Lakers Legend Jerry West Being Honored by Alma Mater This Season in Special Way

West died in June.

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Late Los Angeles Lakers Hall of Famer Jerry West will be honored by his alma mater, West Virginia University, during their upcoming football season. The West Virginia football team will wear a yellow decal that says "West" and includes his No. 44 on it.

It's our honor to wear 4⃣4⃣ pic.twitter.com/Bk5r37T0T6

— West Virginia Football (@WVUfootball) August 31, 2024

The decal pays tribute to West just months after he passed away in June at the age of 86. West played college basketball for West Virginia, opting to play at his home state's university over one of the many other colleges interested in him.

At West Virginia, West was a two-time consensus first-team All-American and additionally won the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player award in 1959. He averaged 24.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game, and remains the school's all-time leader in points and rebounds. His No. 44 was later retired by West Virginia.

Following his collegiate career, West went on to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft by the then-Minneapolis Lakers, who soon after moved to Los Angeles. West helped lead many of the great Lakers teams of the 1960s and early 1970s. His Lakers teams reached a total of nine NBA Finals, but West only won the Finals once in 1972. He is the only player to have been named the NBA Finals MVP after losing, and his teams were regularly beaten by the Boston Celtics. West never stopped hating the Celtics.

Over his career, West was a 14-time NBA All-Star, 10-time All-NBA First Team, four-time All-NBA Defensive First Team, the scoring champion in 1970, and the assists leader in 1972. He was part of the NBA's 35th, 50th, and 75th-anniversary teams, and was also part of the gold medal-winning US team at the Rome 1960 Olympics.

Following his career, West went on to become an executive for the Lakers, helping to build the Showtime Lakers that won five NBA championships in the 1980s. He also worked in the front office for the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers.

West has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame three different times; for his playing career, executive career, and as part of the 1960 Olympic team. He is also remembered as the 'logo' of the NBA.

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