Remembering West Virginia legend Jerry West

Jerry West, perhaps the most famous person and athlete ever from the state of West Virginia, passed away last week at the age of 86.

A native of rural Kanawha County and hailing from Cheylan, he led East Bank High School to a state title back in 1956.

West is the most decorated athlete ever from the Mountain State and was indeed a living legend.

I can recall checking out a library book on West during my freshman year. It was his first biography.

If you were a kid from West Virginia, you were proud to know he was from your home state. Even though I was a Boston Celtics fan, West was still one of my favorite players growing up.

We could relate to West and his upbringing in a poor Appalachian region, where he shot basketball for hours on an outdoor goal to hone his talent.

West never forgot his roots or his beloved state. A skinny kid growing up, he spent his days hunting and fishing, but his main activity was shooting at a basketball hoop that a neighbor had nailed to his storage shed. West spent days shooting baskets from every possible angle, ignoring mud and snow in the backyard.

He averaged 25 points a game over three seasons at West Virginia University (that was long before the 3-point shot). He helped lead the Mountaineers to an appearance in the 1959 national title game against California that saw them lose a heartbreaking 71-70. Despite the loss, West earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor.

West was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, serving alongside the great Oscar Robertson, co-captain.

West was the second overall pick by the Lakers and then embarked on a 14-year playing career.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player and executive. Recently he was voted in again for an unprecedented third time as a contributor/consultant for his continued role in the front office for other successful NBA teams.

West was indeed an icon. His silhouette became the NBA logo and is still used today.

A release from the Los Angeles Clippers, who he was still working for as a consultant, said West died peacefully the morning of June 12 with his wife, Karen, by his side.

But going back to his early years in Kanawha County, West quickly established himself as one of the finest West Virginia high school players of his generation. He was named All-State from 1954 to 1956, then All-American in 1956 when he was West Virginia Player of the Year, becoming the state’s first high-school player to score more than 900 points in a season, with an average of 32 points per game.

West led East Bank to a state championship on March 24 that year, prompting East Bank High School to change its name to “West Bank High School” every year on March 24 in honor of their basketball prodigy. This practice continued until the school closed in 1999.

West once played at the Williamson Fieldhouse with a great roster of high school all-stars against their counterparts from Kentucky. He helped lead his squad to a victory in that game, where many college scouts showed up to watch him and the other high school stars.

He was heavily recruited by many colleges but picked his home state school WVU.

After his All-American days at West Virginia, West went on to play 14 seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1960-1974 and was then part of the organization for nearly three more decades. As a player, he made the All-Star Game each of his 14 seasons in the NBA and was a 12-time All-NBA selection.

Although his Lakers lost to the Celtics in the 1969 finals, he was voted as the MVP from the losing team. That has never happened again and may not be replicated. He was nicknamed ‘Mr. Clutch’ for his ability to rise to the occasion late in games

West finally won an NBA championship with the Lakers in 1972 and an additional six while in the organization’s front office. He was an architect of the organization’s 10 championships in the 1980s and 2000s.

After his playing career, West became head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers and helped lead the franchise to a winning season in each of his three years in that position.

West went on to add another two championships to his resume while working in an advisory role with the Golden State Warriors.

The NBA had a pregame tribute to West on June 12 in advance of Game 3 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks. The praises came pouring in from NBA players, coaches, officials and those in West Virginia on their memories of one of the greatest ever to hit the hardwood.

(Kyle Lovern is a longtime journalist in the Tug Valley. He is now a retired freelance writer and columnist for the Mountain Citizen.)

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