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PHOTOS: West Virginia native, basketball star Jerry West throughout the years

By Isaac Taylor,

24 days ago

CHARLESTON, WV (WOWK) — Jerry West, a West Virginia native and star basketball player at the collegiate and professional level whose silhouette was used for the NBA logo, died Monday morning, West Virginia University said on X, formerly Twitter . He was 86.

FILE – West Virginia basketball player Jerry West poses at New York’s Madison Square Garden, March 26, 1960. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a legendary career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, June 12, 2024, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. (AP Photo/Marty Lederhandler, File)
MORGANTOWN, W. VA. Feb.7, 1959 – Jerry West (44) West Virginia forward is fouled by Holy Cross Ralph Brandt (behind him) as he attempts a layup bhot in the first half of today game here. Others are Holy Cross players (12) George Blaney and George Imwalle. West Virginia defeated Holy Cross 96 to 90.(AP Photo)
Jerry West, (44) of Los Angeles Lakers fails to score as he is fouled by Arlen Bockhorn (11) of the Cincinnati Royals in third period of game at New York’s Madison Square Garden, October 24, 1961. Los Angeles won 124 to 122. (AP Photo)
East-West All Stars all have their eyes the ball during this second period action of NBA All Star Game in San Francisco’s Cow Palace, Jan. 11, 1967. East players are Oscar Robertson (14); Don Ohl (10); Bailey Howell (18); and Wilt Chamberlain (13). For the West are Jerry West (44); Nate Thurmond (42); Rick Barry (24); and Len Wilkins (14). The West won, 135-120. (AP Photo/Robert W. Klein)
The Los Angeles Lakers’ Jerry West moves the ball around Jim Washington and Bob Boozer, right, to the Chicago Bulls during the March 26, 1968 game in the Western Division NBA playoff game. West led the scoring with 35 points to help the Lakers in their 111 to 106 victory, making it twisting a row for Los Angeles. (AP Photo/HPM)
Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers guard, poses in 1969. (AP Photo)
Los Angelers Lakers guard Jerry West is about to score against San Francisco Warriors Ron Williams, during a game in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 11, 1970. (AP Photo)
Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers crashes against Willis Reed of the New York Knicks as he passes off to Wilt Chamberlain in the opening minutes of the first game of the NBA Championship playoff series in Inglewood, Cal., Tuesday, May 1, 1973. Chamberlain was fouled a moment later but missed the free throw. (AP Photo/Jeff Robbins)
Jerry West, Los Angeles Lakers guard, poses with a basketball in May 1973 at an unknown location. (AP Photo)
FILE – Los Angeles Lakers coach Jerry West sits on the Lakers’ bench in Los Angeles, Jan. 28, 1977. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, June 12, 2024, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. (AP Photo/File)
Michigan State’s Earvin “Magic” Johnson (left) is introduced to the press at a press conference called by the Los Angeles Lakers in Los Angeles, Wednesday, May 16, 1979 to announce he and the club has reached an agreement. The Lakers will pick Johnson first in the NBA draft, but a contact won’t be signed till the formal pick in the June 25th draft. With Johnson is Lakers coach Jerry West. (AP Photo)
Vlade Divac, the Los Angeles Lakers’ first-round draft pick from Yugoslavia, is presented a team jersey by Lakers general manager Jerry West during a news conference at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., Aug. 7, 1989. (AP Photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
Eddie Jones, guard from Temple University, left, accepts the Los Angeles Lakers jersey numbered 25 from Jerry West, vice-president of operations at a news conference at the Forum in Inglewood, Calif., July 26, 1994. (AP Photo/Nick Ut)
Los Angeles Lakers? executive Jerry West speaks at a news conference to discuss his future with the Lakers,, Sunday, April 19, 1998 in Inglewood, Calif. West told reporters that he?s not going to retire, but also said he ?just wants to disappear? and may never work again after next August. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
FILE – Michael Heisley, center, the Memphis Grizzlies majority owner, holds up a team jersey after announcing the hiring of Jerry West, right, as new president of basketball operations and Gary Colson, left, was introduced as West’s assistant April 30, 2002, at an NBA news conference in Memphis, Tenn. Colson, who helped lobby to introduce the 3-point shot to men’s college basketball during a 34-year coaching career that included stops at Fresno State, New Mexico and Pepperdine, died Friday, Nov. 3, 2023. He was 89. (AP Photo by Greg Campbell, File)
Memphis Grizzlies’ president Jerry West comments Wednesday, June 26, 2002, in Memphis, Tenn., on the team’s selection of Drew Gooden of Kansas, the fourth overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA draft. (AP Photo/John L. Focht)
Jerry West, president of the Memphis Grizzlies, drives a golf cart at he follows the West Virginia Amateur golf tournament at The Greenbrier resort in White Sulphur Springs, W.Va., on Thursday Aug. 5, 2004. West is a native of Cabin Creek, W.Va. (AP Photo/Dayton Whittle)
Former Los Angeles Lakers General Manager Jerry West acknowledges the crowd as he and other member of the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers are introduced during a special half-time ceremony to honor the 20th anniversary of the 1985 NBA Championship team during the game between the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns Monday, April 11, 2005, in Los Angeles. The Suns won 108-97. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)
West Virginia Mountaineer great Jerry West, right, along with sculptor Jaime Lesterer, stand in front of a bronze statue of West that was unvieled in a ceremony before the West Virginia and Seton Hall basketball game Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007 in Morgantown, W.Va. West is considered to be the greatest basketball player to wear the blue and gold for the Mountaineers.(AP Photo/Micheal Switzer)
West Virginia Mountaineer basketball geat Jerry West was recognized in a ceremony before West Virginia played Seton Hall. West is shown here with a bronze likeness of him that was unveiled at the ceremony, Saturday, Feb. 17, 2007 in Morgantown, W.Va. West is considered to be the greatest basketball player to wear the blue and gold for the Mountaineers.(AP Photo/Micheal Switzer)
Former Los Angeles Lakers and Basketball Hall of Fame member Jerry West, holds the Larry O’Brien championship trophy after it arrived at Los Angeles International Airport, on a Southwest Airlines, NBA-branded 737 named “Slam Dunk One,” Monday, June 9, 2008, in Los Angeles. The Lakers will face the Boston Celtics in Game 3 of the NBA finals on Tuesday, June 10. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
FILE – In this photo taken May 24, 2011, Jerry West smiles after being introduced as a new member of the Golden State Warriors basketball club’s Executive Board, during a news conference in San Francisco. West was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, Saturday, April 6, 2024. The 13-member class of 2024 will be enshrined into the Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts, in August, (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)
Golden State Warriors general manger Bob Myers, left, is presented the NBA Executive of the Year award by Warriors’ executive board member Jerry West before Game 1 in a second-round NBA playoff basketball series between the and the Memphis Grizzlies in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, May 3, 2015. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
Jerry West, Golden State Warriors Executive Board member, center, is acknowledged by President Barack Obama and Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr, right, during a ceremony to honor the 2015 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors basketball team in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2016. In the foreground is the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Jerry West sits on the bench before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Phoenix Suns Saturday, Oct. 21, 2017, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
NBA Hall of Fame and former player Jerry West speaks at an event before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Dallas Mavericks in Los Angeles, Monday, Feb. 25, 2019. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Former NBA basketball player and general manager Jerry West speaks after receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Donald Trump, in the Oval Office of the White House, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Jerry West releases Olly the Falcon prior to the MLS soccer Western Conference final between Seattle Sounders and Los Angeles FC, Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2019, in Los Angeles. Seattle Sounders won 3-1. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
Jerry West wipes his eye while sitting courtside before an NBA basketball game between the Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings in Los Angeles, Thursday, Jan. 30, 2020. (AP Photo/Kelvin Kuo)
Jerry West, Los Clippers President of Business Operations listens to Los Angeles Clippers Chairman Steve Ballmer at a ceremony celebrating the steel topping out of the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif., Tuesday, March 7, 2023. The Intuit Dome will be the future home of the Los Angeles Clippers. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

West, known to many in our region as Zeke from the Creek, played for the West Virginia Mountaineers and went on to play for the Los Angeles Lakers.

He even coached for the Lakers and later became a high-ranking official for them, the Memphis Grizzlies, the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers, according to the NBA .

West is a three-time Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer. The first time he was inducted was in 1980, the second time was as a part of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team in 2010, and the third time as a contributor in 2024.

PHOTOS: West Virginia native, basketball star Jerry West throughout the years

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