![Sam Hodde A tribute for Jerry West is observed prior to Game 3 of the NBA basketball finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. West died Wednesday at age 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. West led West Virginia University — where he is still the all-time leader in scoring average — to the NCAA final in 1959, when the Mountaineers lost by one point to California. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/4f78b419e02b432da1d832d014ecd9c3/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
A tribute for Jerry West is observed prior to Game 3 of the NBA basketball finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. West died Wednesday at age 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. West led West Virginia University — where he is still the all-time leader in scoring average — to the NCAA final in 1959, when the Mountaineers lost by one point to California. (AP Photo/Sam Hodde)
![Tony Gutierrez Dallas Mavericks players line up during a tribute for Jerry West prior to Game 3 of the NBA basketball finals against the Boston Celtics, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. West died Wednesday at age 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. West led West Virginia University — where he is still the all-time leader in scoring average — to the NCAA final in 1959, when the Mountaineers lost by one point to California. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/0396eefe3ea84135b253c9edf98fced5/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Dallas Mavericks players line up during a tribute for Jerry West prior to Game 3 of the NBA basketball finals against the Boston Celtics, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Dallas. West died Wednesday at age 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. West led West Virginia University — where he is still the all-time leader in scoring average — to the NCAA final in 1959, when the Mountaineers lost by one point to California. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
![Uncredited FILE - At left, Jerry West speaks at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Friday, Aug. 13, 2010. At right, Kobe Bryant smiles before an NBA basketball game in Washington, Nov. 26, 2013. It was during the NBA Finals in 2010. Kobe Bryant was asked a question about whether he thought he was the greatest Los Angeles Laker ever. The answer was immediate. “No,” Bryant said. He wasn’t being difficult or misleading and the question was fair, especially because Bryant surely would have been on the short list for such a title. But in Bryant’s mind, that distinction — greatest Laker ever — belonged to only one person. To him, the only answer was Jerry West. (AP Photo/File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/975345abcb1e4403ad48a3edd954af93/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - At left, Jerry West speaks at the Hall of Fame Museum in Springfield, Mass. Friday, Aug. 13, 2010. At right, Kobe Bryant smiles before an NBA basketball game in Washington, Nov. 26, 2013. It was during the NBA Finals in 2010. Kobe Bryant was asked a question about whether he thought he was the greatest Los Angeles Laker ever. The answer was immediate. “No,” Bryant said. He wasn’t being difficult or misleading and the question was fair, especially because Bryant surely would have been on the short list for such a title. But in Bryant’s mind, that distinction — greatest Laker ever — belonged to only one person. To him, the only answer was Jerry West. (AP Photo/File)
![William Wotring Flowers have been left at the Jerry West statute at the Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va., Wednesday, June 12, 2024. West died Wednesday at age 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. West led West Virginia University — where he is still the all-time leader in scoring average — to the NCAA final in 1959, when the Mountaineers lost by one point to California. (William Wotring/The Dominion-Post via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/6fbce5b7924e4df0ad09bc3888733248/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Flowers have been left at the Jerry West statute at the Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va., Wednesday, June 12, 2024. West died Wednesday at age 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. West led West Virginia University — where he is still the all-time leader in scoring average — to the NCAA final in 1959, when the Mountaineers lost by one point to California. (William Wotring/The Dominion-Post via AP)
![Ron Rittenhouse Visitors leave flowers at the base of a statue of West Virginia's Jerry West, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, outside the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va. West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning. He was 86. (Ron Rittenhouse/The Dominion-Post via AP)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/8dd37a6d4b5348cf8242fa512c8ec2fa/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
Visitors leave flowers at the base of a statue of West Virginia's Jerry West, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, outside the WVU Coliseum in Morgantown, W.Va. West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive, and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning. He was 86. (Ron Rittenhouse/The Dominion-Post via AP)
![Kevork Djansezian FILE - Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant gives basketball great Jerry West a shoulder rub after the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference basketball finals in Los Angeles, May 29, 2008. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a legendary career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, June 12, 2024, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/93f446b0e7c24ec6b270aec2b1ee56f2/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant gives basketball great Jerry West a shoulder rub after the Lakers beat the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Western Conference basketball finals in Los Angeles, May 29, 2008. Jerry West, who was selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a legendary career as a player and executive and whose silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo, died Wednesday morning, June 12, 2024, the Los Angeles Clippers announced. He was 86. (AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian, File)