For a long, long time, Jerry West and the Lakers were inseparable. He led their cause as a player for 14 years, and he was so good that his image and likeness were used by the National Basketball Association for its logo. And for all the exploits of all the marquee names in the 78-year history of the league, he remains the only recipient of the Finals Most Valuable Award as a member of the losing side. Needless to say, he remained influential when he could no longer ply his trade on the court; among other astute moves he made in the front office, he orchestrated the acquisitions of icons Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, leaders of their two three-peats since the turn of the millennium.
Considering West’s myriad imprints, the Lakers were only right to push for a season-long celebration of his name. Through all their 82 games in the 2024-25 campaign, they will wear uniforms with a band bearing his number 44. On Opening Night, they will likewise give fans at Crypto.com Arena a replica of his jersey. Not coincidentally, he will be recognized by the Basketball Hall of Fame as an executive this year — his third such enshrinement in Springfield. Well deserved, to be sure, and just too bad that these will happen posthumously.
Why the Lakers took a while to put West front and center is anybody’s guess. When he passed away in June, they came out with a bland press release that barely highlighted his exploits — and well after the publication of rival Clippers’ own statements replete with apt superlatives. And this was after they made their pettiness evident to all and sundry by rescinding his season tickets two years ago, as clear a reflection as any of a relationship that went the way of the Dodo during the Phil Jackson era.
More — a lot more, really — can be noted of why a Jerry Buss favorite became a stranger to the purple and gold, but, at this point, West and his worth to the franchise and the NBA are better served by looking ahead. For the spotlight to rightly be his and his alone, the disputes and varied interpretations of their origins need to be left behind — perhaps for good. What cannot be denied is his legacy. Enough said.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and human resources management, corporate communications, and business development.