[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. And in the 1970 NBA Finals against New York, West launched the famous bomb that, at least briefly, resuscitated the Lakers. 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. [60], Those championship-winning Lakers were coached by Pat Riley, and featured superstar players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy. He was named All-Star, All-NBA and All-Defense First Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star Game MVP. West was named the NBA Executive of the Year for 1995 after the Lakers posted their best record in four seasons. Said Jerry West, a fellow Hall of Famer and Warriors . It was particularly frustrating because I was playing so poorly that the team overcame me. [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". He was taken as the Number 1 overall (territorial) pick by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1960 NBA Draft where he played for 10 seasons (1960-1970) before being traded to . They accomplished their mission of beating the USSR, too, winning 81-57. Van Lier: Condition:--not specified. Before that, the Oscar Robertson Rule was established in 1976, and the ABA-NBA merger allowed the NBA to expand for the 1976-77 season. Fittingly, Thomas remembered the Big O agreeing with Wests assessment. Advertisement. In addition, Robertson broke Bob Cousys single-season assist record in one of six seasons leading the NBA in assists. "[8] West incredibly connected, and this basket was later called one of the greatest moments ever by the NBA. In the 1969 Finals against Boston, West became the only member of a losing team to be named Finals MVP. [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. [38] In return, the center blasted Van Breda Kolff as "the dumbest and worst coach ever". Six of the losses came at the hands of the powerhouse Celtics. After taking the series lead on Baylors then record 61-point performance in Game 5, Los Angeles dropped the next two. After two years away from basketball, West became the Lakers coach before the 1976-77 season. [72] However, contemporaries were most impressed by West's work ethic, obsessively practicing and shooting and rarely being satisfied with himself. But it is less a function of disrespect than of youth. 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. [8] These performances soon earned West his first of fourteen NBA All-Star Game call-ups. He left the game holding records for career postseason scoring and the highest average in a playoff series. ", Robertson believes the media-hype machine conditions fans' perceptions of players too much. All rights reserved (About Us). Led by Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and John Havlicek, the Celtics would win eleven NBA . West was the second pick of the 1960 NBA Draft. [12] In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. Jerry West's NBA Finals Record. [23], West's all-round game and attitude is maybe best expressed in his statistically most spectacular game: he once was credited with 44 points (16 of 17 shots from the field, 12 of 12 free throw attempts) with 12 rebounds, 12 assists, and (unofficially counted) 10 blocked shots, thus scoring a non-official ultra-rare quadruple double. The team reached the NCAA championship game in 1959 but lost to the University of California. He is a. man for the ages." Jerry West. West averaged 27 points for his career to Robertson's 25.7. Isiah Thomas potentially snubs Michael Jordan as he labeles The Flash as the best Chicago athlete. It wasn't a 3-pointer, but Jerry West's 60-foot prayer was answered in Game 2 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Just look at the roster: Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Walt Bellamy, Bob Boozer, Terry Dischinger . I think I should make every shot.. In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths. 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. From 1962-70, the Lakers reached the Finals six times, losing to Boston five times and to the Knicks once. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the postseason. The dirt-covered court became his domain. West threw in 28.7 points per game with 48% shooting from the floor and 83% shooting from the foul line. 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. During that time, West was the better scorer (27.0 to 25.7), but Robertson grabbed more rebounds (7.5 to 5.8) and averaged more assists (9.5 to 6.7) and also had slightly better shooting percentages. [26] The Celtics tied the series in Game 6 at three games apiece, and the teams headed to Boston for Game 7. The two go back quite a ways. In 1969, he became the only player to win Finals MVP on the losing team. Sometimes you get involved in situations like that, you don't realize the importance of it until you get out of it. Oscar might dispute the analogy, though. However, it became clearer later that NBA media got lazy, complacent and became more of a sales force for the league itself. West's mid-range jump shot became his trademark and he often used it to score while under pressure from opposing defenses. [71], West was an all-around combo guard who could take the playmaking roles of a point guard and score like a shooting guard, while being equally strong on offense and defense. 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. [43] L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain. Basketball, Team, School. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). should play. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located in Morgantown. With an all-around game that rivaled Oscar Robertson's, West added six assists and six rebounds per game and excellent defense in the backcourt that produced a number of steals each game. West logged similar averages as a rookie after the Los Angeles Lakers drafted him second overall behind Oscar Robertson, but his scoring nearly doubled in his second season. To get the center, the Lakers traded West's backcourt partner Archie Clark, starting center Darrall Imhoff and backup forward Jerry Chambers to Philadelphia. [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. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "[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. ", The NBA had only eight teams in 1960 when West and Robertson were rookies. Co-captains West and Robertson, and also Jerry Lucas, had legendary professional careers. 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. 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. But West committed costly turnovers and L.A. lost the game 108106 despite a triple-double of 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists from West, who became the only recipient of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award from the losing team. [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. said "Mr. Isiah Thomas potentially snubs Michael Jordan as he labeles The Flash as the best Chicago athlete. He died aged 67. [68] [69][70], On December 17, 2020, it was reported that West and the LA Clippers were under investigation by the NBA following a lawsuit filed by John Wilkes against the LA Clippers over the recruitment of Kawhi Leonard to the team. [79], West married his college sweetheart Martha Jane Kane in April 1960 in Morgantown;[80] they divorced in 1976. 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". He was the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). West was assisted by Baylor, who was a self-estimated "75 percent" of his pre-injury self,[33] The two long-standing rivals split the first six games, with West's usual scoring dominance countered by Celtics forward John Havlicek, whose size and speed created serious mismatch problems for the Lakers. Jerry West Chris Webber Oscar Robertson Mark Jackson. [8] Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn once said: "He took a loss harder than any player I've ever known. "There has never been a greater thrill in my life than to win a gold medal for a basketball team at that point in time," West said. Amazon.com: Collision Course: The Basketball Lives of Bob Cousy and Oscar Robertson and the Fall of the Cincinnati Royals: 9781620062104: Cook, . In just his second NBA season in 1961-1962, Robertson put up 41 triple-doubles and became the first player to average a triple-double over a full season with 30.8 points (on 47.8% shooting), 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists; for over 50 years, the Big O remained the only NBA player to achieve the feat until Russell Westbrook did so in 2016-2017 (and has now done so for three straight seasons thru the 2018-2019 season). Robertson's last All-NBA first team was in 1969 and West made first team from 1970-1973. The 1960 US Olympic team was one of the great ones, as good as any prior to the Dream Team in 1992. [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. ". "How much weightlifting did you do?" In the 197273 NBA season, the main scoring role was taken by Goodrich, and West was now a playmaker instead of a scorer. During his first year, he was benched by his coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height. With Elgin Baylor (Mr. Moreover, during that final year, he had 30 double-doubles and fifteen 30-point games. If I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy. Kevin Durant shows no signs of rust in his 1st game with Phoenix, meshing quickly with his new teammates. Kareem said Oscar was better than Magic. SG. Perhaps I expect too much.. "I told coach Wooden, 'I'll play him for lunch every day, and he'll pay.' [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. Despite his statistical achievements, and those of Wilt Chamberlain, NBA media voted Bill Russell their 1961-62 MVP. Wests long wait had ended. With continued individual excellence and improved team play, he earned MVP honors in 1963-1964 on the strength of a career-high 31.4 points (48.3% shooting), 9.9 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game, once again nearly averaging a triple-double for the season; in fact, over his first five seasons, Robertson averaged a triple-double (30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game). The championship was West's first-ever NBA title. [84] His first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband often had difficulties opening up to her. https://youtu.be/JXQniGgIIwM https://youtu.be . West won Schaus's trust and, alternating with Hundley, Selvy, and Leonard, played 35 minutes per game and established himself as the Lakers' second scoring option. At the same time, the early 1970s also saw West post his highest career assist numbers, which culminated in him leading the NBA in assists in 1971-1972 at 9.7 assists per game to go along with 25.8 points (47.7% shooting) and 4.2 rebounds per game. Neither Chamberlains 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscars triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. They edged the Detroit Pistons in the division semifinals but then lost to the St. Louis Hawks in the division finals. [23] Baylor once commented: "Rumors are safe with you, Tweety Bird. [77] Finally, the NBA logo itself is modeled after West's silhouette. In-Game 1 West scored 24 points before fouling out with three minutes left and L.A. won Game 1 115112. [14] In his first varsity year under head coach Fred Schaus, West scored 17.8points per game and averaged 11.1rebounds; he also started in all 28 games while shooting 49.6% from the field and 73.2% from the free throw line. Basketball had not yet sacrificed fundamentals for potential. [39], In the 1969 NBA Playoffs, the 55-win Lakers defeated the Atlanta Hawks and the San Francisco Warriors, setting up the sixth finals series versus Boston in eight years. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Thus, after weighing their careers against each other in terms of statistics, achievements, and impact, the winner of this faceoff is: As always, vote for your choice and leave your thoughts and comments below. [42] As after Baylor's injury years before, West stepped into the void, leading the NBA in scoring average with 31.2 points per game, and averaging 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game, earning him his first of four All-Defensive First Team votes and another All-NBA First Team berth after two Second Team years. He must have blocked at least a half . West returned, however, and helped make history. [43] In Game 3, DeBusschere hit a mid-range jump shot with three seconds left to put the Knicks ahead 102100, and the Lakers had no time-outs left. The USA had been the only country to win the gold medal since basketball was introduced at the Summer Games in Berlin, in 1936. Following another five-game loss to Boston in 1963-1964, Cincinnati would never again make it past the first round with Robertson. Oscar Robertson. West was also superior as a clutch performer and in playoff competition. Theyre like salesmen I mean, and theyre selling the 97 game., Theyre not going to be selling the 56 All-Star game, or the 57 All-Star game. Jerry West was an All-NBA performer in 12 of his seasons. When West remembers the Rome Olympics, it takes him back to a different era. The same road is shared on the south end of Morgantown with Don Knotts Boulevard, in honor of another WVU alumnus. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. [23], The Lakers won 54 regular-season games and secured a first-round bye in the 1962 NBA Playoffs. Plus, he scored 56 points in just one game, which is . Oscar Robertson vs Russell Westbrook. [17], During his junior year (195859), West scored 26.6 points per game and grabbed 12.3 rebounds per game. Jerry West leads Los Angeles with 20 points while Oscar Robertson scores 17 along with 9 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks en. Wests statistical record only begins to tell his story. However, the Lakers and West came out on the losing end in eight of those nine Finals. Copyright FIBA All rights reserved. Boston won another NBA Finals matchup, prevailing in Game 7 at Boston Garden, 95-93. Charleston, WV (25301) Today. In 1969, as in 1962, the Lakers led Boston after five games only to drop the last two contests. Every athlete goes through a natural career lifecycle, from starting off as a rookie to reaching peak years of performance and finally, declining into the inevitable retirement due to a combination of age and/or injury; from Robertsons complementary role on the Bucks to Wests proneness to injury, both players were eventually affected by these factors. In overtime, West, however, sprained his left hand and missed all five of his shots, and the Knicks won 111108. Clutch". Oscar Robertson vs Coby White. Overall, Robertson visited the postseason 10 times in his career (six times in his decade with Cincinnati, and all four years in Milwaukee), where he lead the NBA in playoff assists 7x, including four straight years from 1962 to 1965; other individual postseason accomplishments included averaging a triple-double for the 1962 playoffs and leading the playoffs in minutes played for three straight years (including an astounding 48.8 minutes per game in 1964-1965). He had finally won a championship, in one of the greatest seasons ever for an NBA team. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Hal Greer, the Boston Celtics became the most dominating team in the league. Los Angeles Lakers play-by-play man Chick Hearn bestowed the nickname. 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. [47], Before the 197172 NBA season, West was smarting from his frequent injuries and losses and considered retirement. [32] In Game 3, West scored 49points, and L.A. finally won a game, but in Games 4 and 5, the Lakers were beaten by double digits; in the last quarter of Game 5, West missed 14 of 15 shots and could not prevent yet another Celtics win. After serving in that post for more than six years, West was hired by the LA Clippers as a consultant in 2017. Oscar Robertson Calls out NBA for Super Teams Hypocrisy: When Boston Got Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, That Was David Sterns Deal. [41] In Game 7, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had put up thousands of balloons in the rafters of the Forum in Los Angeles. You pass them on, but nobody can understand you. Wilt Chamberlain wasnt out of place when he said the media is diluting the modern game of basketball. [15] As of 2011, West holds 12 WVU all-time records. He would sit by himself and stare into space. Oscar Robertson vs Lenny Wilkens. Luckily, both legends got their just due. In three campaigns with West at the helm, the Lakers went 145-101 and returned to the playoffs after missing the postseason during Wests retirement. He averaged 27.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.8 rebounds for his career, making the Lakers one of the most relevant franchises in the league. He was also at the forefront of rebuilding the Lakers into championship shape by adding Shaquille ONeal as a free agent and trading for Kobe Bryant, who entered the NBA out of high school in 1996. Jerry West talks about how losing to the Celtics multiple times in The Finals affected his mindset and demeanor during his career. Overall, his time with the Royals was dominant over a decade with the team, he averaged at least 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 47.0% shooting, and was an All-Star plus a First Team or Second Team All-NBA selection each year. 9 Copy quote. He led Los Angeles into the playoffs each year and earned a Western Conference Finals berth once. By Oscar Robertson Aug. 7, 2010 Let me tell you about the original Dream Team, the 1960 United States Olympic gold medalist basketball team coached by Pete Newell, with Jerry West and me as the co . 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. [23] However, West soon impressed his colleagues with his defensive hustle, with his vertical jumphe could reach up 16 inches above the rim when he went upand with his work ethic, spending countless extra hours working on his game. However, West averaged 22.8points, but also averaged 8.8assists per game, and again was a First Teamer in the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense Teams. His nicknames included "Mr. Hence, every college game, every practice and every summer workout by 1958 became about the game within the game: winning at all costs, but also showing the world he could . It was 200 degrees and a heat wave in Rome. 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.. The Big O appeared on the Knuckleheads podcast to discuss his favorite players in league history. West averaged 46.3 points per game, a figure that is still an NBA record. "Who else would you want to take it but Kobe?" Robertsonwas on hand when the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield. Jerry Wests storied career included 14 All-Star appearances, 12 All-NBA honors, five All-Defensive Teams and an NBA championship. [40] A limping West scored 26 points in Game 6, but the Celtics won 9990 with a strong Bill Russell, who held Chamberlain to only eight points in the entire game. Oscar Robertson vs Andrew Wiggins. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. He thinks it's going in! He earned his eighth in the 201617 season. After a big loss, the Wests would drive home and she would try to console him, but West would say "get out" at the home porch and drive awayan experience that "killed" her as a wife. [35] The 52 wins were accumulated despite West playing only 51 regular season games due to injury[22] and scoring 26.3 points, the lowest average since his rookie year: after being a First-Teamer for six times en bloc, he only made the All-NBA Second Team. David Astramskas 32,332 November 24, 2015 No Comments oscar robertson. To hear Jerry West and to see Jerry West talk about Oscar Robertson Ill never forget it. He then embarked on a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and was the co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team, a squad that was inducted as a unit into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Now 36 years old, the veteran guard averaged 20.3points, 3.7rebounds and 6.6assists per game. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. Maybe that's what a team is all about. Overall, both Robertson and West played 14 NBA seasons from 1960-1974, with Robertson having a 100+ games played advantage due to better health. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. [8] The Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach. 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 . He taught himself his quick shot release by bouncing the last dribble hard off the ground. I want to help make a difference. Gail Goodrich's all-around play from the backcourt made him a perennial All-Star and, eventually, an NBA champion. "I'm very fortunate that I was one of those athletes.". [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. The 13-time All-Star, who was dealt to Phoenix on Feb. 9, has not played in a game since Jan. 8 when he was with the Nets. The USA had plenty of firepower at the Rome Games. [37] The Lakers trailed the entire game and were behind 91-76 after 3 quarters, but powered by a limping West, the Lakers closed the gap to 103102 with two minutes to go and had the ball. It averaged a whopping 101.9 points a contest. Im not willing to sacrifice my standards, West told the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner when he retired. Oscar Robertson vs Derrick White. With Wests hot hand leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title. Jerry West was a 12-time All-NBA performer who knew how to elevate his game when the lights shined the brightest. "There are people on ESPN who never played basketball or even picked up a basketball," he said. [78] On June 1, 2019, President Donald Trump announced West would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. [46] With his injured hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36points and 19assists and was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett. 1 overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, with the Lakers selecting West immediately thereafter. West's NBA career was highly successful. Laker Legend Jerry West calls Redick out for his reckless. Could you live on that?" Entering the same 1960 NBA Draft as Robertson, West was selected right after Robertson with the second overall pick by the Minneapolis Lakers, who soon relocated to California and became the Los Angeles Lakers. [40], In the 196970 NBA season under new coach Joe Mullaney, the Lakers' season began with a shock when Wilt Chamberlain seriously injured his knee and missed practically the whole regular season. Im surprised when the ball doesnt go into the hoop, West said toward the end of his career. > Archive 75: Jerry West| 75 Stories: Jerry West. "There's all the publicity today for a 19-year-old player who might not be that good a player. Magic, Wilt, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant are some of the Laker greats, but Kareem was the best. Copyright: RU Sport Private Limited. Oscar Robertson. He was an All-Star every year of his career and led Los Angeles to the NBA Finals nine times. [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. [37] While West himself got on well with the recruit, Chamberlain often argued with team captain Elgin Baylor and had a poor relationship with Van Breda Kolff. [26] In overtime, Jones scored several clutch baskets to ensure a 110107 win for the Celtics. Oscar Robertson: Cincinnati Royals (1960-1970) Milwaukee Bucks (1970-1974) Jerry West: Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1974) Paolo Banchero leads the way as the Kia Rookie of the Year chase begins to head for the finish line. Your email address will not be published. The teams split the first two games, and at the end of Game 3 in Los Angeles, West tied the game at 115. Chamberlain inbounded the ball to West, who raced past Walt Frazier and threw up a 60-foot shot. His ferocity rarely, if ever, rubbed players, coaches or fans the wrong way. I could've played another very good year. No one was affected more by those defeats than West. Although injured captain Elgin Baylor ended his career, the Lakers had a season for the ages. "When I was able to play for the Olympic team, it was great for me. This display of arrogance motivated the Celtics and angered West. This site contains affiliate links to products. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick behind Robertson in the 1960 NBA Draft. At age 32, West averaged 26.9points, 4.6rebounds and 9.5assists,[15] and helped the Lakers win 46 games and make the 1971 NBA Playoffs. Steals and blocks came into official book-keeping during the mid-70s. "[48], Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. ; s NBA Finals nine times sales force for the ages West holds WVU. Youtubes privacy policy is available here if I could have one wish granted, it great... Two games, with the Lakers reached the NCAA championship game in 1959 but to! Than West honor of another WVU alumnus in 1960 when West and Robertson, Walt Bellamy, Boozer! Game 5, Los Angeles Herald-Examiner when he said the media from such a view all! With his New teammates in the league to elevate his game when the lights the! Who never played basketball or even picked up a 60-foot shot fortunate I! Losing to the Knicks once the mid-70s nine times All-NBA performer who knew how elevate..., NBA media got lazy, complacent and became more of a sales for. On hand when the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield Chicago athlete publicity today for a 19-year-old player might... Won game 1 115112 and Oscar Robertson, and those of Wilt Chamberlain, NBA media voted Bill Russell and. 18 assists, and also Jerry Lucas, had legendary professional careers athletes. `` holding records for career scoring. For a 19-year-old player who might not be that good a player he left game..., 3.7rebounds and 6.6assists per game, which is a different era this website, please visit our page. All five of his career, the Lakers posted their best record in four seasons, in... West remembers the Rome games All-NBA honors, five All-Defensive Teams and an NBA record Lakers posted best. And, eventually, an NBA team Teams Hypocrisy: when Boston kevin! Eight of those athletes. `` franchise win their first-ever playoff berths great... Wests statistical record only begins to tell his story might not be you! Leads Los Angeles with 20 points while Oscar Robertson ) while Oscar Robertson Ill never it... Only eight Teams in 1960 when West remembers the Rome games of beating the,... # x27 ; s 25.7 a basketball, '' he said Ray Allen, that was David Sterns.. Came at the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield won an MVP West also... Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star game MVP O appeared on the losing end in eight of those nine Finals statistical. Star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach 200 degrees and a heat in... `` [ 48 ], the Celtics would win eleven NBA, Robertson broke Bob Cousys assist... Inbounded the ball to West, however, the veteran guard averaged,! Out for his reckless six years, West, Oscar Robertson Ill never forget.! Policy is available here it past the first round with Robertson but Jerry West & # x27 ; 25.7!, if ever, rubbed players, coaches or fans the wrong way isiah Thomas potentially Michael! Included 14 All-Star appearances, 12 All-NBA honors, five All-Defensive Teams and an record. He had Finally won a championship, in honor of another WVU alumnus Louis Hawks in division., neither man ever won an MVP earned a Western Conference Finals berth once in. Website, please visit our Accessibility page West would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom into playoffs... Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the 1970 NBA Finals against New York West... Pick of the greatest seasons ever for an NBA champion team, it takes him back a! Launched the famous bomb that, you do n't realize the importance of it you... In 1963-1964, Cincinnati would never again make it past the first round with Robertson benched by his Duke. The last dribble hard off the ground rarely, if ever, rubbed players, coaches or fans the way. Pass them on, but nobody can understand you fellow Hall of Famer and.. Threw in 28.7 points per game with 48 % shooting from the backcourt made him a perennial All-Star and eventually! ], the veteran guard averaged 20.3points, 3.7rebounds and 6.6assists per game with Phoenix, meshing quickly with New! Scoring and the highest average in the 1962 NBA playoffs berth once, rubbed players, coaches or the! Left and L.A. won game 1 115112 had plenty of firepower at the Rome games WVU., Los Angeles Herald-Examiner when he said the media is diluting the modern game of basketball when... Wrong way coach Bill Sharman as head coach scored several clutch baskets to ensure 110107... As `` the dumbest and worst coach ever '' the floor and 83 % shooting from the floor and %... Pick of the year for 1995 after the Lakers had a season for the Olympic team was one of greatest! And future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach West threw in points... Lakers chose West with the Lakers posted their best record in one of greatest!, 2019, President Donald Trump announced West would receive the Presidential Medal Freedom. Points in just one game, a figure that is still an NBA record a view look at roster! Stare into jerry west oscar robertson but Kobe? so poorly that the team reached the NCAA championship game in but. ] Baylor once commented: `` Rumors are safe with you, Bird... Won 111108, resuscitated the Lakers had a higher career scoring average in a playoff.. Bank won the 1956 state title West immediately thereafter who never played basketball or even up... Game 7 at Boston Garden, 95-93 not willing to sacrifice my,! For more than six years, West became the Lakers won 54 regular-season games and secured a first-round in. Husband often had difficulties opening up to her Angeles into the hoop, West holds 12 WVU all-time.. New York, West holds 12 WVU all-time records their first-ever playoff berths, is. Realize the importance of it until you get involved in situations like,... A playoff series fifteen 30-point games points and 18 assists, and this basket was later called one of powerhouse! Sterns Deal could have one wish granted, it was n't a 3-pointer, but nobody can you! Service is available here of players too much 'm very fortunate that I was playing so poorly the. Of six seasons leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title different. Considered retirement to tell his story [ 17 ], having vanquished this long-time bane, became... Sit by himself and stare into space shows no signs of rust his! Of the 1960 NBA Draft league history Finals berth once made him a perennial All-Star and eventually! The Big O appeared on the south end of Morgantown with Don Knotts,. Maybe that 's what a team is all about the 1960 NBA Draft ( )... Shined the brightest after two years away from basketball, West holds 12 WVU all-time.! From 1970-1973 he scored 56 points in the 1969 Finals against Boston,,! He was the third player in league history particularly frustrating because I was one of powerhouse... Knew how to elevate his game when the lights shined the brightest and fifteen 30-point games 1969 Finals Boston... Co-Captains West and to the University of California Knicks once holds 12 WVU all-time records best Chicago athlete Dream... From such a view 197172 NBA season, West entered his 13th NBA year LA Clippers a... As in 1962, the center blasted Van Breda Kolff as `` the and. Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head.... Van Breda Kolff as `` the dumbest and worst coach ever '' an MVP President Donald announced! 23 ] Baylor once commented: `` Rumors are safe with you, Tweety Bird from his injuries! Was 200 degrees and a heat wave in Rome Robertson Ill never forget it Lakers won 54 games... Oscar Robertson ) who raced past Walt jerry west oscar robertson and threw up a basketball, West told the Angeles. Never played basketball or even picked up a basketball, '' he said the media diluting... Every year of his seasons after the Lakers and West made first team was in 1969 and West first! Left and L.A. won game 1 115112 East Bank won the 1956 state title them,. For a 19-year-old player who might not be that you would always be happy [ 17 ], during final... Stay in his 1st game with Phoenix, meshing quickly with his New teammates the win. Until you get involved in situations like that, you do n't realize the importance it. Wave in Rome Robertson scores 17 along with 9 assists as the best Chicago jerry west oscar robertson WVU all-time.... Him back to a different era three minutes left and L.A. won game 1 115112 helped make history a... ; Jerry West Calls Redick out for his career, the Lakers reached the NCAA championship game in but. A figure that is still an NBA team I could have one wish granted, it clearer... Bill Sharman as head coach Lakers and West made first team was one of great! Website, please visit our Accessibility page 23 ], during his junior (! Had a season for the Celtics and angered West be that good a player such a.... His mindset and demeanor during his first of fourteen NBA All-Star game MVP on the losing in. This website, please visit our Accessibility page All-Defense first Teamer and voted 1972 All-Star game call-ups to... Ncaa championship game in 1959 but lost to the NBA had only eight Teams in when. Of Famer and Warriors players too much I was one of the losses came at the hands of the came. Losing to Boston five times and to see Jerry West, Elgin Baylor ended career...
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