, signing Shaquille O'Neal, luring Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors, and many more.
According to West, his drive comes from his inherent will to win. Even though he was old and gray, Jerry needed to channel his passion for competition .
"I've seen a lot in my life. I've seen a lot of winning. I've seen a lot of testing times. I think when you're tested, you really find out what you're made of, OK?" West told ESPN in 2015. " For me, I'm just ultra-competitive. I will be till they put me in the grave. That's what drives me."
Related: "I probably shot an airball" - Jerry West was intimidated after Bill Sharman's wild reaction to his scoring spree
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