The fabled Jerry West, otherwise known as "Mr.Clutch," is the player in profile on the official NBA logo. As his biography on NBA.com points out, West is widely regarded as one of the greatest guards in the history of the game. Not especially gifted by height or athleticism, he was a notoriously driven player who broke his nose nine times and often had to be carried off the court.
Jerry West grew up in a blue-collar family in Cheylan, West Virginia. After a stellar career at West Virginia University, he was recruited by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1960. The team moved down to Los Angeles that year, and over the next 14 years, West's career with the Lakers proved the stuff of legends.
West was elected to the All Star Team 14 times but only won one championship. He was the third player to score more than 25,000 points, and averaged 27 points per game. His most famous shot, a 60-footer with no time left, sent a 1970 Laker-Knick championship game into overtime.
In 1997, West was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. For the casual basketball fan, the list features some fairly obvious names (Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), but you'll also find some more scholarly choices like Dolph Schayes and Dave Bing. Give it a gander.
