Warriors reveal season-long Jerry West tribute decal

Golden State will debut the decal and hold a moment of silence for West before Friday’s preseason matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Jerry West’s lasting impact on basketball and the Warriors

West’s illustrious resume was well-documented before he joined the Warriors. After earning three All-American selections at West Virginia, he made the NBA All-Star team every season of his 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers and earned 12 All-NBA selections. The guard won a championship with the Lakers in 1972 after becoming the only player in league history to win Finals MVP on a losing team in 1969.

West averaged 27.0 points, 5.8 rebounds and 6.7 assists while shooting 47.4 percent on 20.4 field goal attempts per game over his NBA career. He earned the nickname “Mr. Clutch” for his game-saving heroics, and the NBA appropriately named the Clutch Player of the Year award after him in 2022.

After his playing days and a brief coaching career, West continued to build his legacy as an executive. He won two Executive of the Year awards over two decades with the Lakers and a brief stint with the Memphis Grizzlies before joining the Warriors. While serving as an executive board member, West helped Golden State win its first championship in over 40 years in 2015. The team won another in 2017.

Last week, West became the first three-time inductee in Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame history when he joined the Class of 2024 under the title contributor, recognizing his eight championships won as an executive.

“Contributor to the game of basketball, that is you in every single sense and that will live on forever,” said West’s son, Jonnie.

The Warriors will play their first regular season game with West’s initials on the court when they make their regular season home debut on Oct. 23 vs. the Los Angeles Clippers.