Jerry West Biography

Occup.	Artist
From	USA
Born	May 28, 1938
Age	86 years

Jerry West was born upon May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia, into a middle-class American family. He was the fifth of six kids to Howard Stewart West as well as Cecil Sue West. Jerry had modest starts, as well as his family members strived to earn a living during a trying economic duration. Regardless of his future achievements on the planet of basketball, there is not much evidence to sustain the case that he was an artist, as Jerry West is primarily called a basketball icon.

Maturing in a little, tight-knit neighborhood, West found relief in sporting activities, specifically basketball. Along with friends and family participants, he would certainly develop his abilities on makeshift courts in local parks as well as practice long hours to boost his game. West quickly came to be a standout gamer at East Bank High School, where his ability and also decision led the group to victory in the West Virginia State Championship. His impressive performance caused his induction right into the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.

Jerry West took place to participate in West Virginia University on a basketball scholarship. There, he continued to make a name for himself on the college's basketball group. In his junior year, West led the Mountaineers to the NCAA finals and also was called an All-American. He also played on the USA Basketball group in the 1960 Rome Olympics, gaining a gold medal for his country.

West's remarkable talent did not go undetected by the NBA, and he was drafted as the 2nd total choice by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1960. Jerry's occupation in the NBA lasted an impressive 14 years, during which he played as a guard along with hall-of-fame players like Wilt Chamberlain as well as Elgin Baylor, under the tutoring of train Fred Schaus.

Jerry West rapidly earned the nickname "Mr. Clutch" many thanks to his exceptional capability to step up during high-pressure circumstances and do vital plays. Throughout his NBA career, he racked up many awards, consisting of being named an All-Star 14 times, an All-NBA first string participant 10 times, and even holding the NBA Finals single-game racking up document at 45 points per video game.

In 1972, West ultimately accomplished the elusive NBA Championship after a number of years of losing. Shortly after, he revealed his retirement as a gamer in 1974. However, his love for the video game led him to seek a new placement as a train, signing up with the Lakers' training team just two years after retiring from the court.

Jerry West's basketball understanding and expertise were not limited to his on-court capabilities; he transitioned into a successful executive role as well. After mentoring for 3 years, he was offered the duty of General Manager for the Lakers in 1982. Under his advice, the Lakers took pleasure in wonderful success, winning 6 NBA champions during his period. Later on, as an executive in other franchise business like the Memphis Grizzlies and also the Golden State Warriors, West continued to solidify his basic administration acumen by helping those groups to flourish as well.

Outside of the basketball world, West has actually been actively associated with charity work and also philanthropy. He established the Jerry West Foundation, which offers assistance to youngsters as well as households in need. He has actually also been open about his fight with anxiety throughout his life, utilizing his system to produce awareness as well as equip others to look for aid.

During his lengthy as well as successful career on the planet of basketball, Jerry West's complex personality arised: a sporting activities icon, a devoted group player, as well as an exceptional leader. His strength as well as accomplishments have not just gained him a place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame but have also made "the Logo"-- Jerry West-- a long-lasting symbol of quality in the sporting activity of basketball.

Our collection contains 7 quotes who is written / told by Jerry.

Related authors: Lawrence Taylor (Athlete), Wilt Chamberlain (Athlete), Elgin Baylor (Athlete)

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7 Famous quotes by Jerry West

"Confidence is a lot of this game or any game. If you don't think you can, you won't"

"When it's time for me to walk away from something, I walk away from it. My mind, my body, my conscience tell me that enough is enough"

"You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good"

"To be candid with you, free agency hurts all sports. It's great for athletes making an enormous amount of money. But to say it helps the sports, I don't believe that"

"It's discouraging for me to come out there and watch the lack of fan support for a good team"

"I don't know anything else but the Lakers. This has certainly been more than a job for me as a player. It has certainly meant more to me than just an occupation"

"The support this city and our fans have shown the Grizzlies made my decision to stay in Memphis an easy one. Memphis deserves a championship team, and I am committed to that"