NBA star Jerry West dies at the age of 86

Jerry West, the NBA player who served as the inspiration, for the logo of the league has sadly passed away announced by the Los Angeles Clippers. He was 86 years old.

In his previous NBA season, West won an NBA championship while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. At the time of his passing, he was also an executive for the Clippers.

West was dubbed a "basketball genius" and a "defining" figure in the NBA by commissioner Adam Silver.

Just before the team moved to Los Angeles in 1960, West, also known as "Mr. Clutch" on the court, was selected by the Minneapolis Lakers. Up until 1974, he was a point guard and shooting guard for the squad. During that time, he was selected as a 14-time NBA All-Star and assisted in taking his team to nine NBA Finals.

West was a co-captain of the 1960 Olympic basketball team for the United States, which went on to win the gold.

Following his playing career, he spent three seasons as the Lakers' coach, starting in 1976, before turning into a scout and joining the team's front office.

During his tenure as the Lakers' leader, West assisted in two team rebuilding efforts: the first took place in the mid-1990s with Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant, and the second took place during the franchise's "Showtime" heyday in the 1980s with Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy, among others.

Later, he assumed managerial positions with the Clippers, Golden State Warriors, and Memphis Grizzlies. In 2019, then-President Donald Trump gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

It is impossible to overstate West's influence on the sport over many generations.

He is referred to by modern NBA fans as "The Logo" since pro basketball's most recognizable picture is his silhouette.