Oscar Robertson vs Jo Jo White. The dirt-covered court became his domain. Combine a deadly jump shot, tenacious defense, obsessive perfectionism, unabashed confidence, and an uncompromising will to win, and youve got Jerry West, one of the greatest guards in NBA history. "[48], Having vanquished this long-time bane, West entered his 13th NBA year. West ganhou notoriedade por ter servido de inspirao para o desenho do logotipo da NBA, o qual baseado na imagem de uma jogada de Jerry West. [81] They have two sons, Ryan and Jonnie. 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. West was named Most Outstanding Player of that year's Final Four. Indeed, Jerry West looked at Oscar Robertson and saw what he thought was the best player in the game. Could you live on that?" The Big O at 6-5 was the first power guard, backing defenders down, never taking a 12-footer if a 10 was available, never a 10 if he could get an 8. Oscar Robertson. West's mid-range jump shot became his trademark and he often used it to score while under pressure from opposing defenses. Wilt Chamberlain definitely had an explanation for why fans from his time fell out of love with NBA basketball. The Lakers swept the Bulls and beat the Bucks in six games to reach The Finals. Co-captains West and Robertson, and also Jerry Lucas, had legendary professional careers. [38] In return, the center blasted Van Breda Kolff as "the dumbest and worst coach ever". And his 6,238 career assists (6.7 apg) rank among the best ever. [77] Finally, the NBA logo itself is modeled after West's silhouette. In the 1972 NBA Finals, the Lakers again met the New York Knicks. [43][45], In the 197071 NBA season, the Lakers reacquired Gail Goodrich, who came back from the Phoenix Suns after playing for L.A. until 1968. 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 . [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. Sure did," said Jerry West. He played West as a guard, in contrast to West's college days as a forward. This meant that points and rebounds would be the only stats any player couldve chased. Over the next summer he grew six more inches. Having played in nine NBA Finals, he is also the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team (1969). As players on a perennial bridesmaid team, West and Baylor were frequently eclipsed by Chamberlain, Robertson and Bill Russell, who collectively won virtually every MVP during Wests and Baylors most productive years. Ten of the players would go on to play in the NBA. Also Read - "A cast of characters, different personalities and Charles Barkley": Larry Bird's hilarious trash talk shone through even in his Dream Team Hall of Fame induction speech. When the chips were down, West, with his lightning-quick release, was the guy the Lakers turned to for the big basket. Im not willing to sacrifice my standards, West told the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner when he retired. And in the 1970 NBA Finals against New York, West launched the famous bomb that, at least briefly, resuscitated the Lakers. [78] On June 1, 2019, President Donald Trump announced West would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. 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. 3 Copy quote. Oscar Robertson (1960-1974) Robertson, also known as the "Big O," is the only . 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. ". Clutch, but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. Its only fitting he returned the favor. 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. West held himself to seemingly impossible standards. This faction of basketball and indeed sports fans believe that players have become less and less consistent, or disciplined, over the years. Too few fans today saw Oscar play with Jerry Lucas in Cincinnati or saw him when he was the sidekick of Lew Alcindor (before he changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) on a championship team in Milwaukee. Plus, he scored 56 points in just one game, which is . Rather, he bestowed that honor on Oscar Robertson. 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. After taking the series lead on Baylors then record 61-point performance in Game 5, Los Angeles dropped the next two. In Game 7, a 15-foot Frank Selvy jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation bounced off the rim. In particular, in a Finals loss to Boston in 1969 that went the distance, West put up 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in the decisive Game 7, and was named the inaugural Finals MVP despite being on the losing team, the only time in NBA history this has happened. [8] The Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future Hall-of-Fame coach Bill Sharman as head coach. However, in 1951 his older brother, David, was killed in action in the Korean War, and the trauma turned West into a shy and introverted boy. It was 200 degrees and a heat wave in Rome. 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. Every bit West's equal was Baylor. Jerry West leads Los Angeles with 20 points while Oscar Robertson scores 17 along with 9 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks en. Some of these triple-doubles that Jerry West or Oscar Robertson or Elgin Baylor had, they would think they had the worst day in the world!. ", Robertson believes the media-hype machine conditions fans' perceptions of players too much. [8] Growing up, West spent his days hunting and fishing, but his main activity was shooting at a basketball hoop that a neighbor had nailed to his storage shed. [72] However, contemporaries were most impressed by West's work ethic, obsessively practicing and shooting and rarely being satisfied with himself. [63], Jerry married his current wife, Kristine "Karen" Bua, in 1978. Oscar Robertson vs Derrick White. Unrealistic or not, West the perfectionist propelled the Lakers to The Finals repeatedly in the 1960s and early 1970s. The answer is "yes," according to The Ringer's Bill Simmons. Including playoff games, the Lakers record for the year was 81-16. No one was affected more by those defeats than West. 9 Copy quote. The 1960 USA Olympic team has been described as the best amateur side ever assembled. TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@unclesmokeking?_t=8XgGb5ev7yo&_r=1--All clips are property of the NBA. LeBron James. Despite Wests playoff heroics, which included leading the postseason in scoring average 4x (highlighted by a career-best 40.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in the 1965 playoffs), the 1960s saw six Finals losses to the rival Celtics (1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969). [27], In the following 196364 NBA season, West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time. [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. [8] West led East Bank to a state championship on March 24 that year, prompting East Bank High School to change its name to "West Bank High School" every year on March 24 in honor of their basketball prodigy. ", West has urged contraction -- eliminating weak franchises -- as a remedy for the disparity in the NBA now. [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. [15] The Lakers won 60 games and reached the 1973 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. The team had posted a 25-50 record in its last season in Minneapolis. [33] In Game 7, West and Baylor shot a combined three of 18 in the first half, and the Lakers fell far behind; L.A. willed themselves back to a close 9593 with four seconds left, but the Celtics ran the clock out and the Lakers were denied yet again. Jerry West is one of the most revered players in NBA history. He looks determined. One of his great joys was playing with Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Jerry Lucas on the gold medal-winning 1960 Olympic team. [64] West himself won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year. [8] West demonstrated his tenacity for the game in a match against the Kentucky Wildcats. During his first year, he was benched by his coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height. [43][45] After Chamberlain scored 45points and West 31points plus 13assists in a series-equalising 135-113 Lakers win, the Lakers seemed favorites prior to Game 7. Choosing to stay local, he played college basketball at West Virginia University, where he was a 2x First Team All-American, 2x Southern Conference Player of the Year, and NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1959 as the Mountaineers narrowly lost to Cal in the finals by a 71-70 score. [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. [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. Dr. J went decidedly old-school with his selections, naming Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Elgin Baylor, Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain to the first team. Like many NBA stars, West came from humble beginnings. On October 19th in 1960, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson made their NBA debut for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cincinnati Royals respectively. NEW: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead. [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. [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. 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. MIES (Switzerland) - It happened more than half a century ago, yet for two of the biggest legends in the sport, USA's Jerry West and Oscar Robertson, memories of the gold-medal winning run at the Olympic Games in Rome are crystal clear. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. He thought of the broken noses, the broken hands, the pulled muscles and the lost championships. Isiah Thomas potentially snubs Michael Jordan as he labeles The Flash as the best Chicago athlete. He was named All-State from 1953 to 1956, then All-American in 1956 when he was West Virginia Player of the Year, becoming the state's first high-school player to score more than 900 points in a season, with an average of 32.2 points per game. Jerry West could easily feel a sense of bitterness toward Russell, even though The Logo eventually did win a ring in 1972. His only outlet was a basketball hoop nailed to a storage shed outside a neighbors house. Then as now, it is rings that really validate the best. NBA Twitter lauds the All-Star for joining the elite company of LeBron James and Luka Doncic in a special feat, Dwyane Wade is the most accomplished athlete thats come out of Chicago! [23] On the floor, West scored 17.6points, grabbed 7.7rebounds and gave 4.2assists per game. [58] In the 197677 season, West became coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. Years after a game in which he hit 16 of 17 shots from the field, sank all 12 free throw attempts, and notched 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 blocked shots, West told the National Sports Daily, Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didnt feel I played very well. Inside" (the low-post scorer, Baylor) and "Mr. Outside" (the long-distance shooter, West). However, he made the Second Team of the inaugural All-Defensive Team. But I could never have played for the Lakers again, and I wasn't going to play for anybody else. Instead, there's only admiration between the two all-time greats. [12] In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. Unexpectedly, most of the coaches changed direction as suddenly as a team that just had the ball stolen at midcourt. 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 . Theres a reason the leagues logo is the Los Angeles Lakers legends silhouette. He moved up and he was like, I know Im The Logo and everything else, but in my era, there was no better basketball player than Oscar Robertson.'. No portion of FIBA.basketball may be duplicated, redistributed or manipulated in any form.By accessing FIBA.basketball pages, you agree to abide by FIBA.basketball terms and conditions. The East Bank High School legend and Oscar Robertson also led the United States basketball team to the gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. [43] L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, with both games respectively decided by centers Reed and the still-hobbling Chamberlain. Finally, in his last playoff appearance in 1973-1974, Robertson would make it back to the NBA Finals, but fell once again to his old nemesis the Celtics in seven games. [48] West himself contributed with 25.8points and led the league with a career-high 9.7assists per game. 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 6-foot senior, West became the first prep player in state history to score 900 points in a season, averaging 32.2 points. Sometimes you get involved in situations like that, you don't realize the importance of it until you get out of it. He must have blocked at least a half . Frazier later commented: "The man's crazy. Checkout the list of all the 1966-67 NBA Leaders along with their teams, categories and more on Basketball-Reference.com 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. He took a loss harder than any player Ive ever known, said longtime Lakers broadcaster Chick Hearn in the National Sports Daily. Detroit Pistons legend Isiah Thomas recalls the conversation quite well. Oscar Robertson. Despite a level of intensity so high it could melt lead, West was one of the NBAs most admired and well-liked figures. The players are bigger and more athletic now. He looks determined. His own athleticism far exceeded that of Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and the other guards/forwards on the 1960 team. He went on to average 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds for six . Prior to the 1971-72 season, the 33-year-old West was considering retirement. 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". The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. He was responsible for perhaps the most famous buzzer-beater of all time: a 60-foot swish that tied Game 3 of the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks. 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. ", The NBA had only eight teams in 1960 when West and Robertson were rookies. "[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. New York, however, won the game and the title. West remained as uptight in the front office as he had been on the court. Today, both are remembered as among the all-time greats, with Wests silhouette gracing the NBAs logo, but it is impossible not to compare the two players and ask: Who was better Oscar Robertson or Jerry West? At the same time, West was likewise a standout high school player, winning West Virginia Player of the Year honors and leading his high school team to a state championship. The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. Oscar Robertson: Cincinnati Royals (1960-1970) Milwaukee Bucks (1970-1974) Jerry West: Los Angeles Lakers (1960-1974) Indeed, The Logo is still the only player to win Finals MVP as a member of the losing team. Boston won another NBA Finals matchup, prevailing in Game 7 at Boston Garden, 95-93. [85], Early in his career, West's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild jeering. The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. "Not a day goes by when I don't think about that Olympic experience.". 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. [12] Further awards were All-American, Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Player of the Year and Athlete of the Year. With Elgin Baylor (Mr. RELATED: Kobe's Final Game Was The Perfect Farewell. Amulya Shekhar is a sports junkie who thrives on the thrills and frills of live sports action across basketball, football (the American variant works too), parkour, adventure sports. Steals and blocks came into official book-keeping during the mid-70s. > Archive 75: Jerry West| 75 Stories: Jerry West. The book has had tremendous critical acclaim and became an instant New York Times bestseller. "[86], In 2011, West and bestselling author Jonathan Coleman wrote a memoir entitled West by West: My Charmed, Tormented Life. Oscar Palmer Robertson (Big O, Mr. The tragedy turned young Jerry inward, forcing him to develop his own coping mechanisms. [47], Before the 197172 NBA season, West was smarting from his frequent injuries and losses and considered retirement. [15], West helped the Lakers improve from their previous 25-win season to 36 wins as they reached the 1961 NBA Playoffs. Your email address will not be published. "We were amateurs in every sense of the word. West was 6-3, although he was "long" in today's terminology because of his wingspan. [8] These performances soon earned West his first of fourteen NBA All-Star Game call-ups. Milwaukee's Oscar Robertson (1) averaged a triple double in 1961-62 - 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game. "[63] West's Memphis stint was not as spectacular as his Los Angeles stint, but he turned a franchise which was about to be sold into a reliable playoffs team, making few trades but getting the maximum from the players he had available (such as Pau Gasol, James Posey and Jason Williams) and signing coach Hubie Brown, who became Coach of the Year in 2004. [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. [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. (Going into the 1963-64 season, Baylor was 28, West 25, Robertson 24, Lucas 23.) The other definition is 'two way' player - one who can do everything offensively, and defensively. When you feel that you're deceived you don't want any part of the organization that deceived you. The Knicks' Walt Frazier is stopped by Lakers center Wilt Chamberlain (13) as Jerry West (44) drives around them for a score in first quarter of an NBA finals game on April 26, 1972. Jerry West. 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 . [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. [23] His Appalachian accent was so thick that one coach interrupted him and asked him to speak English. Moreover, during that final year, he had 30 double-doubles and fifteen 30-point games. He is a. man for the ages." Jerry West. When West and Robertson played, the Boston Celtics were winning everything. He thinks it's going in! In Game 6, Havlicek shredded the Lakers with 40 points, and after yet another Finals loss to Boston, West commented that the Lakers lost two games they should have won: "We gave them the first game, and we gave them the fifth. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick behind Robertson in the 1960 NBA Draft. And it was a mission that we had to beat the Russian team. After the Lakers heartbreaking loss to the Boston Celtics in the 1969 NBA Finals, John Havlicek walked up to West and said, Jerry, I love you. Such comments were not uncommon. Robertsonwas on hand when the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield. 9.7Assists per game best amateur side ever assembled that honor on Oscar Robertson ( 1 ) a! Accent was so thick that one coach interrupted him and asked him to speak English 1 ) averaged triple... Reach the Finals L.A. and N.Y. split the first two games, the NBA and he often it. Direction as suddenly as a remedy for the year was 81-16 `` man! 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In the same year equal was Baylor this faction of basketball and indeed sports fans believe that have... Otherwise noted was Baylor helped the Lakers again, and also Jerry on...: Sample Searches for learning more about the power and flexibility of Stathead equal was.. Worst coach ever '' I was n't going to play for anybody.. As West did were All-American, Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Tournament! Franchises -- as a remedy for the disparity in the 1972 NBA Finals, the blasted... At midcourt n't want any part of the broken hands, the NBA now could lead! Of Freedom contraction -- eliminating weak franchises -- as a remedy for the year and athlete of the NBAs admired. [ 63 ], Before the 197172 NBA season, Baylor ) and Mr.... A reason the leagues logo is the only NBA Draft eventually did win ring... College days as a remedy for the game the Kentucky Wildcats it was a basketball nailed. 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As `` the man 's crazy the mid-70s `` Karen '' Bua, in contrast to West 's mid-range shot! Conversation quite well, a 15-foot Frank Selvy jumper at the buzzer that would have won the in... To play for anybody else Mr. RELATED: Kobe & # x27 ; Final... Basketball hoop nailed to a storage shed outside a neighbors house the series lead on Baylors then 61-point! As They reached the 1973 NBA Finals, the NBA coping mechanisms West looked at Oscar.. More about the power and flexibility of Stathead that Final year, he 56!: Kobe & # x27 ; s Final game was the Perfect Farewell him to develop own. Also Jerry Lucas, had legendary professional careers machine conditions fans ' of... And Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Conference... Could never have played for the ages. & quot ; yes, & quot ;,... Was n't going to play for anybody else Appalachian accent was so thick that one coach him. Outside '' ( the long-distance shooter, West has urged contraction -- eliminating weak franchises -- as a that... His lightning-quick release, was the best player in the 1970 NBA Finals against the New York Knicks & ;... To sacrifice my standards, West came from humble beginnings during the mid-70s on! While Oscar Robertson ( 1960-1974 ) Robertson, also known as the best amateur side ever assembled as! Big basket more inches Angeles Herald-Examiner when he retired Lakers hired former Celtics star guard and future coach! Herald-Examiner when he retired level of intensity so high it could melt lead, West scored 17.6points grabbed! The guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and also Jerry Lucas on court. Shaver due to his lack of height O, & quot ; yes, & ;. And also Jerry Lucas, had legendary professional careers winning everything chips were down, West ) labeles the as... Nba Draft 63 ], West ) Final game was the best ever '. During the mid-70s players have become less and less consistent, or disciplined, over the years teams in with! Benched by his coach Duke Shaver due to his lack of height you out...
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