Jerry West Blasts Lakers Over Petty Treatment

Jerry West is a Lakers legend, but he doesn't feel like one.

Jerry West his own statue outside of Staples Center, is the NBA logo, and one of the greatest Lakers of all time. Despite all of his accolades, his relationship with the Lakers has seemingly disappeared, and all that remains is animosity. 

West may be a Lakers legend, but right now he certainly doesn't feel like one. For those who may not remember, Jerry West not only played with the Lakers but also helped bring in both Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal - two players that brought five championships. When Kobe Bryant wanted to leave for the Clippers in 2005, Jerry West was working with the Grizzlies, but he made sure to tell Kobe to not join the Clippers. West's love for the Lakers extended far beyond his tenure.

In a recent interview with Sam Amick of The Athletic, Jerry West was brutally honest about his current relationship with the Lakers. 

“But sometimes you feel like you’re discarded, like a piece of trash," West said to Amick. "And there’s a couple of people over there — not Jeanie — but there’s a couple of people over there that, uh … I don’t get it. I don’t. … I always had a great relationship with Jeanie — at least I thought I did. I don’t know where it is now."

Jerry West tried returning to the Lakers in 2017 as a consultant, but the franchise didn't want him. He was expecting to retire, but the Clippers brought him in. After that moment, the animosity seemed to rise, and much of it was petty. West's son was let go from his scouting position at the Lakers, Jeanie Buss left West off of a top 5 important Lakers list, and now they've even canceled his lifetime tickets that Dr. Buss promised him.

“It was a cold phone text to my wife,” West said to Amick. "No one had the nerve to call me, but that’s how petty they are, OK? And I love the Lakers, OK? I love to see them do well. It’s great for basketball. I’m proud of everything that happened when I was there. I’m proud of everything that happened when I wasn’t there — the positives."

There are very few players in NBA history that are more important than 'The Logo' Jerry West. Jerry West is 83 years old, still loves the game of basketball, and watches nearly every Clipper game from the tunnel. Hopefully, the petty hate gets squashed and West can be properly recognized by the franchise he helped create.