The NBA Summer League kicked off Friday in Las Vegas (after warm-ups in San Francisco, Sacramento and Salt Lake City) and one of basketball’s icons was honored ahead of the first game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic.
Basketball lost the legendary Jerry West, the man who inspired the NBA logo, a month ago. As the league holds its post-draft event this summer, his absence was noted and his contributions to the game were honored.
West always had a courtside seat at the Thomas & Mack Center, which the league reserved by draping a T-shirt with a photo of West with “The Soul of Summer League” over the chair as a tribute. Also on the chair was a Dairy Queen cup to commemorate West with a treat he enjoyed during Summer League (presumably a milkshake).
On the baseline of Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, the NBA honored Jerry West in his usual courtside spot — with his favorite summer league treat. pic.twitter.com/fVyStyZqbp
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 12, 2024
The courtside seat will be reserved for West with the tribute throughout the Summer League schedule.
Before Game 1, a tribute video to West also aired in the arena, featuring archival footage and photos from his college years at West Virginia, his time on the 1960 Olympic gold medal-winning team and his 14-year playing career with the Los Angeles Lakers, as well as his years as a successful executive for multiple NBA teams.
Las Vegas Summer League turns out the lights and remembers Jerry West before the start at Thomas & Mack.
They also leave his pitchside seat open for the duration of the event. pic.twitter.com/3shY9U7GdQ
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) July 12, 2024
The video included memories from figures including West himself, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jamaal Wilkes, longtime Lakers head coach Pat Riley, former teammates Rod Hundley and Tommy Hawkins, and Celtics legends John Havlicek and Sam Jones.
The video was followed by an on-field ceremony honoring West, hosted by ESPN broadcaster Mark Jones.
“Jerry West, for all his accolades… never stopped searching. His commitment to improving himself in life and embracing the next horizon is something worth remembering and celebrating at this time.”
An excerpt from the tribute to Jerry West before the start of SL pic.twitter.com/9TctzjlwIK
— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) July 12, 2024
“Jerry West, for all his accolades, accomplishments and becoming bigger than the life he ever imagined, never stopped searching,” Jones said in tribute to his father. “His commitment to improving himself in life and embracing the future is something that deserves to be remembered and celebrated, as we are doing right now.”
West will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in October as a contributor for his accomplishments as an executive, making him the first person to be honored as both a player and a contributor. He won eight championships as an executive.
As a player, West won one NBA title (he appeared in nine NBA Finals) and is the only player to win the Finals MVP award as a losing effort (in 1969). He was an All-Star in each of his 14 NBA seasons, was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times and the All-Defensive First Team four times. The league named him to its 35th, 50th, and 75th Anniversary Teams.
