The passing of Basketball Hall of Famer Jerry West at the age of 86 on Wednesday impacted the NBA world big time.
Literally the logo of the NBA, West’s impact on the sport is obvious. He was a legendary player for the Los Angeles Lakers before turning into one of the greatest front office executives the Associatoin has ever seen. That included building dynasties with the Lakers and Golden State Warriors.
Such a passing hit the NBA world hard. West had remained active in basketball leading up to his death. He’s as admired as any figure in the history of the game.
Reactions to West’s passing magnified this big time. That included GOAT Michael Jordan releasing a statement.
“I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry’s passing. He was truly a friend and a mentor, like an older brother to me. I valued his friendship and knowledge. I always wished I could have played against him as a competitor, but the more I came to know him, I wish I had been his teammate.
I admired his basketball insights, and he and I shared many similarities to how we approached the game. He will be forever missed. My condolences to his wife Karen and his sons.”
Michael Jordan on the passing of Jerry West
Michael Jordan, others react to Jerry West’s passing
As noted above, West had a major impact on generations of basketball figures. Reactons to his death on Wednesday showed this in a big way.
Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue’s statement was heartfelt.
Former Los Angeles Lakers head coach and current Miami Heat front office head Pat Riley also released a statement.
“I loved Jerry West! We loved being Lakers together; it was sacred ground. We grew in life with each other and shared the best and worst of times together. We can only hope there is someone we meet during a crucial time in our lives that will change you in ways you could dream about. Jerry was that person for me. Today’s sad, sad news about his passing brought back many of those special moments with Jerry.
Those beautiful memories came in a waterfall of tears; all coming so fast, so vivid, so etched in my mind. It was like yesterday after a shootaround at The Forum that we’d hustle to Hollis Johnson’s drugstore in Westwood to eat the best burgers, drink milkshakes and savor a great custard pudding with fresh whipped cream before we headed home to nap. Then it was game time and Jerry would kick ass in a way that was so skilled and relentless.”
Pat Riley on the passing of Jerry West
West and Riley were members of the Lakers’ Showtime team of the 1980s led by Magic Johnson. He also released a statement following Wednesday’s sad news becoming public record.