Jerry West, an NBA legend and the inspiration behind the league's logo has sadly passed away aged 86.
The Los Angeles Clippers released a statement confirming that the Hall of Famer died on Wednesday morning, with his wife, Karen, by his side.
No further details surrounding his death have been disclosed.
Jerry West's illustrious professional basketball career began in 1960 when the Lakers selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the NBA draft, per TMZ.
He quickly made his mark, averaging 17.6 points per game as a rookie and an impressive 30.8 points per game in his second season.
West played 14 seasons in the NBA, all with the Lakers, earning a spot on the All-Star team every year and winning one championship. In 1969, the NBA created its modern-day logo based on an image of West on the court.
After retiring as a player, West transitioned to coaching, becoming the head coach of the Lakers in 1976. He managed the team for three seasons, achieving a 145-101 record.
West's influence extended into the front office, where he became the Lakers' general manager in 1982. He was instrumental in forming the "Showtime" dynasty, which brought five more championships to the Lakers.
One of his most notable moves came in 1996 when he traded for the rights to select Kobe Bryant in the NBA draft.
West later described himself as Bryant's surrogate father due to their close bond.
The current NBA logo, designed by Alan Siegel in 1969, features the silhouette of Jerry West, taken from a photograph by Wen Roberts, per the Daily Mail.
The logo's design was inspired by Major League Baseball's logo, which is a composite silhouette of several players from the late 1960s, often mistakenly thought to be based on Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew.
The NBA debuted the West logo in 1971.
Our thoughts are with West's family and friends at this time.
