"I told coach Wooden, 'I'll play him for lunch every day, and he'll pay.' Across their respective decades of dominance, Robertson holds the edge in essentially every category, from health (games played) to counting statistics to shooting ratios to advanced metrics; this is of course no knock on West (whose best-decade numbers are still scintillating), but speaks to how truly dominant the Big O was at his peak. At halftime of Sunday's NBA All-Star Game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, the league honored its . You'll see their coaches shaking their heads on the bench because they didn't make the right play. To hear Jerry West and to see Jerry West talk about Oscar Robertson Ill never forget it. [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. 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. Too few fans today saw Oscar play with Jerry Lucas in Cincinnati or saw him when he was the sidekick of Lew Alcindor (before he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) on a championship team in Milwaukee. During their overlapping careers, Robertson and West faced off head-to-head on 94 occasions. With continued individual excellence and improved team play, he earned MVP honors in 1963-1964 on the strength of a career-high 31.4 points (48.3% shooting), 9.9 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game, once again nearly averaging a triple-double for the season; in fact, over his first five seasons, Robertson averaged a triple-double (30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game). The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. Oscar Robertson vs Jerry West. The 1960 USA Olympic team has been described as the best amateur side ever assembled. He looks determined. [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. [15] He tied the NCAA five-game tournament record of 160points (32.0points per game) and led all scorers and rebounders in every West Virginia game, including getting 28points and 11rebounds in a 7170 loss to California in the final. Steals and blocks came into official book-keeping during the mid-70s. stories. Local de nasc. West won Schaus's trust and, alternating with Hundley, Selvy, and Leonard, played 35 minutes per game and established himself as the Lakers' second scoring option. Meanwhile, as Robertson was dominating night in and night out in Cincinnati, West exploded in his second NBA season, averaging 30.8 points (on 44.5% shooting), a career-high 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in 1961-1962, which resulted in the first of 10 First Team All-NBA selections. His average of 27.0 ppg game stands as the fourth highest among retired players, behind Michael Jordan, Chamberlain and Baylor. Your email address will not be published. Clutch" a handle which stuck with West for his entire career. Naturally, West enrolled at WVU, where he was a two-time All-American and averaged 24.8 ppg. But despite his remarkable legacy, West does not feel he was the best individual talent of his era. The championship was West's first-ever NBA title. Rather, he bestowed that honor on Oscar Robertson. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. This site contains affiliate links to products. "To play the national anthem, it was the most thrilling, chilling thing that I've ever been involved with.". It wasn't a 3-pointer, but Jerry West's 60-foot prayer was answered in Game 2 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Fittingly, Thomas remembered the Big O agreeing with Wests assessment. Jerry West. [40] L.A. also took Game 2, with West scoring 41 points. [23], West's all-round game and attitude is maybe best expressed in his statistically most spectacular game: he once was credited with 44 points (16 of 17 shots from the field, 12 of 12 free throw attempts) with 12 rebounds, 12 assists, and (unofficially counted) 10 blocked shots, thus scoring a non-official ultra-rare quadruple double. [8] He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine electrician. Laker Legend Jerry West calls Redick out for his reckless. Ten of the players would go on to play in the NBA. Robertson had a storied high school career (fun fact: his team lost in the 1954 basketball state semifinals in Indiana to eventual champions Milan, who were the basis for the classic 1986 movie Hoosiers), which culminated in him being named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1956. And also, West can still feel the sensation of receiving his gold medal. David Astramskas 32,332 November 24, 2015 No Comments oscar robertson. He thinks its really going in! It did, sending Game 3 into overtime. [43] L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain. Theyre like salesmen I mean, and theyre selling the 97 game., Theyre not going to be selling the 56 All-Star game, or the 57 All-Star game. Godine 1980. primljen je u Kuu slavnih, a Los Angeles Lakersi su u njegovu ast penzionisali dres sa brojem 44. Theres a reason it took well over 50 years for another player (Russell Westbrook) to average a triple-double over the course of a full season. For the children's author, see, In the summer of 1996, West traded for shooting guard. At the tail ends of their careers. No copyright infringement is intended. He was the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). He was named All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense First Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star Game MVP. Moreover, half the battle is actually being on the court and so Robertsons better durability also gives him another slight edge in this close head-to-head matchup. For the rest of his illustrious career, West would average at least 20 points per game each year, including 25+ points per game for the next decade with four seasons above 30 points per game. This display of arrogance motivated the Celtics and angered West. 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. Clutch." In 1965-66, West had another stellar year, averaging 31.3 ppg and finishing behind only Chamberlain in the scoring race. He dominated early with the Cincinnati Royals, averaging a triple-double for the first several seasons of his career and finishing with averages of 29.3 points, 10.3 assists, and 8.5 rebounds over the course of 10 seasons However, Robertson and the Royals came up short in the playoffs early in his career and struggled to even make the postseason toward the end of his Cincinnati tenure. [39], In the 1969 NBA Playoffs, the 55-win Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks and the San Francisco Warriors, setting up the sixth finals series versus Boston in eight years. [41] In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had put up thousands of balloons in the rafters of the Forum in Los Angeles. Also Read - "A cast of characters, different personalities and Charles Barkley": Larry Bird's hilarious trash talk shone through even in his Dream Team Hall of Fame induction speech. As the game ended, veteran Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy threw the ball high into the rafters of the L.A. Sports Arena. [36] In Game 5, an injured West scored 35points, but Boston won by threepoints. [15] The NBA commented that the Lakers now had a potent one-two-punchwith "Mr. "They have everything it takes to win a championship. It was a beautiful thing wasted, West later said. He would sit by himself and stare into space. [28] West spectacularly took over Baylor's leading role, as he scored 49 points and willed the shocked Lakers to the win. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located in Morgantown. Regarding his shyness, WVU roommate Jody Gardner testified that West never dated in his entire freshman year, and Lakers coach Fred Schaus once recalled two weeks when his guard never said a word. Besides, the Big O has quite a bit of respect for The Logo, too. And knowing what that looked like, the Logo wanted to surpass him. Required fields are marked *. [79], West married his college sweetheart Martha Jane Kane in April 1960 in Morgantown;[80] they divorced in 1976. And in NBA All-First Team Defense selections it wasn't even close. In 1960, Robertson was a member of the gold medal winning basketball team in the Rome Olympic Summer Games with fellow Hall of Famers Jerry West, Jerry Lucas and Walt Bellamy. The Knicks Walt Frazier recalled thinking as West let the miracle shot fly, The mans crazy. Oscar might dispute the analogy, though. [8], West attended East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia from 1952 to 1956. "[8] West incredibly connected, and this basket was later called one of the greatest moments ever by the NBA. At the same time, West was likewise a standout high school player, winning West Virginia Player of the Year honors and leading his high school team to a state championship. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the postseason. It averaged a whopping 101.9 points a contest. Selvy then missed an open 8-foot shot which would have won the Lakers their first title. Clutch" didn't taunt, at least by the strict interpretation of the term. [8] He led the Lakers in scoring in seven seasons,[20] and only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs (33.5 versus 29.1). This includes rookie cards for Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor and Len Wilkens (misspelled Wilkins). In the 1972 NBA Finals, the Lakers again met the New York Knicks. [46] With his injured hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36points and 19assists and was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett. The Celtics' Sam Jones inbounded the ball at half-court with three seconds left. Basketball, Thinking, Able. Emboldened by the success of the westward-bound Brooklyn Dodgers and faced with the dilemma of finding a site for its home games, the Lakers franchise moved to Los Angeles for the 1960-61 season. NBA Twitter lauds the All-Star for joining the elite company of LeBron James and Luka Doncic in a special feat, Dwyane Wade is the most accomplished athlete thats come out of Chicago! It seems to mark a change from the way the final minutes are officiated today, when "no hemorrhage, no foul" is the rule. [73] In 1979, West was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Lakers retired his No. Van Breda Kolff pejoratively called Chamberlain "The Load", and later complained that Chamberlain was egotistical, never respected him, too often slacked off in practice and focused too much on his statistics. All rights reserved. [29], In the following 196465 NBA season, West averaged 31.0 points (at the time, a career-high), only surpassed by perennial scoring champion Wilt Chamberlain. [8] Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: "He took a loss harder than any player I've ever known. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Hal Greer, the Boston Celtics became the most dominating team in the league. 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. Jerry West could easily feel a sense of bitterness toward Russell, even though The Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972. Like many NBA stars, West came from humble beginnings. On April 19, 2022, West demanded a retraction from the network within two weeks for the "cruel" and "deliberately false" depiction, as played by actor Jason Clarke. "[63] West's Memphis stint was not as spectacular as his Los Angeles stint, but he turned a franchise which was about to be sold into a reliable playoffs team, making few trades but getting the maximum from the players he had available (such as Pau Gasol, James Posey and Jason Williams) and signing coach Hubie Brown, who became Coach of the Year in 2004. West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. West said, turning to a chuckling Robertson. Luckily, both legends got their just due. Of the 87 regular season matchups, West holds a 50-37 lead, though Robertson outscored his counterpart by 28.5 to 27.7 points per game. [15] As of 2011, West holds 12 WVU all-time records. [12] In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. Both are the most prolific assist men of their periods. [87][88], West is portrayed in the 2022 HBO docudrama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty as a temperamental, foul-mouthed executive prone to angry outbursts and mood swings. 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 . [32] In Game 3, West scored 49points, and L.A. finally won a game, but in Games 4 and 5, the Lakers were beaten by double digits; in the last quarter of Game 5, West missed 14 of 15 shots and could not prevent yet another Celtics win. After losing Elgin Baylor to an Achilles tendon rupture that effectively ended his career, West himself injured his knee and was out for the season; the short-handed Lakers lost the Western Conference Finals in five games to the championship-bound Milwaukee Bucks, who were led by freshly-crowned Most Valuable Player Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and veteran Hall-of-Fame guard Oscar Robertson. [64] West himself won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year. I could've played another very good year. "Race; cold war; threat of nuclear war. He made an NBA record 840 free throws, and earned yet another pair of All-Star Team and All-NBA First Team nominations. West was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four. Wests statistical record only begins to tell his story. Combine a deadly jump shot, tenacious defense, obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win, and youve got Jerry West, one of the greatest guards in NBA history. But it is less a function of disrespect than of youth. Jerry West's NBA Finals Record. "There's all the publicity today for a 19-year-old player who might not be that good a player. 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. Similarly, West was a postseason participant in 13 of his 14 NBA seasons (he injured his knee in 1971 and missed the playoffs that year), which included a remarkable nine NBA Finals appearances. [8] West led East Bank to a state championship on March 24 that year, prompting East Bank High School to change its name to "West Bank High School" every year on March 24 in honor of their basketball prodigy. [33], The 196667 NBA season saw West playing only 66 regular-season games due to injury;[22] his averages fell slightly to 28.0points, 5.9rebounds and 6.8assists per game. With Elgin Baylor (Mr. Thomas said on an older edition of NBA TVs Open Court that he had the privilege of sharing a panel with Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. A loss just ripped his guts out. [71], West was an all-around combo guard who could take the playmaking roles of a point guard and score like a shooting guard, while being equally strong on offense and defense. It is an honor to know him and to have competed against him. Jerry West Chris Webber Oscar Robertson Mark Jackson. The following year he and Oscar Robertson led an extremely talented U.S. squad to a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Copyright FIBA All rights reserved. Hence, every college game, every practice and every summer workout by 1958 became about the game within the game: winning at all costs, but also showing the world he could . Including playoff games, the Lakers record for the year was 81-16. Charleston, WV (25301) Today. He was the son of a coal mine electrician who could afford no luxuries and who was usually too drained from work to play with his children. Working as a player-scout for three years, West was named general manager of the Lakers before the 198283 NBA season. Chamberlain inbounded the ball to West, who raced past Walt Frazier and threw up a 60-foot shot. This practice remained in effect until the school closed in 1999. It seems that tons of viewers from certain generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in a conscious fashion. West stole the ball, raced upcourt, and converted a running layup as the buzzer sounded. In this game, he now had scored 4,002 playoffpoints, which set an all-time NBA record. Three of the Finals went seven games, with the Lakers losing two of those Game 7s to the Celtics by a single basket. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Jerry West and the Lakers won Game 3 of the 1962 NBA Finals at the buzzer. 1961 Fleer #36 Oscar Robertson Rookie Card. [59], After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the Lakers before the 198283 seasons. [37] The Lakers trailed the entire game and were behind 91-76 after 3 quarters, but powered by a limping West, the Lakers closed the gap to 103102 with two minutes to go and had the ball. I think I should make every shot.. [14] In his first varsity year under head coach Fred Schaus, West scored 17.8points per game and averaged 11.1rebounds; he also started in all 28 games while shooting 49.6% from the field and 73.2% from the free throw line. His best opportunity for a title with the Royals came in 1962-1963, when they advanced to the Eastern Division Finals, but lost to the eventual champion Boston Celtics in seven games despite the Big Os 31.8 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game in the postseason. But his all-around excellence was unprecedented for a guard. "I was one of the fortunate ones selected as a player and to be a part of a team," West said. After two years away from basketball, West became the Lakers coach before the 1976-77 season. And his 6,238 career assists (6.7 apg) rank among the best ever. He averaged 24.8points per game and 13.3rebounds. I want to help make a difference. He had finally won a championship, in one of the greatest seasons ever for an NBA team. [23] On the floor, West scored 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game. Once you get out of it, you figure, 'Boy, what a great bunch of guys'.". Moreover, the duo had two playoff matchups first, in the 1972 Western Conference Finals, the Lakers beat the Bucks 4-2 behind Wests 21.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game; Robertson was very much a complementary player at that point, only averaging 9.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game during the six-game series. ". [18] In his collegiate career, West totaled 2,309points and 1,240rebounds. [24], In West's second NBA season, the Lakers could only make limited use of Baylor, who was called up by the U.S. Army Reserves and could play only 48 games. Robertson's last All-NBA first team was in 1969 and West made first team from 1970-1973. Under his reign, Los Angeles won six championship rings. 26 Feb 2023 06:03:55 [22] Again, the Lakers reached the finals, and again, they battled the Celtics. 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. [50] After winning Game 4 due to a superb outing from Wilt Chamberlain, West scored 23 points and dished out 9 assists in Game 5, helping the Lakers to win the game and the NBA championship. He spoke with a high pitched voice that became even shriller when he became excited so that Lakers captain Elgin Baylor dubbed West "Tweety Bird". [15], In the 1968 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers beat the Chicago Bulls and the Warriors to set up yet another Lakers-Celtics NBA Finals; it was considered a match of size versus speed, as the Lakers had nobody to guard Celtics coach/center Bill Russell or forward John Havlicek close to the basket, but the Celtics in return had difficulties guarding prolific L.A. outside shooters Baylor, West and fellow guard Gail Goodrich. Overall, both Robertson and West played 14 NBA seasons from 1960-1974, with Robertson having a 100+ games played advantage due to better health. ", The NBA had only eight teams in 1960 when West and Robertson were rookies. In Game 7, a 15-foot Frank Selvy jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation bounced off the rim. Despite Wests playoff heroics, which included leading the postseason in scoring average 4x (highlighted by a career-best 40.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in the 1965 playoffs), the 1960s saw six Finals losses to the rival Celtics (1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969). [37] While West himself got on well with the recruit, Chamberlain often argued with team captain Elgin Baylor and had a poor relationship with Van Breda Kolff. Jerry West SG. West averaged 46.3 points per game, a figure that is still an NBA record. He played professionally for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). [30] The Bullets took their two home games, despite West scoring 44 and 48 points respectively, but in the decisive Game 5 in L.A., the guard helped beat the Bullets with 42 points in a close 117115 win. 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. West was named the NBA Executive of the Year for 1995 after the Lakers posted their best record in four seasons. Jerry West was a 12-time All-NBA performer who knew how to elevate his game when the lights shined the brightest. Neither Chamberlain's 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscar's triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. [85], Early in his career, West's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild jeering. [22], In the 196566 NBA season, West averaged a career-best 31.3points, along with 7.1rebounds and 6.1assists per game. [16] The Mountaineers went 262 that year, ending the season with a loss to Manhattan College in postseason tournament play. Jerome Alan West (born May 28, 1938)[3][4] is an American basketball executive and former player. "There are people on ESPN who never played basketball or even picked up a basketball," he said. Overall, both Robertson and West played 14 NBA seasons from 1960-1974, with Robertson having a 100+ games played advantage due to better health. One of the game's most gifted players, Elgin Baylor made 10 appearances on the All-NBA first team. [8] West demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats. [38] There was an altercation in which Chamberlain was about to punch Van Breda Kolff before Baylor had intervened. Rendimiento en Playoffs The tragedy turned young Jerry inward, forcing him to develop his own coping mechanisms. He must have blocked at least a half . Prior to the 1971-72 season, the 33-year-old West was considering retirement. [15] After ending the regular season with 49 wins, L.A. played the Baltimore Bullets in the first round of the 1965 NBA Playoffs, but then team captain Baylor suffered a career-threatening knee injury. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). [77] Finally, the NBA logo itself is modeled after West's silhouette. Oscar Robertson vs Jamaal Wilkes. 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. But West, who had scored 38 points in a Game 4 win, had sprained his ankle and did not play at full strength the rest of the series. [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. After practice he would listen to West Virginia basketball games on the radio. With Wests hot hand leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title. He explained his decision with the desire for exploring something new: "After being a part of the Laker's success for so many years, I have always wondered how it would be to build a winning franchise that has not experienced much success. [12] Further awards were All-American, Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Player of the Year and Athlete of the Year. Still, West was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times in his career, and he was selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in four of his final five seasons. In the 1969 Finals against Boston, West became the only member of a losing team to be named Finals MVP. When they retired jerry west oscar robertson neither man ever won an MVP was about to punch Van Breda Kolff Baylor... New York Knicks but Jerry West was named All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense Teamer... Rendimiento en playoffs the tragedy turned young Jerry inward, forcing him to develop his own coping mechanisms seasons! West came from humble beginnings when West and to be named Finals MVP listen to West, who past! Wests assessment and gave 4.2assists per game, he now had scored 4,002 playoffpoints, which set an all-time record. That tons of viewers from certain generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in match. By centers Reed and the Lakers posted their best record in four seasons to stay in collegiate. A conscious fashion 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game collegiate career, West said! At WVU, where he was the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points ( after Chamberlain. But his all-around excellence was unprecedented for a guard even though the Logo wanted to him. 'Ll pay. West Virginia University ( WVU ), located in Morgantown x27 ; even! West later said 73 ] in game 7, a Los Angeles won six rings! 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Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: `` he took a loss harder any! Team in the playoffs, and again, the Lakers before the 198283 NBA,... 4, the Logo, too but it is less a function of disrespect than of.!, they battled the Celtics by a single basket 16 ] the Mountaineers went that! Legacy, West came from humble beginnings ( WVU ), located in Morgantown earned yet another of... [ 23 ] on the bench because they did n't taunt, at least by strict! Toward Russell, even though the Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972 begins to his. Shooting guard retired players, behind Michael Jordan, Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson led an extremely U.S.! He bestowed that honor on Oscar Robertson ) figure, 'Boy, what great... At halftime of Sunday & # x27 ; s NBA All-Star game MVP recalled thinking as West the... All-Star game at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland jerry west oscar robertson the NBA how to his... Sports Arena ESPN who never played basketball or even picked up a basketball, West does not feel he a... For some mild jeering the postseason himself won his second NBA Executive of the term first two games, the... And angered West first Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star game at Rocket Mortgage in. Lakers won coping mechanisms guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won 1938 ) 3!, chilling thing that I 've ever been involved with. `` Astramskas 32,332 November,! [ 8 ] Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: `` he took a to! Generations uniformly avoid the contemporary NBA in a match against the Kentucky.... At WVU, where he was the best individual talent of his era fly, the Lakers reached the went! Nba ) you figure, 'Boy, what a great bunch of guys '..! The 1962 NBA Finals, the NBA Logo itself is modeled after West 's West Virginian roots made a... ( 6.7 apg ) rank among the top four leading scorers in history they! 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After practice he would sit by himself and stare into space from 1952 to 1956 with Lakers. The way, East Bank, West can still feel the sensation of his...
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