By Woodrow Carroll
Last week basketball icon Jerry West died.
Similar to so many stars, Jerry West left many memories to many fans. Much of what most fans remember about West centers around his time in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers.. Yet, similar to so many great athletes, West was a national figure by the time he turned to the professional ranks.
A high school legend as a West Virginia prep, West stayed local and attended West Virginia University in Morgantown. West first dressed varsity for the Mountaineers as a sophomore starting with the 1957-58 season. West likely would have played as a freshman, however, at the time, freshman were not eligible.
Of note, one of West’s teammates at West Virginia was Ronnie Retton who was a class ahead of West. A gifted athlete in basketball and baseball, Retton was the father of Olympic Games gold medal gymnast, Mary Lou Retton.
If there was a coming for Jerry West it was at West Virginia University during the Kentucky Christmas Invitational his sophomore season..
The Mountaineers knocked off first Kentucky, then North Carolina, in capturing the championship trophy. North Carolina was defending NCAA champion, having beaten Kansas and Wilt Chamberlain in the 1957 championship. North Carolina’s 37-game winning streak was ended by West Virginia. As it turned out, Kentucky came on late in the season to win the men’s NCAA championship by beating Seattle and Elgin Baylor in the titular game. West and Baylor ended up long-time teammates in the pro ranks as members of the Lakers.
West Virginia ended the 1958 regular season with a 26-1 record and a No.1 ranking in the polls, the only time in school history the Mountaineers were No. 1 the polls The only regular-season setback for West Virginia a 72-68 loss at Duke.
As Southern Conference champion, the Mountaineers were expected to make waves in the NCAA Tournament. Shockingly, West Virginia lost to Manhattan, 89-84, in its opening game of the NCAA Tournament to finish with a 26-2 record.
As a junior at West Virginia,=, West was part of a program that ended with a 29-5 final record. The West Virginia game with Northwestern, December 27, 1958, still resonates. A double-overtime thriller was won by Northwestern, 118-109, at the Chicago Stadium. Perhaps, Northwestern star center, the late Joe Ruklick’s finest collegiate hour was in that game. Ruklick scored 28 points and hauled down 20 rebounds to pace the Wildcats in victory.
The Mountaineers recovered nicely and were ready for the postseason this time and made good. Almost!
West Virginia reached the championship game of the 1959 NCAA men’s final only to lose to California, 71-70.
As a senior at West Virginia, Jerry West was key to a 26-5 record for the Mountaineers. A regular-season 65-45 loss to California ended the prospect of the Mountaineers grabbing the No. 1 ranking that season.
A record of 81-12 in three years of varsity basketball for West Virginia during West’s time was his legacy. A loss to New York University in 1960 NCAA Tournament ended his collegiate career.
Jerry West played for the Los Angeles Lakers starting with the 1960-61 season for 14 seasons. The first year coincided with the Lakers first year in Los Angeles for the franchise after moving from Minneapolis.
With West at guard, the Lakers came close to NBA titles many times. West was MVP of the 1969 NBA finals as a member of the losing Lakers’ squad that dropped a seven-game thriller to the Boston Celtics. In 1972 Los Angeles broke through to win a championship by taking out the New York Knicks, four games to one in the final series.
After retiring as player in 1974, West was the head coach of the Lakers, 1976-79, then worked as a successful Lakers’ executive.