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 before the first matchup between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic.
A month ago, basketball lost the legendary Jerry West, the man who inspired the NBA logo. As the league held its post-summer draft showcase event, his absence was noted and his contributions to the game were honored.
West always occupied a courtside seat at the Thomas & Mack Center, which the league reserved by placing a T-shirt with a picture of West with “The Soul of Summer League” on it over the chair as a tribute. A Dairy Queen cup was also placed on the chair to commemorate West with a treat he enjoyed during summer league (presumably a milkshake).
On the baseline at Thomas & Mack Arena in Las Vegas, the NBA honored Jerry West in his usual courtside seat, complete with his favorite summer league gift. image.twitter.com/fVyStyZqbp
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) July 12, 2024
The courtside seat will be reserved for West and he will be honored throughout the Summer League schedule.
Prior to Game 1, a tribute video to West also played in the arena that included archival footage and photographs from his college days at West Virginia, his time with the 1960 Olympic gold medal-winning team, his 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and his years as a successful executive with several NBA teams.
The Las Vegas Summer League turns off the lights and remembers Jerry West before kickoff at Thomas & Mack.
They will also leave their seats on the court free throughout the event. photo.twitter.com/3shY9U7GdQ
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) July 12, 2024
The video included remembrances from figures such as West himself; Magic Johnson; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar; Jamaal Wilkes; longtime Lakers 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-court ceremony to honor West, hosted by ESPN broadcaster Mark Jones.
“Jerry West, for all his accolades… never stopped searching. His commitment to doing better in life and embracing the next horizon is something very much worth remembering and celebrating right now.”
A fragment of the tribute to Jerry West before the start of SL image.twitter.com/9TctzjlwIK
— Edwin Garcia (@ECreates88) July 12, 2024
“Jerry West, for all his accolades, accomplishments and transformation into something greater than the life he envisioned for himself, never stopped searching,” Jones said in tribute. “His commitment to doing better in life and embracing the next horizon is something worth remembering and celebrating, as we are doing now.”
West will be inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in October as a contributor for his achievements 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 championship (he appeared in nine NBA Finals) and is the only player to win the Finals MVP award as an underdog (in 1969). He was an All-Star in each of his 14 NBA seasons, earning All-NBA First Team honors 10 times and All-NBA All-Defensive First Team honors four times. The league named him to its 35th, 50th and 75th anniversary teams.