Jerry West

Jerry West was inducted into the inaugural College of Applied Human Sciences Hall of Fame in the fall of 2025. He was previously recognized as the College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences Outstanding Alumnus in 2006.

West earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from West Virginia University in 1960. A native of Chelyan, W.Va., he was a standout student-athlete at WVU, earning consensus All-America honors and led the Mountaineers to the NCAA championship game in 1959. He was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four that year and led all players in both scoring and rebounding throughout the tournament. During his collegiate career, he averaged 24.8 points and 13.3 rebounds per game and led the nation in both categories during his junior season. He finished with 2,309 points and 1,240 rebounds, and at the time of his graduation held or shared 17 school records. In 1960, he served as co-captain for the U.S. Olympic gold medal-winning team. 

Selected second overall in the 1960 NBA Draft, West played 14 seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a 14-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA First Team selection, NBA champion (1972), and a member of the league’s 35th, 50th, and 75th anniversary teams. Known as “Mr. Clutch,” he remains the only player in league history named NBA Finals MVP while playing for the losing team. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 1980, as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team in 2010, and again in 2024 for his contributions as an executive. He was the first person to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as a player and a contributor.

Following his playing career, West served as head coach and later general manager of the Lakers, building teams that won six NBA championships during his tenure. He later led front-office efforts with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors, and Los Angeles Clippers, earning NBA Executive of the Year honors in 1995 and 2004 and contributing to additional championship runs. His silhouette remains the basis for the NBA logo.

West’s number 44 jersey was the first retired by WVU, and a statue in his honor stands outside the WVU Coliseum. A statue in his honor was also erected outside of the Los Angeles Lakers arena. In 2019, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition for his contributions to the sport.

West passed away in June 2024 at the age of 86.