Jerry West could easily feel a sense of bitterness toward Russell, even though The Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972. the Lakers held a "Jerry West Night", and eleven-time NBA champion and perennial rival Bill Russell appeared and said: "Jerry, you are, in every sense of the word, truly a . [67] In 2015, the Warriors won their first championship in 40 years; the championship was the seventh earned by West while serving as a team executive. MIES (Switzerland) - It happened more than half a century ago, yet for two of the biggest legends in the sport, USA's Jerry West and Oscar Robertson, memories of the gold-medal winning run at the Olympic Games in Rome are crystal clear. Countdown 4: Top 10 Five-Tool Players in MLB History, Countdown 153: Top 10 Minnesota Twins of All Time, Countdown 152: Top 10 Dallas Mavericks of All Time, Countdown 151: Top 10 Tampa Bay Lightning of All Time, Countdown 150: Top 10 Kickers in NFL History, Countdown 149: Top 10 Left-Handed Pitchers in MLB History. In a generation defined mostly by big men, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson managed to stand out from the crop. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Before the 1970-1971, Robertson was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks for Flynn Robinson and Charlie Paulk, where he teamed up with center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to form a potent duo. Wests statistical record only begins to tell his story. But he would drive, almost always to his right, and give the ball an extra-hard bounce on his last dribble, so he could catch it on the rise as he leaped into his shot. [23] However, West seamlessly took over the role of team leader and established himself as the main Lakers scorer, averaging 30.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, winning All-NBA First Team honors. During that time, West was the better scorer (27.0 to 25.7), but Robertson grabbed more rebounds (7.5 to 5.8) and averaged more assists (9.5 to 6.7) and also had slightly better shooting percentages. Height: 6-2 (188cm) Weight: 185 (84kg) The championship was West's first-ever NBA title. West was chosen four times to Oscar's none. 1970 class-action lawsuit that led to the creation of free agency, legendary game from Wilt Chamberlain en route to a title, another player (Russell Westbrook) to average a triple-double over the course of a full season. During his first year, he was benched by his coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick behind Robertson in the 1960 NBA Draft. Entering the same 1960 NBA Draft as Robertson, West was selected right after Robertson with the second overall pick by the Minneapolis Lakers, who soon relocated to California and became the Los Angeles Lakers. During that time, West was the better scorer (27.0 to 25.7), but Robertson grabbed more rebounds (7.5 to 5.8) and averaged more assists (9.5 to 6.7) and also had slightly better shooting percentages. He averaged 24.8points per game and 13.3rebounds. Basketball, Team, School. Ventaja : Jerry West. The USA had been the only country to win the gold medal since basketball was introduced at the Summer Games in Berlin, in 1936. They're all that way on the Celtics, and you can't teach it. Now, why is it that way? Robertsons all-around excellence made him a triple-double machine on the court, and he drastically altered the complexion of the sport with a 1970 class-action lawsuit that led to the creation of free agency. [44] As the three-point line had not been introduced yet, the shot just tied the game. He was also at the forefront of rebuilding the Lakers into championship shape by adding Shaquille ONeal as a free agent and trading for Kobe Bryant, who entered the NBA out of high school in 1996. The triple-double is just a stat. Clutch" a handle which stuck with West for his entire career. The Big O at 6-5 was the first power guard, backing defenders down, never taking a 12-footer if a 10 was available, never a 10 if he could get an 8. Chance of rain 100%. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. [68] [69][70], On December 17, 2020, it was reported that West and the LA Clippers were under investigation by the NBA following a lawsuit filed by John Wilkes against the LA Clippers over the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard to the team. He was the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). [ 1] Robertson named West among his top five. In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths. Clutch, but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. [12], In his final collegiate season (195960) West enjoyed several career highs, such as scoring 29.3points per game, a 134 season-assists, 16.5rebounds per game, and a shooting average of 50.4% from the field, 76.6% from the free throw line. The next season, though he averaged 27.1 points per game, he only played in 55 games; injuries and missed games were a prevalent theme throughout Wests career, as he would play in fewer than 70 regular season games in half of his 14 NBA seasons. West said to Robertson. Oscar Robertson, in full Oscar Palmer Robertson, byname the Big O, (born November 24, 1938, Charlotte, Tennessee, U.S.), American basketball player who starred in both the collegiate and professional ranks and was considered one of the top players in the history of the game. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically. For the children's author, see, In the summer of 1996, West traded for shooting guard. He looks determined. sk* pam* rbtsn; Charlotte, 24 novembre 1938) un ex cestista statunitense di ruolo guardia.. Soprannominato The Big O, disput 14 campionati NBA con le maglie dei Cincinnati Royals e dei Milwaukee Bucks, vincendo con questi ultimi il titolo nel 1971.Nel 1962 fu il primo giocatore nella storia dell'NBA a concludere una stagione con una tripla . Over the next summer he grew six more inches. At halftime of Sunday's NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, the league honored its . "Not a day goes by when I don't think about that Olympic experience.". Today, both are remembered as among the all-time greats, with Wests silhouette gracing the NBAs logo, but it is impossible not to compare the two players and ask: Who was better Oscar Robertson or Jerry West? By Oscar Robertson Aug. 7, 2010 Let me tell you about the original Dream Team, the 1960 United States Olympic gold medalist basketball team coached by Pete Newell, with Jerry West and me as the co . Under his reign, Los Angeles won six championship rings. Following another Finals loss in 1970, this time to the New York Knicks, the Lakers finally broke through in 1972 and beat the Knicks in five games for the only NBA title of Wests career; ironically, it was one of the worst individual postseasons of his career, as he averaged only 22.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and a league-best 8.9 assists per game. After being employed by the Lakers for over 40 years, West retired but soon became the president of basketball operations of the Memphis Grizzlies on April 30, 2002. West threw in 28.7 points per game with 48% shooting from the floor and 83% shooting from the foul line. [62] However, he laid down the foundation of the Lakers three-peat, which saw L.A. win three NBA titles from 2000-2002. The East Bank High School legend and Oscar Robertson also led the United States basketball team to the gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. [77] Finally, the NBA logo itself is modeled after West's silhouette. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. FTA complete back to 1948-49. [53][54], The 197374 NBA season was to be West's last as a player. West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. Jerry West and the Lakers won Game 3 of the 1962 NBA Finals at the buzzer. In Game 2, Baltimore was unable to stop the Lakers guard, who scored 52 points, nearly half of L.A.'s total, in the 118115 win. He stayed on as a scout for three years and became general manager in 1982, helping to build the Lakers dynasty of the 1980s. He took a loss harder than any player Ive ever known, said longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn in the National Sports Daily. Oscar Robertson vs Dominique Wilkins "We got one dollar a day per diem," West recalled, when he spoke at the team's induction ceremony at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012. [15] The Lakers won 60 games and reached the 1973 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. Oscar might dispute the analogy, though. And also, West can still feel the sensation of receiving his gold medal. ". His only outlet was a basketball hoop nailed to a storage shed outside a neighbors house. Jerry West. Maybe that's what a team is all about. The Knicks' Walt Frazier is stopped by Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain (13) as Jerry West (44) drives around them for a score in first quarter of an NBA finals game on April 26, 1972. Thus, after weighing their careers against each other in terms of statistics, achievements, and impact, the winner of this faceoff is: As always, vote for your choice and leave your thoughts and comments below. "I think any time an athlete gets an opportunity to play for your country, he should accept it," he said. [8] He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine electrician. The dirt-covered court became his domain. "Race; cold war; threat of nuclear war. Despite the Lakers failure to win more titles, most of Wests legendary exploits came during the postseason. [89], This article is about the basketball player. He earned his eighth in the 201617 season. I felt I was deceived. Like many NBA stars, West came from humble beginnings. Plus, he scored 56 points in just one game, which is . [38] There was an altercation in which Chamberlain was about to punch Van Breda Kolff before Baylor had intervened. [41] In Game 3, Russell opted to double-team West, and the guard's exhaustion began to show: West twice asked to be subbed for longer periods, and both times the Lakers fell back by double digits and finally lost by sixpoints. Jerry West SG. After a big loss, the Wests would drive home and she would try to console him, but West would say "get out" at the home porch and drive awayan experience that "killed" her as a wife. Isiah Thomas potentially snubs Michael Jordan as he labeles The Flash as the best Chicago athlete. [75] Also, on November 26, 2005, his number 44 became the first basketball number to be retired by West Virginia University and on February 17, 2007, a bronze statue created by sculptor Jamie Lester was installed outside of the WVU Coliseum. 26 Feb 2023 06:03:55 [22], Initially, West felt odd in his new environment. As the game ended, veteran Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy threw the ball high into the rafters of the L.A. Sports Arena. "That was a unique period of time in this world," he said. All videos are . [12] They have three sons, David, Mark and Michael. Basketball had not yet sacrificed fundamentals for potential. As a player with the Cincinnati (Ohio) Royals of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1961-62, he averaged . There will never be another player like the 'Big Dipper', who changed the game with his strength, athleticism and skill. West's mid-range jump shot became his trademark and he often used it to score while under pressure from opposing defenses. However, West averaged 22.8points, but also averaged 8.8assists per game, and again was a First Teamer in the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense Teams. The answer is "yes," according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons. After two years away from basketball, West became the Lakers coach before the 1976-77 season. It sounds like trash talk before its time, but West did not christen himself. [15], In the postseason, the Lakers defeated the Chicago Bulls in a four-game sweep,[49] then went on to face the Milwaukee Bucks, and defeated them in six games. West ganhou notoriedade por ter servido de inspirao para o desenho do logotipo da NBA, o qual baseado na imagem de uma jogada de Jerry West. Once there, the Lakers lost Game 1 to the Knicks, but then won four straight by relatively large margins. Basketball, Thinking, Able. "Why does everybody say the game has changed? He also led Oscar in NBA All-First Team selections, ten to nine. West and Co. got their revenge the following season, as The Logo led the NBA in assists and LA got a legendary game from Wilt Chamberlain en route to a title. Before Game 1, West privately complained to Bill Russell of exhaustion, but then the Lakers guard scored 53 points on Boston in a close two-point win. [43] L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain. He was an All-Star every year of his career and led Los Angeles to the NBA Finals nine times. The same road is shared on the south end of Morgantown with Don Knotts Boulevard, in honor of another WVU alumnus. RELATED: Kobe's Final Game Was The Perfect Farewell. But it is less a function of disrespect than of youth. Working as a player-scout for three years, West was named general manager of the Lakers before the 198283 NBA season. With an all-around game that rivaled Oscar Robertson's, West added six assists and six rebounds per game and excellent defense in the backcourt that produced a number of steals each game. Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas and Dave Cowens honored at halftime of NBA All-Star Game. [15] Without Chamberlain, who had ended his NBA career, the Lakers won 47 games and lost in five games to the Milwaukee Bucks. Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar helped lead the Bucks to the 1971 championship, beating West and the Celtics in the Conference Finals in the process. That was our goal.". In five postseason games that year, West scored a total of 160 points, presaging his NBA playoff heroics. [35] The 52 wins were accumulated despite West playing only 51 regular season games due to injury[22] and scoring 26.3 points, the lowest average since his rookie year: after being a First-Teamer for six times en bloc, he only made the All-NBA Second Team. All of these rookies except for Wilkens are also featured on the action cards. A 112-81 triumph over Italy and finally, a 90-63 victory over Brazil, clinched the gold medal. [43] In Game 3, DeBusschere hit a mid-range jump shot with three seconds left to put the Knicks ahead 102100, and the Lakers had no time-outs left. [16] West's best performance was a game against Virginia, in which he grabbed 16 rebounds and scored 40 points. Additionally, Robertson also remains #1 all-time in career triple-doubles with 181; the only other players in NBA history with more than 100 career triple-doubles are Russell Westbrook (138, as of the end of the 2018-2019 season), Magic Johnson (138), and Jason Kidd (107). Oscar Robertson vs Jerry West. Jerry West is one of the most revered players in NBA history. Sure did," said Jerry West. He entered the NBA in 1960 and immediately established himself averaging 30.5 points per game and captured Rookie of the Year honors. He explained (h/t YouTube) that Wests appraisals of Robertson solidified the Big Os greatness that much more. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. One of his great joys was playing with Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas on the gold medal-winning 1960 Olympic team. His 28.7 points per game eclipsed the 25.4 by Baylor, who stated that he suffered from knee problems. As the NBA celebrates it's 75th Anniversary Season, get to know dozens of star players who helped make the NBA what it is today. Jerry West and Oscar Robertson defined the guard position for over a decade. West continued to propel the Lakers to championship contender status by trading Divac for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant (1996), by signing free agent center Shaquille O'Neal (also 1996), and by signing six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson as a coach (1999). In 1969, he became the only player to win Finals MVP on the losing team. To get the center, the Lakers traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark, starting center Darrall Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia. The Lakers drafted him after the Cincinnati Royals drafted Oscar Robertson. He would sit by himself and stare into space. Then as now, it is rings that really validate the best. @Sen_JoeManchin, "Jerry West demands retraction of his 'cruel' portrayal in 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty', https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jerry_West&oldid=1141917828, Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 27 February 2023, at 15:05. "When we played, [the NBA] was a minor league acting like a pro league. Those two players formed the nucleus of three consecutive championship teams beginning with capturing the 2000 NBA Finals. In fact, scoreboard keepers didnt introduce the concept of assists till after Bob Cousy revolutionized the PG position. [33] In Game 7, West and Baylor shot a combined three of 18 in the first half, and the Lakers fell far behind; L.A. willed themselves back to a close 9593 with four seconds left, but the Celtics ran the clock out and the Lakers were denied yet again. I want to help make a difference. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the postseason. Overall, his time with the Royals was dominant over a decade with the team, he averaged at least 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 47.0% shooting, and was an All-Star plus a First Team or Second Team All-NBA selection each year. Jerry West. On the most recent episode of his podcast, Simmons named (in order) his top 15 in the "Pantheon." Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon . 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