jerry west oscar robertson
After being employed by the Lakers for over 40 years, West retired but soon became the president of basketball operations of the Memphis Grizzlies on April 30, 2002. "Not a day goes by when I don't think about that Olympic experience.". By Oscar Robertson Aug. 7, 2010 Let me tell you about the original Dream Team, the 1960 United States Olympic gold medalist basketball team coached by Pete Newell, with Jerry West and me as the co . Basketball, Thinking, Able. [12] In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. The Big O appeared on the Knuckleheads podcast to discuss his favorite players in league history. Van Lier See original listing. As a rookie, West would make the first of 14 straight All-Star teams by averaging 17.6 points (41.9% shooting), 7.7 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game. > Archive 75: Jerry West| 75 Stories: Jerry West. [12] Further awards were All-American, Southern Conference Tournament MVP and Southern Conference Player of the Year and Athlete of the Year. Basketball had not yet sacrificed fundamentals for potential. [45] However, more frustration awaited West in Game 5, when Reed pulled his thigh muscle and seemed out for the series; instead of capitalizing on a double-digit lead and reeling off an easy win, the Lakers committed 19 second-half turnovers, and the two main scorers Chamberlain and West shot the ball only three and two times, respectively, in the entire second half and lost 107100 in what was called one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history. Ventaja : Jerry West. His high-pitched voice earned him the nickname "Tweety Bird", and he spoke with such a thick Appalachian accent that his teammates also referred to him as "Zeke from Cabin Creek" (his nickname acknowledged his country roots, and his accent was so thick that he squeaked his nickname sheepishly "Zeek from Cab'n Creek"). 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. Many players have been tagged with the nickname Mr. All rights reserved. West played the small forward position early in his career, and he was a standout at East Bank High School and at West Virginia University, where he led the Mountaineers to the 1959 NCAA championship game. In Game 2, Baltimore was unable to stop the Lakers guard, who scored 52 points, nearly half of L.A.'s total, in the 118115 win. [41] In Game 3, Russell opted to double-team West, and the guard's exhaustion began to show: West twice asked to be subbed for longer periods, and both times the Lakers fell back by double digits and finally lost by sixpoints. West lost the first eight times he played in the Finals, twice by a single basket against the Boston Celtics in Game 7s. Oscar might dispute the analogy, though. 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. However, the Lakers and West came out on the losing end in eight of those nine Finals. After this loss, West retired due to contract disagreements with Cooke, and filed a suit for unpaid back wages. 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. He made the varsity squad at East Bank High School, although he mostly sat on the bench during his junior year. In 2002, West became general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies and helped the franchise win their first-ever playoff berths. One of the main complaints that many old heads have with the modern game is its statistical, analytics aspect. "I met people from all over the world," said Robertson, who was inducted to the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2009. Equally legendary was Wests tolerance for pain. 26 Feb 2023 06:03:55 Although West suffered a terrible shooting slump during Games 1 and 2, the Lakers tied the series at one win each, and in Game 3, he scored 21points and helped L.A. win Game 3. However, it became clearer later that NBA media got lazy, complacent and became more of a sales force for the league itself. [87][88], West is portrayed in the 2022 HBO docudrama series Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty as a temperamental, foul-mouthed executive prone to angry outbursts and mood swings. Besides, the Big O has quite a bit of respect for The Logo, too. [8], In the summer of 2000, the city of Morgantown, West Virginia, and West Virginia Governor Cecil Underwood, dedicated the road outside of the West Virginia University Coliseum, "Jerry West Boulevard". He led Los Angeles into the playoffs each year and earned a Western Conference Finals berth once. Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938), nicknamed "the Big O", is an American former professional basketball player who played for the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks in the National Basketball Association (NBA). But the experience itself was the most gratifying of all," he recalled. He thinks its really going in! It did, sending Game 3 into overtime. Once there, the Lakers lost Game 1 to the Knicks, but then won four straight by relatively large margins. I think West is the smoother player and the stronger defensively. Van Breda Kolff pejoratively called Chamberlain "The Load", and later complained that Chamberlain was egotistical, never respected him, too often slacked off in practice and focused too much on his statistics. Perhaps fittingly, the two players also went into the Hall of Fame together in 1980, and Wests silhouette continues to grace the NBA logo today. Naturally, West enrolled at WVU, where he was a two-time All-American and averaged 24.8 ppg. [15] These performances earned him a multitude of honors, among them an All-American Third Team call-up, First Team All-Southern Conference, Southern Conference Tournament Most Valuable Player Award and First Team honors, Chuck TaylorConverse Second-team All-American honors, and Associated Press and United Press International Third-team All-American honors. [32] In Game 3, West scored 49points, and L.A. finally won a game, but in Games 4 and 5, the Lakers were beaten by double digits; in the last quarter of Game 5, West missed 14 of 15 shots and could not prevent yet another Celtics win. Moreover, half the battle is actually being on the court and so Robertsons better durability also gives him another slight edge in this close head-to-head matchup. He broke his nose during an incident in the game, but he continued to play despite intense pain and having to breathe through his mouth. Jerry West. [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. Oscar Robertson vs Lenny Wilkens. 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. 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. One of the salient features that differentiate the 50s and 60s basketball from eras that came later is the lack of emphasis on stats. Jerry West and Oscar Robertson defined the guard position for over a decade. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Wilt Chamberlain broke it down in the following fashion: Why would someone doing a game for lets say NBC do nothing but applaud the players and praise who they are? A loss just ripped his guts out., Its no wonder. Meanwhile, as Robertson was dominating night in and night out in Cincinnati, West exploded in his second NBA season, averaging 30.8 points (on 44.5% shooting), a career-high 7.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game in 1961-1962, which resulted in the first of 10 First Team All-NBA selections. The latter is a concept that has been derided as "a fancy word for you haven't done it yet. He spoke with a high pitched voice that became even shriller when he became excited so that Lakers captain Elgin Baylor dubbed West "Tweety Bird". Oscar Robertson vs Jo Jo White. Jerry West's NBA Finals Record. Isiah Thomas potentially snubs Michael Jordan as he labeles The Flash as the best Chicago athlete. "We were amateurs in every sense of the word. It is an honor to know him and to have competed against him. "Oscar was one of basketball's great leaders, and his life is one of basketball's great. [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. Like many NBA stars, West came from humble beginnings. Milwaukee's Oscar Robertson (1) averaged a triple double in 1961-62 - 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game. Media createst the impression that Oh, he had a triple-double! he did something spectacular. Jerome Alan West (Cheylan, 28 de maio de 1938) um ex-jogador de basquetebol norte-americano que atualmente exerce a funo de Conselheiro nos Clippers. "That was a unique period of time in this world," he said. The team reached the NCAA championship game in 1959 but lost to the University of California. [8] He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine electrician. At such a time, Oscar Robertson set the game afire with his spate of triple-doubles for the Cincinnati Royals. Revitalized, he played two more seasons. There will never be another player like the 'Big Dipper', who changed the game with his strength, athleticism and skill. [46] With his injured hands, West still hit nine of his 19 shots, but was outplayed by Walt Frazier, who scored 36points and 19assists and was credited with several crucial steals on Lakers guard Dick Garrett. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Hal Greer, the Boston Celtics became the most dominating team in the league. 1 select and West the . If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Ten of the players would go on to play in the NBA. [60], Those championship-winning Lakers were coached by Pat Riley, and featured superstar players Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy. [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. [23], West's all-round game and attitude is maybe best expressed in his statistically most spectacular game: he once was credited with 44 points (16 of 17 shots from the field, 12 of 12 free throw attempts) with 12 rebounds, 12 assists, and (unofficially counted) 10 blocked shots, thus scoring a non-official ultra-rare quadruple double. Theyre gonna be selling TODAYs game. "I had no tools to get better other than my own hard work," West said. [40] L.A. also took Game 2, with West scoring 41 points. [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. [61] At age 69, West retired as a Grizzlies general manager in 2007 and turned over managing duties to Chris Wallace.[64]. His only outlet was a basketball hoop nailed to a storage shed outside a neighbors house. This meant that points and rebounds would be the only stats any player couldve chased. [59], After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the Lakers before the 198283 seasons. In 1980, West was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the NBA 35th Anniversary Team. Fans' memories have dimmed of Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. West is undoubtedly one of the all-time greats, but he has one blemish: his NBA Finals record. The Minneapolis Lakers chose West with the second overall pick . Magic, Wilt, Jerry West, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant are some of the Laker greats, but Kareem was the best. Oscar Palmer Robertson (Big O, Mr. 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). West averaged 27 points for his career to Robertson's 25.7. "[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. The next season, though he averaged 27.1 points per game, he only played in 55 games; injuries and missed games were a prevalent theme throughout Wests career, as he would play in fewer than 70 regular season games in half of his 14 NBA seasons. The Americans' average margin of victory was 42.4 points per game. That was our goal.". Its only fitting he returned the favor. West was named the NBA Executive of the Year for 1995 after the Lakers posted their best record in four seasons. When West remembers the Rome Olympics, it takes him back to a different era. [62] However, he laid down the foundation of the Lakers three-peat, which saw L.A. win three NBA titles from 2000-2002. [84] His first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband often had difficulties opening up to her. Jerry West is a legendary Lakers guard. [15] After ending the regular season with 49 wins, L.A. played the Baltimore Bullets in the first round of the 1965 NBA Playoffs, but then team captain Baylor suffered a career-threatening knee injury. Inside) scoring nearly 35 ppg and West (Mr. With continued individual excellence and improved team play, he earned MVP honors in 1963-1964 on the strength of a career-high 31.4 points (48.3% shooting), 9.9 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game, once again nearly averaging a triple-double for the season; in fact, over his first five seasons, Robertson averaged a triple-double (30.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 10.6 assists per game). In the 1969 Finals against Boston, West became the only member of a losing team to be named Finals MVP. A smallish youth, West didnt make his junior high football, baseball or track teams. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. I could've played another very good year. However, West averaged 22.8points, but also averaged 8.8assists per game, and again was a First Teamer in the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense Teams. West continued to propel the Lakers to championship contender status by trading Divac for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant (1996), by signing free agent center Shaquille O'Neal (also 1996), and by signing six-time NBA champion Phil Jackson as a coach (1999). Unrealistic or not, West the perfectionist propelled the Lakers to The Finals repeatedly in the 1960s and early 1970s. 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. You pass them on, but nobody can understand you. Oscar Robertson vs Andrew Wiggins. Despite his age and physical problems, West kept averaged 25.8 ppg while leading the NBA in assists with 9.7 per contest. In the 197273 NBA season, the main scoring role was taken by Goodrich, and West was now a playmaker instead of a scorer. Former NBA Veteran JJ Redick made controversial comments calling NBA Legends Firemen and Plumbers. He only had diminutive, defensively weak Johnny Egan left next to West. And in NBA All-First Team Defense selections it wasn't even close. [15] "He stole more than anybody, although they didn't keep records on it then", said Sharman. [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. In-Game 1 West scored 24 points before fouling out with three minutes left and L.A. won Game 1 115112. Before he was "The Logo" -- the model for the silhouette on every NBA player's jersey -- he was "Mr. I worked construction in the summer," said Robertson, noting that all players had off-season jobs then. Jerry West was an All-NBA performer in 12 of his seasons. [71], West was an all-around combo guard who could take the playmaking roles of a point guard and score like a shooting guard, while being equally strong on offense and defense. This also marked the first of three straight seasons leading the NBA in assists, with Robertson putting up at least 11.0 assists per game each year, including a career-high 11.5 in 1964-1965. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird . Jerry West leads Los Angeles with 20 points while Oscar Robertson scores 17 along with 9 assists as the Milwaukee Bucks en. [64] West himself won his second NBA Executive of the Year Award in the same year. For the children's author, see, In the summer of 1996, West traded for shooting guard. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Oscar Robertson (1960-1974) Robertson, also known as the "Big O," is the only . Tackling the Biggest Head-to-Head Sports Debates. But I could never have played for the Lakers again, and I wasn't going to play for anybody else. Said Jerry West, a fellow Hall of Famer and Warriors . He said at the ceremony that athletes should not pass up a chance to represent their homeland. In addition to their regular season performances, Robertson and West were both consistent presences in the postseason and led their teams admirably for a number of years. the Lakers held a "Jerry West Night", and eleven-time NBA champion and perennial rival Bill Russell appeared and said: "Jerry, you are, in every sense of the word, truly a . Answer (1 of 15): I would Jerry West because he was on the All Defensive Team five times and Oscar was on none. Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas and Dave Cowens honored at halftime of NBA All-Star Game. West completely immersed himself in practice, often neglecting to eat. From there, he played his college ball at the University of Cincinnati, where in his three seasons with the Bearcats, he won the scoring title each year, was named a 3x All-American and 3x College Player of the Year (the Player of the Year award is now called the Oscar Robertson Trophy), made the Final Four twice, compiled 10 triple-doubles (a staple of his pro career), and set 14 NCAA and 19 school records. [25] West became known especially for hitting important late-game shots, and Lakers' announcer Chick Hearn named him "Mr. He was the measuring stick for how a player. Jerry West SG. 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. The triple-double is just a stat. Clutch, but none of them lived up to it as well as West did. The 1960 USA Olympic team has been described as the best amateur side ever assembled. Until he got it right, the ball would frequently hit and bruise his face. [17], During his junior year (195859), West scored 26.6 points per game and grabbed 12.3 rebounds per game. [15] Among retired players, only Michael Jordan, Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain surpass his 27.0 points per game average. And also, West can still feel the sensation of receiving his gold medal. The two go back quite a ways. [50][51] West conceded that he had played a terrible series, and credited the team for the success. RotoWire considers the best player values in Yahoo fantasy leagues for Wednesday night's slate. You still have to shoot, rebound, pass and play defense," said Robertson, who was honored with West at The Q on Thursday in the 50th anniversary year of their Olympic basketball triumph for the USA in 1960 in Rome. [15] In two newly introduced statistics, steals and blocks, he was credited with 2.6 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. 1 overall pick in the 1960 NBA Draft, with the Lakers selecting West immediately thereafter. Jerry Alan West (28. maj 1938, Chelyan, Zapadna Virginia) jedan je od najuspjenijih ljudi u svijetu koarke, prvo kao igra, zatim kao trener i na kraju u upravi.Silueta s njegovim karakteristinim driblingom postala je slubeni logo NBA lige. [27], In the following 196364 NBA season, West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time. 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. 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. Neither Chamberlain's 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscar's triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. [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. Every athlete goes through a natural career lifecycle, from starting off as a rookie to reaching peak years of performance and finally, declining into the inevitable retirement due to a combination of age and/or injury; from Robertsons complementary role on the Bucks to Wests proneness to injury, both players were eventually affected by these factors. [22], Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke was known for a keen eye identifying leadership and teaching qualities (he also gave Hall of Famers Sparky Anderson and Joe Gibbs their first managerial/head coaching positions),[57] and asked West to coach and participate in player personnel decisions. The Royals made Robertson with the No. [73] In 1979, West was elected into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the Lakers retired his No. If you are having difficulty accessing any content on this website, please visit our Accessibility page. Oscar Robertson vs Derrick White. The 1960 US Olympic team was one of the great ones, as good as any prior to the Dream Team in 1992. Key 1961-62 Fleer Basketball Cards: Wilt Chamberlain RC #8; Jerry West RC #43; Oscar Robertson RC #36; Bill Russell #38; Wilt Chamberlain #47 IA All of these rookies except for Wilkens are also featured on the action cards. [23] However, West seamlessly took over the role of team leader and established himself as the main Lakers scorer, averaging 30.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, winning All-NBA First Team honors. We got one dollar a day as a per diem. 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. He earned the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player honor despite the loss. Although injured captain Elgin Baylor ended his career, the Lakers had a season for the ages. West's mid-range jump shot became his trademark and he often used it to score while under pressure from opposing defenses. sk* pam* rbtsn; Charlotte, 24 novembre 1938) un ex cestista statunitense di ruolo guardia.. Soprannominato The Big O, disput 14 campionati NBA con le maglie dei Cincinnati Royals e dei Milwaukee Bucks, vincendo con questi ultimi il titolo nel 1971.Nel 1962 fu il primo giocatore nella storia dell'NBA a concludere una stagione con una tripla . However, he made the Second Team of the inaugural All-Defensive Team. West is still regarded as one of the best pure scorers in NBA history. West was chosen four times to Oscar's none. 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. With Wests hot hand leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title.