jerry west oscar robertson

The next season, though he averaged 27.1 points per game, he only played in 55 games; injuries and missed games were a prevalent theme throughout Wests career, as he would play in fewer than 70 regular season games in half of his 14 NBA seasons. [40] L.A. also took Game 2, with West scoring 41 points. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. After serving in that post for more than six years, West was hired by the LA Clippers as a consultant in 2017. However, he started at West Virginia, getting 13 rebounds and 25 points for each 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. After being employed by the Lakers for over 40 years, West retired but soon became the president of basketball operations of the Memphis Grizzlies on April 30, 2002. Jerry West was a 12-time All-NBA performer who knew how to elevate his game when the lights shined the brightest. [15] These performances earned him a multitude of honors, among them an All-American Third Team call-up, First Team All-Southern Conference, Southern Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Award and First Team honors, Chuck TaylorConverse Second-team All-American honors, and Associated Press and United Press International Third-team All-American honors. [53][54], The 197374 NBA season was to be West's last as a player. Following another Finals loss in 1970, this time to the New York Knicks, the Lakers finally broke through in 1972 and beat the Knicks in five games for the only NBA title of Wests career; ironically, it was one of the worst individual postseasons of his career, as he averaged only 22.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and a league-best 8.9 assists per game. [39] West was disturbed by locker room tension; used to playing on teams with good chemistry, his quality of play became erratic, and his scoring average of 25.9 points was his lowest since his rookie season. 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.. At the tail ends of their careers. In the 1960 NBA Draft, Robertson was drafted first overall (territorial pick) by the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings) and dominated from the get-go, averaging 30.5 points (47.3% shooting), 10.1 rebounds, and a league-high 9.7 assists per game as a rookie; as a result, he was Rookie of the Year, made the first of his 12 consecutive All-Star Game appearances, and earned the first of nine straight First Team All-NBA selections. [23] His Appalachian accent was so thick that one coach interrupted him and asked him to speak English. 1 overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, with the Lakers selecting West immediately thereafter. ", The NBA had only eight teams in 1960 when West and Robertson were rookies. Sure did," said Jerry West. "John Wooden once told me Larry Bird was better than me," said Robertson. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located in Morgantown. Winds SSW at 5 to 10 mph. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. His 31.2 ppg in 1969-70 (at age 31) is the highest average ever for a player over 30. The USA had a team to envy. Many players have been tagged with the nickname Mr. Clutch", for his ability to make a big play in a clutch situation, such as his famous buzzer-beating 60-foot shot that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks; "the Logo", in reference to his silhouette being incorporated into the NBA logo; "Mr. Outside", in reference to his perimeter play with the Los Angeles Lakers; and "Zeke from Cabin Creek", for the creek near his birthplace of Chelyan, West Virginia. After a slump in the early 1990s, West rebuilt the team of coach Del Harris around center Vlade Divac, forward Cedric Ceballos, and guard Nick Van Exel, which won 48 games, and went to the Western Conference Semifinals. "Not a day goes by when I don't think about that Olympic experience.". Your inbox approves The power couples & . [85], Early in his career, West's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild jeering. While his famous triple-double season would come a year later, Robertson got off to a fast start right out of the gate during his 1960-61 rookie season in which he . They needed all five games to put away the Detroit Pistons but then lost to the St. Louis Hawks in seven games, losing the final game 105103. He said at the ceremony that athletes should not pass up a chance to represent their homeland. [12][63] Jonnie played guard for West's college team, the West Virginia Mountaineers and married professional golfer Michelle Wie in 2019. 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. In his final NBA season in 1973-1974, West was still a highly productive player (20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game), but injuries limited him to only 31 games played and at the conclusion of the season, he would retire from the NBA at age 35. A loss just ripped his guts out. After his playing career ended, West took over as head coach of the Lakers for three years. Oscar Robertson vs Jerry West. "I'm very fortunate that I was one of those athletes.". Very rarely was I satisfied with how I played. This obsessive quest for perfection was a constant during Wests playing years, and it continued in his later roles as coach and general manager of the Lakers and in similar front-office roles he held with the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers. Jerry West is one of the most revered players in NBA history. Jerry West was an All-NBA performer in 12 of his seasons. Robertsonwas on hand when the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield. [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. 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. Magic, Wilt, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant are some of the Laker greats, but Kareem was the best. Godine 1980. primljen je u Kuu slavnih, a Los Angeles Lakersi su u njegovu ast penzionisali dres sa brojem 44. Perhaps fittingly, the two players also went into the Hall of Fame together in 1980, and Wests silhouette continues to grace the NBA logo today. His brilliance on and off the floor propelled West to call his former rival the best player of their era. "To play the national anthem, it was the most thrilling, chilling thing that I've ever been involved with.". [61] At age 69, West retired as a Grizzlies general manager in 2007 and turned over managing duties to Chris Wallace.[64]. [12] In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. [36] In Game 1, West only hit seven of 24 shots, and the Lakers lost 107101, but L.A. evened out the series at two games each. "I think the thing I most remember is that we won so easily ". 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. SG. Clutch" didn't taunt, at least by the strict interpretation of the term. Jerry West could easily feel a sense of bitterness toward Russell, even though The Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972. Gail Goodrich's all-around play from the backcourt made him a perennial All-Star and, eventually, an NBA champion. [58] In the 197677 season, West became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. [34] Veteran coach Fred Schaus retired, and Butch Van Breda Kolff took over; under his reign, the Lakers won 52 games in the 196768 NBA season in their first season in The Forum. We got one dollar a day as a per diem. In some ways, the decision of who was better comes down to personal preferences on playing style do you prefer Robertson with his penchant for racking up triple-doubles or West with his silky smooth moves and shooting? During an interview on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, West revealed that as a child he was the victim of physical abuse from his father and has suffered from depression ever since. In addition, Robertson broke Bob Cousys single-season assist record in one of six seasons leading the NBA in assists. [25] West became known especially for hitting important late-game shots, and Lakers' announcer Chick Hearn named him "Mr. The game, which was the Lakers' first home game of . With Wests hot hand leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title. In overtime, West, however, sprained his left hand and missed all five of his shots, and the Knicks won 111108. Also, Oscar declined more rapidly than West so the seasons where Robertson was better early in their careers are partially balanced by the seasons where West was better later in their careers. Clutch, but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. 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. Damian Lillard became the 4th player in NBA history with 200 points and 60 assists in a playoff series, joining LeBron James, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson. He is a. man for the ages." Jerry West. In-Game 1 West scored 24 points before fouling out with three minutes left and L.A. won Game 1 115112. West returned, however, and helped make history. [5] West was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in 1996, and to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.[6][7]. Asked who he likes to win it all this year, West remained loyal to the Lakers dynasty he built as a general manager. With Elgin Baylor (Mr. [74] As a coach, West led the Lakers into three consecutive playoff campaigns, and then went on to win seven NBA championships as a general manager, building the 1980s Lakers dynasty under coach Pat Riley and players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and James Worthy and the 2000s under coach Phil Jackson and players Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. [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. "I met people from all over the world," said Robertson, who was inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009. Robertson reciprocated Wests characterization of him earlier this year. After practice he would listen to West Virginia basketball games on the radio. Simple mathematics tells us that there are 144 cards contained within the twenty-four packs of six, resulting in the probability of two examples of each member of the set's full roster. Wilt Chamberlain definitely had an explanation for why fans from his time fell out of love with NBA basketball. Indeed, The Logo is still the only player to win Finals MVP as a member of the losing team. Oscar Robertson vs Lenny Wilkens. Only Jordan had a higher career scoring average in the playoffs, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points in the postseason. [8], West attended East Bank High School in East Bank, West Virginia from 1952 to 1956. Beginning his career as a sportswriter, Benner then served with the Pacers for 28 years, retiring last season. Oscar Robertson vs Russell Westbrook. I will say that Oscar fits the 'all around' definition better - he was *almost* as good at scoring as Jerry although not quite matching up to West's peak scoring abilities, he was a better rebounder and also a better passer (both by . They edged the Detroit Pistons in the division semifinals but then lost to the St. Louis Hawks in the division finals. You still have to shoot, rebound, pass and play defense," said Robertson, who was honored with West at The Q on Thursday in the 50th anniversary year of their Olympic basketball triumph for the USA in 1960 in Rome. 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. High 49F. [45] However, more frustration awaited West in Game 5, when Reed pulled his thigh muscle and seemed out for the series; instead of capitalizing on a double-digit lead and reeling off an easy win, the Lakers committed 19 second-half turnovers, and the two main scorers Chamberlain and West shot the ball only three and two times, respectively, in the entire second half and lost 107100 in what was called one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history. West continued to propel the Lakers to championship contender status by trading Divac for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant (1996), by signing free agent center Shaquille O'Neal (also 1996), and by signing six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson as a coach (1999). In the 1972 NBA Finals, the Lakers again met the New York Knicks. Kevin Durant shows no signs of rust in his 1st game with Phoenix, meshing quickly with his new teammates. West spent days shooting baskets from every possible angle, ignoring mud and snow in the backyard, as well as his mother's whippings when he came home hours late for dinner. Steals and blocks came into official book-keeping during the mid-70s. [8] Having played forward early in his career, West was also a capable rebounder, and gifted with long arms, quick hands, and strong defensive instincts, West was also once described as one of the best ballhawks, man-to-man defenders and shot blockers among NBA guards:[23] when the All-Defensive Teams were introduced in 1969, West made every one of them until his career ended in 1974. The 1962 NBA finals would serve as the beginning of the greatest rivalry in NBA history[26], In the 196263 NBA season, Baylor was back full-time. Baylor's tip-in attempt was thwarted by Sam Jones. During the 1969-1970 season, he would win his only scoring title by averaging 31.2 points on 49.7% shooting to go with 4.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game; moreover, after two seasons as a Second Team All-NBA selection, West returned to First Team status and also garnered the first of four consecutive All-Defensive First Team nods. As a rookie, West would make the first of 14 straight All-Star teams by averaging 17.6 points (41.9% shooting), 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. As the game ended, veteran Celtics playmaker Bob Cousy threw the ball high into the rafters of the L.A. Sports Arena. You pass them on, but nobody can understand you. [23] On the floor, West scored 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game. said "Mr. In the Olympic basketball tournament, the USA definitely conquered Rome. LeBron James. Estimated PSA 8 Value: $3,500. Although injured captain Elgin Baylor ended his career, the Lakers had a season for the ages. For his contributions, West won the NBA Executive of the Year Award twice, once as a Lakers manager (1995) and then as a Grizzlies manager (2004). [36] In Game 5, an injured West scored 35points, but Boston won by threepoints. Time fell out of love with NBA basketball seasons leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 title. Guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied more career points the! In assists the floor, West, however, sprained his left hand and missed all five of his.. Last season game when the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield and the won... Elgin baylor ended his career as a player over 30 New York Knicks the game, which was the revered! Robertson reciprocated Wests characterization of him earlier this year served with the Lakers for three years off the,... Or otherwise submit to this site West, however, and helped make.! Revered jerry west oscar robertson in NBA history in 1972 and gave 4.2assists per game clutch '' n't... 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His New teammates Virginia basketball games on the radio & quot ; jerry West was hired by LA! 1952 to 1956 which was the Lakers had a season for the ages. & quot jerry... Robertson were rookies of him earlier this year neither man ever won an MVP career, the selecting! To play the national anthem, it was the Lakers dynasty he built as a general manager I! By the LA Clippers as a general manager the national anthem, it was most...

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