Jerry West, the man whose silhouette lives inside the NBA logo, died Wednesday at age 86 and the sports world is in mourning.
Many have opened their hearts publicly after hearing the news of West's death, including NBA Hall of Famer Julius Erving.
“May my all-time first team shooting guard rest in peace knowing that he paved the way to define greatness on the court, excellence in the front office and living life his way. Jerry is one of them and he claims the right to be the logo forever. My deepest condolences to his family,” Erving wrote in a post on X.
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Hall of Famers Julius Erving, left, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Jerry West and Bill Russell during the 67th NBA All-Star Game on Feb. 18, 2018, in Los Angeles. (Keith Birmingham/MediaNews Group/Pasadena Star-News via Getty Images)
Fox News Digital spoke with Erving on Wednesday to learn more about her relationship with West, and you could hear the emotion behind the words as she dropped them.
“I've had a lot of experiences with Jerry West,” said Erving, who is affectionately known as “Dr. J.” “I got to play golf with him. I saw him shoot 34 on the back of his course in Los Angeles, where he was a member. So, not only was he a rare talent in his profession, but he was just a talented, intelligent individual. Individual He comes from humble beginnings like so many people who can rise to the top. He is clearly the leading guard on the best team of all time in basketball history, winning 33 games in a row. [Los Angeles] Lakers in the year they had Wilt [Chamberlain]he and [Elgin] Baylor.
“Those guys were my heroes, so I lost one of my heroes.”
NBA LEGEND JERRY WEST DEATHS AT 86
Erving added that he finds comfort in knowing West had a full life, but he and the late Boston Celtics great Bill Russell, who died in 2022, are “just guys who can never be replaced by anyone else.”
“That's why Jerry is the logo of the NBA,” Erving said. “He's the guy you see all the time when you see the NBA logo. My heart goes out to him and our deepest condolences go out to his family, his loved ones and his friends. It's a tremendous loss not only for basketball, but “just a loss.” period, for everyone.”
When Erving began playing professionally, he was in the ABA during the 1971-72 season and would spend five years there before the merger in 1976. By that time, West was already retired after the 1973-74 campaign.
Legendary basketball star Jerry West (Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
However, the Hall of Famers got to know each other over the years, and Erving especially remembers recent moments on the golf course.
“I think he's a very direct guy. He didn't throw any punches. He said what was on his mind,” Erving recalled when asked what West, the person, was like to be around. “Even when we went out to play golf, he always insisted on being the first group out because he played fast. So if someone in front of him played slow or didn't have a good game, he would get mad about it. We had our little groups.
“His memory lasts forever.”
West played his entire career with the Lakers, where he was a 14-time All-Star and an NBA champion with them in 1972. He also won NBA Finals MVP despite not winning the title in 1969.
West would also be named the league's scoring champion during the 1969-70 season, where he averaged 31.2 points per game. He was a five-time All-Defensive team honoree and led the league in assists during the 1971-72 season.
President Trump presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jerry West during a ceremony at the White House on September 5, 2019. (Tom Brenner/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
West's legend advanced after his career when he became a Lakers executive after starting in the scouting department in 1979. He rose to general manager during the 1982-83 season and is known for building the Showtime Lakers era, which including Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabaar and James Worthy.
There was also the draft day trade with the Charlotte Hornets that brought not only another Lakers great, but an all-time NBA legend, Kobe Bryant, to Los Angeles in 1996. That year, West also orchestrated a trade with the Orlando Magic for Shaquille O. -Neal. That Lakers team won three titles together.
West would go on to the Memphis Grizzlies from 2002 to 2007, where Pau Gasol was the biggest find, although he would win his NBA title with the Lakers he previously formed.
Then came the Golden State Warriors, where West played a major role in building that dynasty in the 2010s, led by Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and, eventually, Kevin Durant.
After a stint with the Los Angeles Clippers, then-President Trump honored West with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.
NBA legends Jerry West and Julius Erving attend the College Basketball Awards on April 8, 2016, in Los Angeles. (León Bennett/Getty Images)
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West was truly a legend of the game and someone who impacted lives both on and off the court. So, like Erving and many others, honoring West is easy considering the profound impact he had on everyone who knew him.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.
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