born american retired basketball player played entire professional career national_basketball_association nba nicknames include clutch ability big play clutch situation famous beating foot shot tied game logo reference silhouette incorporated nba logo outside reference perimeter play creek near birthplace west_virginia playing small forward position early career west standout leading ncaa championship game earning ncaa final outstanding player honor despite loss embarked year career captain olympic gold medal team rome squad inducted unit west nba career highly successful playing guard position professional voted times nba second teams elected nba star team times chosen star mvp year won title career west holds nba record highest points game average playoff series member second followed introduced years old having played player nba history named finals mvp despite losing team west inducted basketball hall fame voted nba history playing career west head coach years leading los_angeles playoffs year earning berth working player scout years west named general manager prior nba season reign los_angeles won championship rings west general manager helped franchise win playoff contributions west won nba executive year award twice manager manager west son played college basketball west virginia team early life born poor household west_virginia fifth children mother cecil sue west housewife husband coal west shy boy withdrawn closest brother david died korean war age jerry small needed doctor kept apart children sports prevent getting seriously hurt growing west spent days hunting fishing main distraction shooting basketball neighbor nailed storage shed west spent days shooting possible angle ignoring mud snow backyard mother came home hours late dinner played nba acknowledged obsessive high school west attended high school west_virginia year coach lack height emphasized importance conditioning defense lessons teenager appreciated soon west captain freshman team summer grew eventually team starting small forward west quickly established finest high school players generation named state american year state high school player score points season average points game west mid range jump shot trademark score pressure opposing defense west led state championship march year prompting change year march honor basketball closure graduating high school universities showed interest west eventually chose attend located freshman year west member freshman squad achieved perfect record wins loss course season team members included varsity year head coach west scored points game averaged rebounds started games shooting field free throw line performances earned multitude honors american team southern conference tournament valuable team honors second team american honors associated_press team american honors went year ending season loss post season tournament play junior year west scored points game grabbed rebounds game tied ncaa game tournament record points points game led west_virginia game including getting points rebounds loss california final west named outstanding player year final awards american southern conference tournament mvp year athlete year named member basketball team won gold medal west demonstrated game match kentucky incident game broke nose continued playing despite intense pain having breathe mouth scored points second half leading upset victory final collegiate season west averaged career highs scoring points game season assists rebounds game shooting average field free throw line honored awards american selection voted west best performance game virginia grabbed rebounds scored points final year double doubles point games collegiate career west totaled points rebounds averaged points game rebounds west holds time records west captained men basketball team summer olympics won gold medal inside outside west available nba draft drafted 2nd overall pick shortly team relocated los_angeles west draft pick relocated franchise college coach hired coach played west guard contrast west college days forward captained hall fame forward complemented centers forwards guards west_virginia like west team strong forwards guards constantly weak center giving disadvantage hall fame center initially west felt odd new environment high pitched voice earned nickname bird spoke thick accent teammates referred nickname acknowledged country roots accent thick nickname cab creek west soon impressed colleagues defensive vertical jump reach inches rim went work ethic spending countless extra hours working game floor west scored points grabbed rebounds gave assists game west won trust alternating played minutes game established second scoring option nba commented potent punch inside low post scorer outside long distance shooter west performances soon earned west fourteen nba star game ups west helped improve previous win season wins reached nba playoffs needed games away lost seven games losing final game west second nba season limited use called play games west seamlessly took role team leader established main scorer averaging points rebounds assists game winning nba team honors west known especially hitting important late game shots announcer named clutch handle stuck west entire career won regular season games secured round bye nba playoffs beat games advance teams split games end game los_angeles west tied game ball half court seconds left west stole ball raced converted running sounded tied series game games apiece teams headed boston game game trailed west hit clutch tied game missed open foot shot won title tip attempt thwarted overtime jones scored clutch ensure win nba finals serve beginning greatest rivalry nba history nba season time west averaged points rebounds assists played regular season games missing seven weeks injury reached finals battled west shape fell succumbed game home crowd loss game ended veteran threw ball high following nba season west time scoring leader points game stated suffered knee problems struggled entire season winning games beaten round nba playoffs hawks games leader following nba season west averaged points time career high surpassed perennial scoring champion chamberlain ending regular season wins played round nba playoffs team captain suffered career threatening knee injury west took leader role scored points shocked win game baltimore unable stop guard scored points nearly half total win bullets took home games despite west scoring points respectively decisive game guard helped beat bullets points close win west averaged points game figure nba record easily beat short handed game boston easily won defensive guard kept west points game west scored points boston won game west scored points finally won game games beaten double quarter game west missed shots prevent win guard finished playoffs points game nba season west averaged career best points rebounds assists game nba record free throws earned pair nba team nominations winning games beat close seven game series met west assisted self estimated percent pre injury self long standing rivals split games west usual scoring dominance countered forward size speed created problems game west shot combined half fell far close seconds left ran clock denied following nba season saw west playing regular season games injury averages fell slightly points rebounds assists game disappointing season winning games getting swept round nba playoffs veteran coach retired took reign won games nba season year forum wins accumulated despite west playing regular season games injury scoring points lowest average rookie year times nba second team beat warriors set considered match size versus speed counter coach center forward close basket return difficulties guarding prolific outside shooters west fellow guard game west hit seven shots lost series games west scored points game win ankle play strength rest series game injured west scored points boston won points game points loss west commented lost games won gave game gave fifth way teach arrival chamberlain july trade brought reigning nba valuable player chamberlain philadelphia los_angeles beginning nba season center traded west partner starting center backup forward philadelphia concerned drain guard positions losing clark especially losing expansion draft defensively weak left west west got new recruit chamberlain argued team captain poor relationship van van called chamberlain load later complained chamberlain respected practice focused statistics return center van worst coach altercation chamberlain punch van intervened west clearly disturbed locker room tension playing teams good chemistry quality play erratic posted career low points inaugural win defeated atlanta hawks setting sixth finals series versus boston years prior game west privately complained exhaustion guard scored points boston close point win took game west scoring points game russell opted double team west guard exhaustion began west twice asked longer periods times fell double finally lost points game saw guard hit balance tie series game struck won points suffered major blow west scored points far led players scoring entire series meaningless late game ball seriously pulled immediately visible injury heal end series west scored points game won strong held chamberlain points entire game game owner thousands balloons forum los_angeles display arrogance motivated angered west trailed entire game quarters powered west closed gap minutes ball west committed costly lost game despite triple double points rebounds assists west winner bill russell nba finals valuable player award losing team loss west seen ultimate tragic hero game held hand said love jerry nba season new coach season began shock chamberlain seriously injured knee missed practically regular season injury years west stepped void leading nba scoring average points game averaging rebounds assists game earning defensive team vote nba team berth second team years won games nba playoffs narrowly beat seven games swept hawks setting rugged led hall split games games respectively decided centers reed chamberlain game hit mid range jump shot seconds left ahead time outs left chamberlain ball west raced past threw foot shot later commented man crazy looks determined thinks going west incredibly connected basket later called greatest moments nba point line introduced shot tied game overtime west left hand missed shots won game guard scored points assists won frustration awaited west game reed pulled thigh muscle series instead double digit lead easy win committed second half main chamberlain west shot ball times respectively entire second half lost called greatest history chamberlain scored points west points plus assists series win favorites prior game west injured right hand received manual reed famously court prior game center scored points inspired team famous playoff time injured hands west hit shots scored points assists credited crucial steals guard nba season resigned came playing age west averaged points rebounds assists helped win games nba playoffs losing effectively ended career west injured knee season short handed lost games championship bound milwaukee featured crowned valuable player later known veteran hall fame guard late success twilight years prior nba season west frequent injuries losses considered retirement hired star guard future hall fame coach head coach injured captain ended career season ages powered emphasis tough defense fast break offense embarked unprecedented game win streak route record wins regular season west contributed points leading league career high assists game named star nba defense voted star game mvp post season defeated game sweep went face milwaukee defeated games met west suffered terrible shooting slump games tied series win game scored points helped win game game scored playoff points set time nba record winning game superb outing chamberlain west scored points game won game nba title west conceded played terrible series credited team success years later said played terrible basketball finals won particularly frustrating playing poorly team overcame maybe team having long time west entered 13th nba year nba season main scoring role taken west instead scorer west averaged points averaged assists game nba defense teams won games reached game west scored points minutes left took games west strained game match new_york game injured west miserable games despite chamberlain scoring points grabbing rebounds lost series following nba season west years old veteran guard averaged points rebounds assists game newly introduced statistics steals blocks credited steals blocks game despite playing games strained groin west regarded elite guard earning final star game chamberlain ended nba career won games lost games loss west retired contract disagreements filed suit unpaid wages west wanted negotiate contract playing said basically told agent hell felt feel don want organization played good year athlete says knew played wasn going play anybody time departure west scored points nba history coaching managing career owner known having keen eye identifying leadership teaching qualities gave hall managerial head coaching positions asked west coach participate player personnel decisions season west coach years led star center record making playoffs seasons reaching coaching stint worked scout years general manager prior season credits west creating great 1980s dynasty brought championship rings los_angeles slump early 1990s west rebuilt team coach center forward guard won games went turning team west received executive year award trading signing free agent center signing time nba champion coach west laid saw win nba titles west general manager explained decision desire exploring new success years wondered build winning franchise experienced success want help difference west memphis stint spectacular los_angeles stint turned franchise sold reliable playoffs team practically making trades getting maximum players available signing coach coach year west won second year award year age west retired general manager turned managing duties west_virginia west joined golden state warriors executive board member reporting directly new owners role came undisclosed minority ownership stake team legacy west ended playing career star nba team defensive team selections scored points assists rebounds games translating average points assists rebounds game retired players chamberlain surpass points game average led scoring seven seasons jordan higher career scoring average playoffs versus west elected retired jersey march espn voted west greatest shooting guard time coach west led consecutive playoff campaigns went win seven nba championships general manager building 1980s dynasty coach players 2000s coach players summer city west_virginia west_virginia governor dedicated road outside road shared south end honor alumnus november number basketball number retired february bronze statue honored outside february statue unveiled outside star plaza los_angeles california finally nba logo modelled west silhouette player profile west combo guard roles point guard score like shooting guard equally strong offense defense jump shot release nba lauded lightning quick known making late game earning nickname clutch having played forward early career west capable gifted long arms quick hands strong defensive instincts west described best ball hawks man man defenders shot nba guards introduced west career ended stole anybody didn records said contemporaries impressed west work ethic practicing shooting rarely satisfied west round game attitude maybe best expressed spectacular game credited points shots field free throw attempts rebounds assists unofficially counted blocked shots scoring non official ultra rare quadruple double instead proud west merely commented defensively team standpoint didn feel played rarely satisfied played personal life west married college sweetheart april divorced sons david mark michael jerry married current wife karen sons ryan played guard west old team west virginia person west described nervous character drew highest praise work ethic room mate testified west dated entire freshman year coach recalled week period guard said word apart shy west restless described bundle nerves contemporary fellow testified bar visits west quickly demand everybody settled wife recalled husband difficulties opening big loss drive home try console west home porch drive away experience killed wife early career west roots target mild spoke high pitched voice excited captain dubbed west bird accent thick coach interrupted asked speak english commented rumors safe pass understand west regarded extreme mental work ethic nba described west obsessive confidence win level intensity high melt lead broadcaster said took loss harder player known sit space loss ripped sole championship held jerry west night time nba champion perennial rival appeared said jerry sense word truly champion wish granted happy west wrote author memoir entitled west west life revealed interview hbo victim physical abuse father child suffered depression book tremendous critical acclaim instant new_york_times bestseller
Jerry West