Jerry West
Mr. Clutch Peak (1965-72) · 1965–1972
West's elite Scoring (92) and strong Stamina (88) define this era.
Trophy Case
1972
Beat the Knicks 4-1 during the Lakers' 33-game win streak season
1969
Only player to win Finals MVP on the losing team
1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974
14 selections — 'Mr. Clutch' was a perennial star
1972
All-Star MVP in 1972 — 'Mr. Clutch' showed up in every setting
1970
Won at 31.2 PPG — his only scoring title
1972
Led the league in 1972 — rare for a shooting guard of that era
1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
10 selections — elite two-way guard for over a decade
1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
4 consecutive selections — 'Mr. Clutch' was elite on both ends
Signature Moments
The Logo — Literally the NBA Logo
Jerry West's silhouette became the NBA logo. He is, literally, the face of professional basketball. No other athlete in any sport is their league's logo. That's how iconic his game was — they made him the symbol of the entire sport.
He IS the NBA. Literally. Every jersey, every court, every broadcast — that's Jerry West.
The 60-Foot Buzzer-Beater — 1970 Finals
Game 3 of the 1970 Finals. Down 2 with no time left, West heaved the ball from beyond half court — 60 feet — and banked it in to send the game to overtime. In an era before three-pointers, it only counted for two. The Lakers still lost. West averaged 31.2 in the Finals that year and still lost to the Knicks.
He hit a 60-foot shot and it only counted for two. He averaged 31 in the Finals and lost. Mr. Clutch had the worst luck in championship history.
Only Finals MVP on a Losing Team
West is the only player in NBA history to win Finals MVP while his team lost the series. He was so dominant in the 1969 Finals that voters couldn't ignore it — even though the Lakers fell to the Celtics in 7 games. He averaged 37.9 points that series.
So good they gave him the MVP even though he lost. That has never happened before or since. Jerry West transcended winning and losing.
Career Numbers
Playoff PPG
Only Finals MVP from losing team (1969)
29.1
Assists Per Game
6.7
Career Points
25,192
Points Per Game
Career average across 932 games
27.0
Rebounds Per Game
5.8
Season Stats · Mr. Clutch Peak (1965-72)
Engine Attributes
Fan Debate
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