The Los Angeles Lakers will honor NBA Corridor of Famer Jerry West within the upcoming 2024-25 season by sporting a band with West’s No. 44 on the left shoulder of their uniforms, the crew introduced Tuesday.
West, who died in June on the age of 86, performed all 14 years of his Corridor of Fame profession with the Lakers and later served as a coach and profitable govt with the group.
Nicknamed “The Emblem” and “Mr. Clutch,” West was the third participant in NBA historical past to succeed in 25,000 factors. As a 6-foot-3 guard, he was an All-Star yearly of his profession and led the Lakers to the NBA Finals 9 occasions, successful one championship in 1971-72.
The crew will honor Jerry West with a commemorative No. 44 band on their jerseys this season 💜 pic.twitter.com/S8MZ3WN5DB
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 10, 2024
In 932 profession NBA regular-season video games with the Lakers, he averaged 27 factors, 5.8 rebounds, 6.7 assists, 2.6 steals, and 39.2 minutes per contest whereas taking pictures 47.4% from the sector and 81.4% on the free throw line.
West additionally acquired 14 All-Star alternatives, and he’s nonetheless the one participant in league historical past to win Finals MVP as a part of a shedding crew in 1969. Moreover, he scored essentially the most profession factors (1,679) within the NBA Finals in league historical past.
Los Angeles Lakers will honor Jerry West on opening evening after they host the Minnesota Timberwolves
Moreover, West recorded essentially the most 30-point video games in NBA Finals historical past with 31. Plus, he’s twenty fifth on the league’s all-time scoring listing with 25,192 factors. He acquired 12 All-NBA nods as properly.
West was the architect of the “Showtime” Lakers of the Nineteen Eighties that received 5 titles and the formation of the Kobe Bryant-Shaquille O’Neal duo that accomplished a three-peat beneath then-head coach Phil Jackson.
In April, West grew to become the primary particular person to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame thrice in his profession as a participant (1980), govt (2010), and contributor to the sport (2024).
Theme nights for the ’24-25 season ⚡️
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 10, 2024
The contributor election is for his work as a common supervisor with the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, alongside along with his time spent as a guide with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.
The Lakers additionally introduced Tuesday that they may honor West on opening evening of the common season after they host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Oct. 22, with a West No. 44 jersey giveaway for the followers.
