### Jerry West’s Remarkable Career Transition: From Star Athlete to Legendary Executive
The transition from sports stardom to post-retirement success can be challenging for many athletes. However, this was not the case for Jerry West, an iconic basketball figure who passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86.
### Illustrious Playing Career
Jerry West’s basketball journey began at West Virginia, leading to a legendary career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He was an All-Star for all 14 seasons he played and led the Lakers to nine NBA Finals. West retired at 36, capping an extraordinary playing career that would be hard for anyone to follow with similar success in a subsequent endeavor.
### Stellar Executive Career
Yet, West managed to surpass his on-court achievements in his executive career, which spanned 45 years in the NBA. After a brief stint in coaching and scouting, he became the Lakers’ general manager before the 1982-83 season. His initial move was drafting James Worthy, who teamed up with Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. West also acquired Byron Scott, A.C. Green, and Mychal Thompson, leading the Lakers to five titles in the 1980s.
### Rebuilding the Lakers
Even as the Lakers faced a rebuilding phase in the 1990s, West’s keen eye for talent shone through. He drafted Vlade Divac, later trading him for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant in 1996. A week after that trade, West signed Shaquille O’Neal, setting the stage for the Lakers’ three-peat in the early 2000s.
### Success with Other Franchises
West’s influence extended beyond the Lakers. As the general manager of the Memphis Grizzlies, he transformed the struggling franchise, leading them to playoff berths in three of his five years. In 2011, he joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member, contributing to their two championships by 2017. West’s final executive role was with the Los Angeles Clippers, where he played a crucial role in bringing Paul George and Kawhi Leonard to the team.
### Legacy and Impact
In total, West earned eight rings as an executive. Despite losing eight NBA Finals as a player, his success in the executive realm brought poetic justice to his career. Immortalized as the silhouette of the NBA logo, West’s statistics as a player remain impressive, and his legacy as an executive may never be matched. He exemplifies the pinnacle of athletes finding sustained success in their second act within the sports industry.
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