A career retrospective of one of the greatest players of all time, Jerry West. Follow Nonstop Instagram: / nonstop TikTok: / nonstop Twitter: / nonstop Imagery supplied by Getty Images
This is why championships should not be the primary factor in how good a player actually is. Championships are team accomplishments that require the right players, coaches, strategies, as well as luck, of which an individual star has very little control over. Leave it to media and narratives to decided that championships matter more than anything else. Jerry West should always be in the conversation for top 10 player of all time.
The reason many of us say Bill Russell is the GOAT is because, he led his high school team to State Championships his Junior and Senior years, U of San Francisco to NCAA Championships his Junior and Senior years, the U.S. Olympic team to a Gold Medal (at a time when professionals were not allowed to compete in the Olympics), and the Celtics to 11 NBA Championships in 13 years, two of those as player/coach. From his Junior year at USF through his final season with Boston, Russell won 14 Championships in 16 years.
@@EternalRecursion Man, you realise that his only skill was his D and he played in stacked with HOFamers teams? He was a role player in Boston, not even being the best player in his team...
@@soth7572 I mean he's right I think Because at this Era US was very racist so It would be not good that the NBA's Symbol was a Black person/Black Player. Furthermore, when you think about it, why Bill Russell or Wilt Chamberlain were not the Logo of the NBA ? Simple, Because they are/were Blacks. Rest In Peace to these to Legends And I am FRENCH so sorry if my text was not understandable.
Not to mention his passing and defense on top of that. I never saw him play, but his 2.6 steals in his last season (the first season steals were recorded) tells me he was a hard nose on defense
His 1-8 finals record should not be held against him. He played excellent in a lot of those finals and unfortunately his Lakers were not really good enough to beat those 8 HOFers Celtic teams.
@@Straytheway Welll lebron proclaiming himself the GOAT is the reason for all the hate. Had he not done that he would be loved. Had he not jumped teams to join up with other stars in their primes he would have been loved... the decision was a dumb move and the press conference of the not 1,2,3,4,5,6... before they even played a game together didnt help his cause either
@@johnnythekid4601 I mean there are plenty of stars that did that, why not hold them to that same standard? Like shaq said, what is the law of the land?
@@johnnythekid4601 Nah He only jumped to the heat, and it was justified. Since his teammates were trash and the GM never did a move to help him. And the GOAT thing is understandable. Especially after 2016. That ring ended the "debate"
Jerry “the logo” West is so underrated and was the best player at the time. He was Kobe and Michael before them. He was fearless and was automatic from the middle range. It suck that no one mentions the legend as a all time great. He’s easily the top 10 player in nba history
I watched Jerry West career I'm a big-time Laker fan Jerry West was a Hall of Famer but he was no way near the top 10! He was a gunner he never seen a shot he didnt like! Why he's logo I can tell you! Elgin Baylor was by far a better player than Jerry West an Oscar Robertson was a beast !I always thought the main reason the Lakers lost so many times to the Celtics was partly because of Jerry West ! He was a good ballplayer but I think the logo needs to be changed though! He was not even near the best player in his era! My opinion but it's because he's white there was a lot of racism back in those days and just in case you're wondering I'm white! We all have opinions while there's mine and I seen his whole career or damn close to it and I didn't miss any games I've lived baseball, basketball, football,boxing my whole life!
lol yeah I was about to post something about this. Glad I saw this comment. Shaq was shocked as well to hear that the great Jerry West went through all that before winning his first chip.
I was looking up the articles about his advice to Shaq and LeBron when I came across this in the article on James, although it's not about Jerry West, I found it interesting: "James takes pride in mentoring younger players; it's something he's actively sought to do as he grows into one of the game's elder statesmen. So long as his phone is on and it's not during a playoff series, James is in contact year-round with a wide range of young players from high school kids to college stars to his own contemporaries."
How good is he? He’s so good that he had two Hall of Fame careers. One as a basketball player, and a second as a general manager. For crying out loud, this is the guy that helped build the showtime Lakers, and the lake show of the late 90s to mid 2000s
Don't forget he also helped the GSW and was the mind to draft Klay, Barnes and Green and told GSW don't trade Klay for Love. Helped get KD. Also was the mind behind putting Leonard and PG to the Clippers.
He also turned the Memphis franchise into a playoff contender and then advised Golden State on player personnel that resulted in the Golden State championship teams.
I saw West play in his youth, before his later injuries, in the years before the rules and the ball were modified to boost scoring for fan appeal. The man was absolutely spectacular offensively -- he could rebound above the rim with the big men and shoot better than any of the guards. And unlike most stars, he also played tenacious defense. He elevated the play of every team he played on and never called attention to himself. He didn't need to. His play itself was eloquent enough.
My favorite all time player. Was a huge Laker fan back in the 70's and 80's. Jerry wrote a book "West By West" back in 2011, an interesting insight into one of the greatest players the NBA has seen. Will always be #1, "Mr. Clutch.
I was blessed to grow up in LA in the 60s and 70s. Being able to see a Laker game featuring a starting 5 of West, Baylor, Chamberlain, Goodrich, and Hairston was always a treat. Most nights it was listening to the great Chick Hearn calling the action on radio. Nobody fought harder in a basketball game than Jerry West. He'd chew out Chamberlain or Hairston for seeming to slack going up and down court. He was always feeding Baylor inside or Goodrich outside for easy open shots, since the defense had to collapse on West if he was driving. Mr. Clutch forever.
It's so sad hearing about all the finals losses and knowing how he is about losing. I can't imagine how frustrated I would've been 😭😭 especially since there was literally nothing he could do about it too
Jerry west is one of the most underrated players due to era and people forgetting and only remembering him being a loser for most of his career but he could do almost anything besides good dunks
Jerry could dunk too? People hardly dunked, the best dunkers might do it once or twice a game. There's no reason Jerry couldn't have done the same, you can watch him play above the rim plenty it's not like he isn't physically capable.
One of the best all around players I have had the privelege of watching. What they don't mention in this video is his prowess as a defender. Imagine being your team's best offensive weapon, but also a lockdown defender & a willing rebounder! Jerry West was truly one of a kind!
I was a young boy in Southern CA in the late '60's and early '70's. We watched every Lakers game on TV since we were far enough from LA to avoid the blackout. I had the privilege of watching West, Baylor, Chamberlain, Goodrich, and Hairston being called by the greatest sportscaster of all time, Chick Hearn. Then the fun of the Showtime Lakers of the '80's and the revival of their rivalry with the Celtics. Good times.
@judd. The same here, we must be about the same age. I grew up just a 15 minute drive from the Forum, and my parents took me to a few games each year. One of those was game 5 of the '69 finals. I still haven't quite gotten over that heartbreaker series. The home games were all blacked out except for one. That was the final game of the 1972 finals, and their first title.
Thanks for doing my request! Jerry West is one of the best sports figures in West Virginia history and his statue on the campus of WVU says it all about him.
The reason Jerry West never dunked. Was because he was a gentleman player. He wanted to beat you. He didn’t want to embarrass you. That was old school basketball. To him it was all about winning. It wasn’t all about showmanship like it is today. It was a different time and a different game back then.
Celtic fan, here. Jerry West was very, very good. Clutch player all the way with a beautiful jumper from anywhere in the building. Played all-out all the time.
Fing great, that's how good. Probably my favorite player of the era; also I came in--in the late 1960s--and still am, a die-hard Laker fan. Crazy outside shot that defied all form--flat and freakishly quick, looked like a long-range layup. Oscar was his equal, but Oscar was more of a 1-guard, Jerry the 2-guard. During his era Jerry was, other than Wilt, the man opposing players feared most if he had the ball in a crucial situation. His well-deserved nickname was Mister Clutch. After he retired, he embarked on an equally brilliant career as general manager, building both great Laker teams and helping the Warriors build the team they have today.
What Jerry did for the game is under appreciated all these years later. He played every position. No 3-point line. Could shoot from anywhere. That’s why he’s the Logo.
I go back to the 1960s and am a lifelong Celtics fan. West was not only one of the greatest shooters, but also one of the greatest CLUTCH shooters of all time.
Manning was OVERRATED, had 1 year that was nice. 2nd super bowl the defense won the game. All he had to do was not LOSE it. Not afair comparison. West was talented.
As a lifelong Lakers fan, I am glad I got to experience the Kobe and Shaq era. What a heart break it would be to see my team lose to the Celtics so many times.
Off court, Jerry was also the one who was able to bring Shaq to LA from Orlando and traded for Kobe from Charlotte. Now imagine Jerry didn't have a contract dispute and played for at least 2 more years, he and Kareem would have played together and although West is already old by that time, that would have been a what if for me.
Though I’m just under 30, Jerry West has still left a mark on me… and my whole family honestly. My grandfather coached Jerry when he was in high school and his sister worked at the post office in the town my mom grew up in and she was friends with my family and everyone else in the town… considering it was an extremely small suburban town on the Kanawha River. I have a signed piece of paper from Jerry in my family’s safety deposit box back home. I love Jerry, and though his peak was decades before I was even a twinkle in my Dad’s eye, he’s still such an important figure in my life.
I began wearing 44 in 6th grade in honor of Jerry West, and wore that number all the way until end of my high school career....I was a 'scorer' in Jr. High but when got to HS became a 'everyman' type of player (played all 5 positions)...never could shoot like West but I was always had a role because I played flat out...something I learned from watching West...
THANK YOU for shining the spotlight on these great players of the old days; they didn't have the unfair advantage of the 3-point circle. There was some long, boring games before the shot clock was instituted, but Jerry West was - like watching Michael Jordan, he was obviously a superior being, and you felt you had got your money's worth just by seeing the amazing show.
His OCD and desire for perfection makes me wonder what he’d look like in todays league, imagine if he knew about a 3 point line, flashy handles to create space, euro step, hop step. Like if he practiced with all that in mind I feel he’d be insane in todays league.
@@fruticetum , JJ Redick was just a fill type player, you know, a plumber. Jerry West was so much better than JJ it's criminal to put them in the same sentence.
No matter the era, greatness is greatness. Tenacity is tenacity. And out of all the sick nicknames out there, it's hard to be cooler and more legendary than "The Logo"
Jerry West is the only player in NBA history to have "West" on the front of his jersey and "West" on the back during the NBA Allstar Games. The ref couldn't tell if he was coming or going.
The video focuses on West’s accomplishments as a player. As an executive, West helped build the Lakers dynasty with Shaq and Kobe. Then helped with the creation of the Warriors dynasty of Curry, Thompson and Green. That’s a lot of championships. A lot of ppl don’t know Klay Thompson was Jerry West’s pick. When the Warriors tried to trade Thompson, West threatened to resign and they backed down.
I believe Lakers owner Jerry Buss wanted to trade Worthy for Mark Acguire (sp?). West threatened to resign if the trade was made, and the trade didn't happen.
What a CAREER to be proud of!! I clearly remember watching those finals as a young boy growing up in Western New York. I couldn't believe the accuracy of West and Baylor and of course the Celtics in those years. I always rooted for the Lakers because of the Mighty Celtics. But then in 1972 they took it all. And my home team the Buffalo Braves picked up Jim McMillan a small forward from the Lakers in the 74 season. And he brought playoff experience to Bob McAdoo, Gar Heard, Randy Smith and Ernie DiGregorio.
I'll never forget when West made that shot from behind the half court line to send that game into overtime... I was very young at the time, but that was very memorable.
Met him in Paris at the McDonald tournament...didn't have my pass ....he told the guard to let me in...had a brief conversation with him....what a nice dude....his pic as the logo fits well....lean and the roots of back then....he's a legend indeed......by the way I see Doris Day was present at a game lol
All those finals losses, but he never gave up. Unlike Durant and Lebron, 2 itches. Much respect to you, Mr. West. You will always be the people's champion.
I remember that half-court shot to tie the Knicks in the championship series. It was a shot, not a throw, and he walked calmly off the court. Great player regardless of his ranking. Also, remember there was no 3-point line so who is to say what his actual scoring average would have been if there was a 3-point line. There is a reason why they used him for the logo. BTW I was a die-hard Knicks fan!
Me too I loved the NY Knicks. Although I lived in San Francisco in the 70's I always rooted for the Knicks. That game 5 shot by West that sent the game to ot was ironically made over Willis Reed. And in game 7 Walt Clyde Frazier had the game of his life. If Willis doesn't arrive and inspire the Knicks in game 7 at Madison Square Garden, then maybe Jerry West might have had 2 NBA championships!!!! 👍
One of my favorite players all time. Before my time but I started hunting game footage of him and watching videos dedicated to his story, and he was incredible 2 way player. Sniper, had that killer instinct. Straight legendary.
Jerry West…all i know about him is the NBA logo that comes from him until i watched this video that this guy deserved all the respect of being the legend among the legends of baskeball players in history of NBA. Now i know who Jerry West is…He is also the greatest shooter in basketball during his time.
This video should be re-named "Jerry West is even greater than you think." I think he is still tormented by all those losses in the finals. It's cruel that he was brilliant in all those defeats, but when they finally won, he played his worst basketball. He deserves to be the logo, forever. Jerry West would've dominated in any era against any competition. He'd probably be one of the best 3-ball shooters of all time as well.
I just finished his autobiography "West by West." A good sports read...especially the last chapter where he has a fantasy all time nba championship one game playoff.....he picks all time greats for each team, what the matchups would be, and who would take the final winning shot at the buzzer.
An all time great. I hope he has found peace in his ripe age. He should be respected by all NBA fans and players as one of the greatest guards of all time. He was a complete player and fierce competitor. He was also an all time great general manager for the Lakers, helping put together a bunch of championship teams in the 80’s and again with Kobe and Shaq
Imagine if Jerry West had played at a time with the 3 point line! Especially the modern era where it’s appreciated properly (same for Jordan, like West Jordan took many mid range shots that were a step away from being 3s, same with Pistol Pete Maravich too).
Because of all his success in modern days as a basketball executive, some may not know that he was an incredible NBA Player. He is after all, the NBA Logo.
In the early 70s Jerry was considered the GOAT by a lot of people. I was just a kid back then, and knew he was a great shooter but looking back at his career what surprises me is what a great defensive player he was.
One of the greatest shooters of all time ( I love his straight-as-an-arrow form ). In the 60s his Los Angeles Lakers had to deal with the mighty Boston Celtcs and in the early 70s the great New York Knickerbockers. He is an all time great but in the end basketball is a team game and the team he faced in the finals were frighteningly good.
Growing up in the 70s in the Philippines, we'd only see NBA on Sundays, and often they would be old games. But I didn't care. Jerry West was The NBA to me. Everybody else was just playing WITH him. Until this video, I didn't know Jerry had a heartbreaking decade of frustrations. I always thought he stood 6'6" or more because he was so domineering. West is really The Logo, and will always be The Logo. Thank you, Jerry, for giving me great childhood memories. From a 60yr old Filipino-American.
Hey even in America in the late 60's and in the early 70's we'd only get to see NBA basketball once a week on tv. ABC (American broadcasting company) would televise the NBA game of the week each Saturday in the states.
