Jerry West, basketball legend and the iconic figure behind the NBA's logo, achieved a historic milestone on Wednesday. He was elected for induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
“ESPN Sources: Jerry West has been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor to the game — his record third Hall enshrinement. West has been previously inducted as a player (1979) and member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team (2010),” Woj wrote.
West first entered the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1979. He was later inducted for a second time in 2010, this time in recognition of his contribution to the 1960 United States men's basketball team, which secured gold at the Summer Olympics in Rome.
Jerry West's long list of accolades
Now, West has achieved a record third induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor. This latest honor recognizes his outstanding contributions as the general manager for the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, as well as his roles as a consultant with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers.
In those different roles, Jerry West accumulated eight championships and earned the title of NBA Executive of the Year twice: in 1994-95 with the Lakers and in 2003-04 with the Grizzlies.
Prior to joining the Clippers in 2017, West spent six years with the Warriors, contributing to the construction of championship-winning rosters in 2015 and 2017. He also served five years in Memphis' front office, playing a pivotal role in rebuilding the franchise from the bottom up.
There are five ways in which individuals can be honored in the Basketball Hall of Fame: as a player, contributor, coach, referee, or team member.
During his time as a player, The Logo was a 14-time All-Star with the Lakers, 10 appearances on the All-NBA First Team, four NBA All-Defensive First Team honors, being named to the 35th, 50th, and 75th NBA anniversary teams and also an NBA Champion.
He is also renowned for being the mastermind behind the Lakers' success in the 1980s and 1990s during his 18 seasons as general manager. Notably, he orchestrated the deal that brought Kobe Bryant to Los Angeles.
Other Hall of Fame inductees
Chauncey Billups and Vince Carter have also been selected for induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
Carter, who retired at the age of 43 following the 2019-20 season, will soon be officially inducted as a first-ballot Hall of Famer. On the other hand, Billups retired in 2014 after a 17-year career and has been eligible for Hall of Fame induction since 2018, but he had not been named a finalist until this year.
The remaining finalists for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2024 include several notable names across various committees. From the North American committee, finalists such as Michael Cooper, Walter Davis, Bo Ryan, and Charles Smith are vying for induction.
The Women's committee features Seimone Augustus and Marian Washington, while Dick Barnett represents the Men's veteran committee, and Harley Redin stands out in the Women's veteran committee. Additionally, Michele Timms is a finalist from the International committee, and Doug Collins along with Herb Simon are finalists from the Contributors committee.
The enshrinement ceremony is set to take place on August 17 at Springfield Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts.
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