Jerry West by the Numbers
Fourteen bullet points for the 14-season career of the incomparable Mr. Clutch.
West was the Minneapolis Lakers’ number-one pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, second overall behind the Cincinnati Royals’ territorial pick, Oscar Robertson. West also won one NBA Finals MVP Award, in 1969. He is still the only player on a losing team to take home the honor.
West was a two-time winner of the Executive of the Year Award, in 1994-95 with the Los Angeles Lakers and in 2003-04 with the Memphis Grizzlies. He was also a two-time consensus All-America First Team selection at the University of West Virginia, where he led the Mountaineers to the NCAA championship game in 1959 and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
West was the Lakers’ head coach for three seasons, compiling records of 53-29 in 1976-77, 45-37 in 1977-78, and 47-35 in 1978-79. He reached the playoffs all three seasons, going as far as the Western Conference Finals in 1977.
West was a four-time runner-up for the MVP Award (1965-66, 1969-70, 1970-71, and 1971-72), the most such finishes by a player who never won the award. He also recorded four 40-point games in the 1969 NBA Finals, tying him with Michael Jordan (1993) for the most such games in a single Finals.
West was a five-time All-Defensive selection (four First Team, one Second Team) even though the honor was not introduced until 1968-69, his eighth season. He also had five 2,000-point seasons, tying him with Elgin Baylor for the second-most such seasons in Lakers history.
The Lakers won the NBA Finals six times during West’s tenure as an executive (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, and 2000). He also recorded six 40-point games in the 1965 Western Division Finals, two more such games than any other player has ever produced in a single postseason series.
West led the Lakers in both points and assists seven times, the second-most such seasons in franchise history (Kobe Bryant, 10). He had a seven-season streak in which he averaged at least 25 PPG and 5 APG in 50 or more games played, the fourth-longest such streak in NBA history.
This newsletter is produced by a team of one, but provides more “NBA statistical goodness” (Marc Stein) than most, if not all, major media outlets. Sign up using the “Finals Special” link below and you’ll get 25% off your first 12 months.
West recorded eight 40-point games in the 1965 NBA Playoffs, tying him with LeBron James (2018) for the most ever in a single postseason. He also had eight seasons in which he ranked in the top 10 in the league in both points and assists, tying him with Bob Cousy for the third-most such seasons in NBA history.
West played in the NBA Finals nine times, tying him with Tom Heinsohn and Magic Johnson for the fifth-most such appearances in league history. He also ranks number nine on the NBA’s all-time list for free throws made with 7,160.
West was a 10-time All-NBA First Team selection, tying him with six others for the fourth-most such selections in history. He also scored at least 40 points in 10 NBA Finals games, the most such games in league history.
West is one of 11 players in NBA history to reach career totals of 25,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 5,000 assists. He also had an 11-season streak in which he averaged at least 25 PPG in 50 or more games played, tying him with Karl Malone for the second-longest such streak in NBA history (LeBron James, 16).
West was a 12-time All-NBA selection (10 First Team, two Second Team), tying him with four others for the seventh-most such selections in history. He also had a 12-season streak in which he made at least 300 free throws with 75% accuracy, tying him with three others for the second-longest such streak in NBA history (Kobe Bryant, 14).
The 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers lost just 13 games in the regular season, setting a since-broken NBA record with 69 wins. That team went on to win the NBA title, West’s first and only championship.
West was selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game in each of his 14 seasons. No other player in NBA history has played more than 11 seasons while being named an All-Star in each season.