In five postseason games that year, West scored a total of 160 points, presaging his NBA playoff heroics. 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! After taking the series lead on Baylors then record 61-point performance in Game 5, Los Angeles dropped the next two. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick . Following another five-game loss to Boston in 1963-1964, Cincinnati would never again make it past the first round with Robertson. Enjoying a prolific 14-year NBA career with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks, Robertson amassed 26,710 points and 9,887 assists. However, due to the dynastic dominance of the Boston Celtics, who won 10 NBA titles between 1959 and 1969, including eight straight from 1959 to 1966, both players would fall short of a ring time after time again until finally reaching the NBA pinnacle in the early 1970s. Oscar Robertson. [65][66] This role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the team. They were 39-3 at midseason and finished at 69-13, the best single-season record in NBA history until the 1995-96 Bulls (72-10) bested it.. As a member of the Bucks in 1970-1971, Robertson finally broke through as Milwaukee swept the Baltimore Bullets in the NBA Finals for his only NBA title; Robertson led the playoffs in assists that season (8.9 assists per game) to go along with 18.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game. Perhaps fittingly, the two players also went into the Hall of Fame together in 1980, and Wests silhouette continues to grace the NBA logo today. "[8], West ended his playing career with 14 All-Star, 12 All-NBA Team and five All-Defensive Team selections, and scored 25,192points, 6,238assists and 5,366rebounds in 932 games, translating to an average of 27.0points, 6.7assists and 5.8rebounds per game. He must have blocked at least a half . Inside) scoring nearly 35 ppg and West (Mr. Jerry West is a legendary Lakers guard. I want to help make a difference. After two years away from basketball, West became the Lakers coach before the 1976-77 season. Although West enjoyed great individual success during his prime, the teams record is a study in frustration unbelievable frustration is how West described it to the Los Angeles Times Magazine. [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. . For his contributions, West won the NBA Executive of the Year Award twice, once as a Lakers manager (1995) and then as a Grizzlies manager (2004). Simple mathematics tells us that there are 144 cards contained within the twenty-four packs of six, resulting in the probability of two examples of each member of the set's full roster. The dirt-covered court became his domain. ", The NBA had only eight teams in 1960 when West and Robertson were rookies. Selvy then missed an open 8-foot shot which would have won the Lakers their first title. He grew up in Cheylan, West Virginia, although his family got its mail in Cabin Creek. All rights reserved. [40] Game 4 saw Celtics guard Sam Jones hit an off-balance buzzer beater to tie the series,[41] but in Game 5, the Lakers struck back and won by 13points; however, they suffered a major blow when West who scored 39points and by far led all players in scoring during the entire series lunged for a meaningless late-game ball and seriously pulled his hamstring: it was immediately visible that the injury would not heal until the end of the series. [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. West was chosen four times to Oscar's none. It seems to bother the Big O more than West, this dulling of fans' memories of their glory days. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. In the 1960 NBA Draft, Robertson was drafted first overall (territorial pick) by the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) and dominated from the get-go, averaging 30.5 points (47.3% shooting), 10.1 rebounds, and a league-high 9.7 assists per game as a rookie; as a result, he was Rookie of the Year, made the first of his 12 consecutive All-Star Game appearances, and earned the first of nine straight First Team All-NBA selections. West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. 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. 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. Clutch." [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. [59], After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the Lakers before the 198283 seasons. He made an NBA record 840 free throws, and earned yet another pair of All-Star Team and All-NBA First Team nominations. He took a loss harder than any player Ive ever known, said longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn in the National Sports Daily. West averaged 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists and was again NBA All-Star and All-NBA First-Team;[15] however, he played in only 55 regular-season games, missing the last seven weeks due to a hamstring injury. In a generation defined mostly by big men, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson managed to stand out from the crop. [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). In the rainy spring he dribbled in mud. [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 West not yet in shape, Baylor and the Lakers fell back 32; then they succumbed in Game 6 in front of their home crowd with a 112109 loss. Additionally, as President of the Players Association, he was involved in the landmark Robertson vs. National Basketball Association antitrust suit that led to reforms for the college draft and free agency rules, and also finally allowed the completion of the ABA-NBA merger to take place in 1976 (the suit was filed in 1970). 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. 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. Gail Goodrich's all-around play from the backcourt made him a perennial All-Star and, eventually, an NBA champion. Isiah Thomas potentially snubs Michael Jordan as he labeles The Flash as the best Chicago athlete. He earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor despite the loss. West was motivated by a relentless drive to succeed. Oscar Robertson vs Lenny Wilkens. [8] West demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats. Robertson's last All-NBA first team was in 1969 and West made first team from 1970-1973. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Oscar Robertson Calls out NBA for Super Teams Hypocrisy: When Boston Got Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, That Was David Sterns Deal. In fact, scoreboard keepers didnt introduce the concept of assists till after Bob Cousy revolutionized the PG position. [ 1] [15] On January 17, 1962, West scored a career-high 63 points in a 129121 win over the New York Knicks. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. Damian Lillard became the 4th player in NBA history with 200 points and 60 assists in a playoff series, joining LeBron James, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. Once there, the Lakers lost Game 1 to the Knicks, but then won four straight by relatively large margins. West was named the NBA Executive of the Year for 1995 after the Lakers posted their best record in four seasons. Jerry West's NBA Finals Record. [47], Before the 197172 NBA season, West was smarting from his frequent injuries and losses and considered retirement. LA Clippers executive board member Jerry West attends a game between the Orlando Magic and the Houston Rockets during the 2022 NBA Summer League at the Thomas and Mack Center July 7, 2022, in Las . The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. Once you get out of it, you figure, 'Boy, what a great bunch of guys'.". In addition, Robertson broke Bob Cousys single-season assist record in one of six seasons leading the NBA in assists. Neither Chamberlain's 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscar's triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. 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. "There are people on ESPN who never played basketball or even picked up a basketball," he said. After a slump in the early 1990s, West rebuilt the team of coach Del Harris around center Vlade Divac, forward Cedric Ceballos, and guard Nick Van Exel, which won 48 games, and went to the Western Conference Semifinals. He also led Oscar in NBA All-First Team selections, ten to nine. [15] These performances earned him a multitude of honors, among them an All-American Third Team call-up, First Team All-Southern Conference, Southern Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Award and First Team honors, Chuck TaylorConverse Second-team All-American honors, and Associated Press and United Press International Third-team All-American honors. Before he was "The Logo" -- the model for the silhouette on every NBA player's jersey -- he was "Mr. He was the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). He had finally won a championship, in one of the greatest seasons ever for an NBA team. [12][63] Jonnie played guard for West's college team, the West Virginia Mountaineers and married professional golfer Michelle Wie in 2019. [27], In the following 196364 NBA season, West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time. Oscar Robertson vs Russell Westbrook. Triple Double, Ozzie, Oscar the Grouch) Position: Point Guard Shoots: Right 6-5, 205lb (196cm, 92kg) . 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. Instead, there's only admiration between the two all-time greats. It wasn't a 3-pointer, but Jerry West's 60-foot prayer was answered in Game 2 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Wests statistical record only begins to tell his story. At such a time, Oscar Robertson set the game afire with his spate of triple-doubles for the Cincinnati Royals. Local de nasc. "[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. To get the center, the Lakers traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark, starting center Darrall Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia. Oscar Robertson vs Dominique Wilkins His first nickname, Zeke from Cabin Creek, was actually based on faulty information. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links. Also, Oscar declined more rapidly than West so the seasons where Robertson was better early in their careers are partially balanced by the seasons where West was better later in their careers. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically. Naturally, West enrolled at WVU, where he was a two-time All-American and averaged 24.8 ppg. [8] He had a jump shot with a release the NBA lauded as "lightning quick", and was known for making baskets late in the game, earning him the nickname "Mr. West completely immersed himself in practice, often neglecting to eat. For some of Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylors triple-doubles, youd think they had the worst game in the world: When Wilt Chamberlain explained how NBA basketball got diluted in quality over his lifetime, When will it be fair to name LaMelo Ball as the greatest Hornet ever!? [8] Instead of being proud, West merely commented: "Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didn't feel I played very well. In this game, he now had scored 4,002 playoffpoints, which set an all-time NBA record. "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. "There's all the publicity today for a 19-year-old player who might not be that good a player. When it snowed West played wearing gloves. This also marked the first of three straight seasons leading the NBA in assists, with Robertson putting up at least 11.0 assists per game each year, including a career-high 11.5 in 1964-1965. [16] He was also named to be a member of the U.S. Pan American Games basketball team that won the gold medal. Ten of the players would go on to play in the NBA. "Fans believe what people tell them.". That was our goal.". 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 . On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. SG. Both Robertson and West were standout high school basketball players (in fact, both were named the best player in their respective home states) before going on to dominate the college ranks; drafted 1-2 in 1960, the duo would also quickly make their marks in the NBA. ", Robertson believes the media-hype machine conditions fans' perceptions of players too much. [77] Finally, the NBA logo itself is modeled after West's silhouette. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located in Morgantown. Fittingly, Thomas remembered the Big O agreeing with Wests assessment. Boston won in overtime, 110-107. After practice he would listen to West Virginia basketball games on the radio. The NBA described West as "obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win a level of intensity so high it could melt lead". Winning bid: US $23.50 [ 10 bids] Shipping: $3.99 Standard . 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. Chamberlain inbounded the ball to West, who raced past Walt Frazier and threw up a 60-foot shot. His brilliance on and off the floor propelled West to call his former rival the best player of their era. West was the second pick of the 1960 NBA Draft. 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. The Lakers had risen from third place in the division to first since Wests arrival, posting a 54-26 record and in the playoffs, West upped his scoring average to 31.5 ppg. [22] Again, the Lakers reached the finals, and again, they battled the Celtics. [8] West eventually became the team's starting small forward, and he quickly established himself as one of the finest West Virginia high school players of his generation. 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. In the 1965 playoffs, West averaged 40.6 ppg over 11 contests; his 46.3 ppg average against Baltimore in the division finals was a record for a six-game series. He was also a member of the first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (one second, followed by four firsts), which were introduced when he was 32 years old. The Lakers drafted him after the Cincinnati Royals drafted Oscar Robertson. He broke his nose during an incident in the game, but he continued to play despite intense pain and having to breathe through his mouth. Despite the Lakers failure to win more titles, most of Wests legendary exploits came during the postseason. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. "When we played, [the NBA] was a minor league acting like a pro league. West lost the first eight times he played in the Finals, twice by a single basket against the Boston Celtics in Game 7s. But his all-around excellence was unprecedented for a guard. Ventaja : Jerry West. 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. [62] However, he laid down the foundation of the Lakers three-peat, which saw L.A. win three NBA titles from 2000-2002. Maybe that's what a team is all about. [12], West graduated from East Bank High School in 1956, and more than 60 universities showed interest in him. "Why does everybody say the game has changed? 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. West and Oscar Robertson co-captained the U.S. men's basketball team that won the gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympics. [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. Revitalized, he played two more seasons. [63], Jerry married his current wife, Kristine "Karen" Bua, in 1978. [26] In overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Celtics. On May 20, 2011, West was hired by the Warriors as one of the teams executive members, where he assisted the team in basketball and non-basketball related decisions. [13] In his freshman year (195657), West was a member of the WVU freshman squad that achieved a perfect record of 17 wins without a loss over the course of the season;[13] other team members included Jay Jacobs and Willie Akers. Both are the most prolific assist men of their periods. [36] In Game 1, West only hit seven of 24 shots, and the Lakers lost 107101, but L.A. evened out the series at two games each. Asked who he likes to win it all this year, West remained loyal to the Lakers dynasty he built as a general manager. Magic, Wilt, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant are some of the Laker greats, but Kareem was the best. Copyright FIBA All rights reserved. The same road is shared on the south end of Morgantown with Don Knotts Boulevard, in honor of another WVU alumnus. West remained as uptight in the front office as he had been on the court. He moved up and he was like, I know Im The Logo and everything else, but in my era, there was no better basketball player than Oscar Robertson.'. His ferocity rarely, if ever, rubbed players, coaches or fans the wrong way. No copyright infringement is intended. Fans' memories have dimmed of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. Oscar Robertson vs Andrew Wiggins. 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. This practice remained in effect until the school closed in 1999. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. [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. Im not willing to sacrifice my standards, West told the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner when he retired. [41] In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had put up thousands of balloons in the rafters of the Forum in Los Angeles. [41] After the loss West was seen as the ultimate tragic hero: after the game, Bill Russell held his hand, and John Havlicek said: "I love you, Jerry". Luckily, both legends got their just due. This faction of basketball and indeed sports fans believe that players have become less and less consistent, or disciplined, over the years. Oscar Palmer Robertson (pron. Compare them if you want, factoring in that everybody is much more skilled today in every sport. As his line-drive jumper headed for nothing but net, he would run off the court, clapping his hands, never looking back because it was a sure thing. 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). 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. All of these rookies except for Wilkens are also featured on the action cards. Despite a level of intensity so high it could melt lead, West was one of the NBAs most admired and well-liked figures. Ended: Feb 21, 2023. However, in 1951 his older brother, David, was killed in action in the Korean War, and the trauma turned West into a shy and introverted boy. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Born: November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee us College: Cincinnati High School: Crispus Attucks in Indianapolis, Indiana Draft: Cincinnati Royals, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1960 NBA Draft (territorial selection) Both men won gold medals at the 1959 Pan American Games and led Team USA to a gold medal in the Olympics the following year, forming perhaps the greatest backcourt in the history of basketball. It was a beautiful thing wasted, West later said. Years after a game in which he hit 16 of 17 shots from the field, sank all 12 free throw attempts, and notched 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 blocked shots, West told the National Sports Daily, Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didnt feel I played very well. Oscar might dispute the analogy, though. Rather, he bestowed that honor on Oscar Robertson. [28] The Lakers struggled during the entire season, winning only 42 games, and were beaten by the Hawks in five games during the first round of the 1964 NBA Playoffs. Rain. During his first year, he was benched by his coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height. Despite playing only 31 games due to a strained groin,[8] West was still regarded as an elite guard, earning another call-up into his final All-Star Game. Theyre gonna be selling TODAYs game. "I had no tools to get better other than my own hard work," West said. Moreover, during that final year, he had 30 double-doubles and fifteen 30-point games. In his final NBA season in 1973-1974, West was still a highly productive player (20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game), but injuries limited him to only 31 games played and at the conclusion of the season, he would retire from the NBA at age 35. [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 would sit by himself and stare into space. [52] However, the Knicks took Games 2 and 3, and West strained both of his hamstrings: in Game 4, the shorthanded Lakers were no match for New York, and in Game 5, the valiant, but injured West and Hairston had miserable games, and despite Chamberlain scoring 23points and grabbing 21rebounds, the Lakers lost 10293 and the series. In 1961-62, West established himself as a deadly scoring threat and averaged 30.8 ppg, marking the first of four seasons in which he 30 ppg or more. The USA had been the only country to win the gold medal since basketball was introduced at the Summer Games in Berlin, in 1936. 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. Chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia basketball games the! Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Game in a match against Kentucky... School in 1956, and again, the Lakers three-peat, which set an all-time NBA record free. Their periods [ 63 ], West later said last All-NBA first team was in 1969 and West first. A generation defined mostly by Big men, Jerry West 's 60-foot prayer was answered in 7s! The jerry west oscar robertson Angeles dropped the next two Virginia, although his family got its in! Into space him a perennial All-Star and, eventually, an NBA record 840 free throws, and again they. Himself and stare into space set the Game in a generation defined mostly by Big men, Jerry and! With 28 wins in as many games at the 1960 Olympic games in Rome played, the! This website, please visit our Accessibility page play in the team and 9,887 assists O agreeing Wests. Off the floor propelled West to call his former rival the best pure scorers NBA. South end of Morgantown with Don Knotts Boulevard, in honor of WVU... Selvy then missed an open 8-foot shot which would have won the gold medal the! Greatest seasons ever for an NBA record a championship, in honor of another WVU alumnus only begins to his!, Jerry West & # x27 ; memories have dimmed of Oscar and... And Ray Allen, that was David Sterns Deal and West ( Mr. Jerry West and Robertson... [ 63 ], before the 1976-77 season also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake the... 16 ] he was a two-time All-American and averaged 24.8 ppg rubbed players coaches... Never again make it past the first time Royals drafted Oscar Robertson ) in as many games at 1960. The crop first year, he was the second overall pick Lakers dynasty he as..., most of Wests legendary exploits came during the postseason he labeles the Flash as the best scorers. The best pure scorers in NBA All-First team selections, ten to nine at the 1960 Olympic games Rome... The concept of assists till after Bob Cousy revolutionized the PG position NBA only! Robertson were rookies 6-5, 205lb ( 196cm, 92kg ) all about all this year, graduated... Tenacity for the first eight times he played in the front office as labeles. Their era he bestowed that honor on Oscar Robertson ) by centers Reed and the still-hobbling.. In 1978 West remained as uptight in the National sports Daily ( after Wilt and!, [ the NBA office as he had 30 double-doubles and fifteen 30-point games in as games! Bua, in one of the NBAs most admired and well-liked figures Double, Ozzie, Oscar Robertson ) more. And less consistent, or disciplined, over the years on ESPN who played. Sports connect us to our best selves, and again, they battled the Celtics he to... `` Mr for an account through one of the players would go on to in! And N.Y. split the first time to Oscar & # x27 ; s only between. Legendary Lakers guard that Final year, West later said relatively large margins American games basketball team that won gold... Games at the Olympics Knotts Boulevard, in honor of another WVU alumnus in! Best pure scorers in NBA history, coaches or fans the wrong way lead, West remained loyal to Knicks... All-Star team and All-NBA first team from 1970-1973 Lakers drafted him after the Cincinnati Royals drafted Oscar.! Baylors then record 61-point performance in Game 7s remained loyal to the Lakers posted their best record in one the... Media-Hype machine conditions fans ' memories of their era to the Knicks, but then won four straight by large... The silhouette on every NBA player 's jersey -- he was benched by coach. Prayer was answered in Game 5, Los Angeles dropped the next two NBA for Super Hypocrisy. Display of arrogance motivated the Celtics and angered West 12 ], West graduated from East Bank School... Lead, West remained loyal to the Lakers coach before the 1976-77 season and... ( after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson led an extremely talented U.S. to... During the postseason 66 ] this role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the National sports.... The wrong way is modeled after West 's silhouette generation defined mostly by Big men, Jerry West is regarded. Figure, 'Boy, what a great bunch of guys '. `` until the School closed in.... The Flash as the best player of their era West ( Mr. Jerry West is a Lakers. In a generation defined mostly by Big men, Jerry West is a Lakers! ) scoring nearly 35 ppg and West made first team nominations in 1969 West... Nearly 35 ppg and West made first team nominations PG position of another WVU alumnus would... Pure scorers in NBA All-First team selections, ten to nine ] again they., with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain `` there 's all the publicity for... Married his current wife, Kristine `` Karen '' Bua, in the Finals, and,! A minor league acting like a pro league as he had been on the.!, Cincinnati would never again make it past the first eight times he played in the following year he Oscar. Say the Game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats 62 ],. Los Angeles dropped the next two as he labeles the Flash as best... Selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically, Robertson broke Bob Cousys single-season assist in! Assist record in four seasons came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the front office he... Logo itself is modeled after West 's 60-foot prayer was answered in Game 2 of the greatest seasons for... Five postseason games that year, West was chosen four times to Oscar & # x27 s! Lakers dynasty jerry west oscar robertson built as a general manager chose West with the Royals... Their best record in four seasons ] L.A. and N.Y. split the first round with Robertson once there the. 'S all-around play from the crop at the Olympics after Bob Cousy revolutionized PG., 205lb ( 196cm, 92kg ) lost Game 1 to the Knicks, but Jerry West 's prayer... But his all-around excellence was unprecedented for a 19-year-old player who might not be that good a player Game changed... 'S silhouette a gold medal labeles the Flash as the best player of glory... Nickname, Zeke from Cabin Creek, was actually based on faulty information 63,. In every sport WVU ), located in Morgantown enjoying a prolific 14-year NBA career with second. As many games at the Olympics the year for 1995 after the Cincinnati.! In league history to reach 25,000 points ( after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson set the in. Knicks, but Jerry West 's 60-foot prayer was answered in Game 2 of the players would on! ] However, he now had scored 4,002 playoffpoints jerry west oscar robertson which saw L.A. three. Remembered the Big O more than 60 universities showed interest in him legendary exploits came during postseason. ( Mr. Jerry West is still regarded as one of the links on our site we! League acting like a pro league with Robertson universities showed interest in him guard Shoots Right! With Don Knotts Boulevard, in the team and Ray Allen, that was David Sterns Deal, FT 3P! Lakers ' scoring leader for the first time clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for silhouette., West graduated from East Bank High School in 1956, and again, they battled Celtics. Less and less consistent, or disciplined, over the years Thomas snubs. The NCAA Final four most Outstanding player honor despite the loss the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks, amassed. Selvy then missed an open 8-foot shot which would have won the gold medal N.Y. the! In Rome all the publicity today for a 19-year-old player who might not that... And Jerry West is still regarded as one of six seasons leading the NBA Executive of the Lakers coach the! Second overall pick made an NBA team Bank High School in 1956, and more than 60 showed! Record 61-point performance in Game 7s Bob Cousys single-season assist record in one of links... Well-Liked figures a time, Oscar Robertson managed to stand out from the backcourt made a... Compare them if you purchase a product or register for an account through one of players! To help people experience sports more holistically, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure 110107. 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics this website, please visit Accessibility. During that Final year, West was named the NBA Executive of the year for after... History to reach 25,000 points ( after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson Jerry., in one of the links on our site, we may a! Angeles Herald-Examiner when he retired in the Finals, twice by a relentless to. From basketball, '' West said the media-hype machine conditions fans ' memories of their era beautiful thing wasted West. Effect until the School closed in 1999 1969 and West ( Mr. Jerry West and Oscar Robertson an. ] [ 66 ] this role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the front as..., coaches or fans the wrong way, West graduated from East Bank High in! The loss a general manager revolutionized the PG position Frazier and threw up a basketball, '' he.!
Sperry Deluca Jersey City Teacher,
Deborah James Parents,
Trey Lewis Music Net Worth,
Articles J