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Jerry West: The Life and Legend of a Basketball Icon
When in 1969 the NBA sought an emblem for the league, one man was chosen above all as the icon of his Jerry West. Silhouetted in white against a red-and-blue backdrop, West’s signature gait and left-handed dribble are still the NBA logo, seen on merchandise around the world.
In this marvelous book—the first biography of the basketball legend—award-winning reporter and author Roland Lazenby traces Jerry West’s brilliant career from the coalfields near Cabin Creek, West Virginia, to the bare-knuckled pre-expansion era of the NBA, from the Lakers’ Riley-Magic-Kareem Showtime era to Jackson–Kobe–Shaq teams of the early twenty-first century, and beyond.
But fame was not all glory.
Called “Mr. Clutch,” West was an incomparable talent—flawless on defense, possessing unmatched court vision, and the perfect jumper, unstoppable when the game was on the line. Beloved and respected by fans and fellow players alike, West was the centerpiece of Lakers teams that starred such players as Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, and he went on to nine NBA Finals. Yet in losing eight of those series, including six in a row to the detested Boston Celtics, West became as famous for his failures as for his triumphs. And that notoriety cast long shadows over West’s life on and off the court.
Yet as the author discovered through scores of exclusive interviews with West’s teammates, colleagues, and family members, West channeled the frustration of his darkest moments into a driving force that propelled his years as an executive. And in this capacity, the success that often eluded West on the court has enabled him to reach out to successive generations of players to enrich and shape the sport in immeasurable ways.
Though sometimes overshadowed by flashier peers on the court, Jerry West nevertheless stands out as the heart and soul of a league that, in fifty years, has metamorphosed from a regional sideshow into a global phenomenon. And in Jerry West, Roland Lazenby provides the ultimate story of a man who has done more to shape basketball than anyone on the planet.
In this marvelous book—the first biography of the basketball legend—award-winning reporter and author Roland Lazenby traces Jerry West’s brilliant career from the coalfields near Cabin Creek, West Virginia, to the bare-knuckled pre-expansion era of the NBA, from the Lakers’ Riley-Magic-Kareem Showtime era to Jackson–Kobe–Shaq teams of the early twenty-first century, and beyond.
But fame was not all glory.
Called “Mr. Clutch,” West was an incomparable talent—flawless on defense, possessing unmatched court vision, and the perfect jumper, unstoppable when the game was on the line. Beloved and respected by fans and fellow players alike, West was the centerpiece of Lakers teams that starred such players as Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, and he went on to nine NBA Finals. Yet in losing eight of those series, including six in a row to the detested Boston Celtics, West became as famous for his failures as for his triumphs. And that notoriety cast long shadows over West’s life on and off the court.
Yet as the author discovered through scores of exclusive interviews with West’s teammates, colleagues, and family members, West channeled the frustration of his darkest moments into a driving force that propelled his years as an executive. And in this capacity, the success that often eluded West on the court has enabled him to reach out to successive generations of players to enrich and shape the sport in immeasurable ways.
Though sometimes overshadowed by flashier peers on the court, Jerry West nevertheless stands out as the heart and soul of a league that, in fifty years, has metamorphosed from a regional sideshow into a global phenomenon. And in Jerry West, Roland Lazenby provides the ultimate story of a man who has done more to shape basketball than anyone on the planet.
448 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
17 people are currently reading
320 people want to read
About the author
Roland Lazenby
73 books199 followersRoland Lazenby is an American sportswriter and educator.
Lazenby has written more than five dozen nonfiction books, mainly about basketball and American football. He has also contributed articles to magazines and newspapers.
Lazenby's book Bull Run! was named Sports Book of the Year for 1997 by the Independent Publishers Association.
Lazenby studied at Virginia Military Institute and Hollins University, and has been a member of Virginia Tech's Department of Communication and Radford University's School of Communication. A group of students from his media writing class compiled the book April 16th: Virginia Tech Remembers (2007), an account of the Virginia Tech massacre. Lazenby served as editor.
In 2005, Lazenby and Andrew Mager created Planet Blacksburg, a student organization that focuses on new media, journalism, and publishing.
Lazenby has written more than five dozen nonfiction books, mainly about basketball and American football. He has also contributed articles to magazines and newspapers.
Lazenby's book Bull Run! was named Sports Book of the Year for 1997 by the Independent Publishers Association.
Lazenby studied at Virginia Military Institute and Hollins University, and has been a member of Virginia Tech's Department of Communication and Radford University's School of Communication. A group of students from his media writing class compiled the book April 16th: Virginia Tech Remembers (2007), an account of the Virginia Tech massacre. Lazenby served as editor.
In 2005, Lazenby and Andrew Mager created Planet Blacksburg, a student organization that focuses on new media, journalism, and publishing.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
May 24, 2024
This one highlights the shortcomings of a lot of Lazenby’s books. The stuff on West Virginia and West’s upbringing is great and beyond that…eh? What was his life like with his first wife and kids, especially after the divorce? How did he handle the fallout from Kermit Washington’s suspension? What were some details of his work with Buss and Riley during Showtime? Anything at all on his work with the Grizzlies beyond a half page?
It’s clear Lazenby trades access for mostly favoritism and I get it but that doesn’t make for the best reading. I don’t need a hatchet job but a little more depth would’ve been nice.
It’s clear Lazenby trades access for mostly favoritism and I get it but that doesn’t make for the best reading. I don’t need a hatchet job but a little more depth would’ve been nice.
May 11, 2010
A nice read on "the NBA logo" by Roland Lazenby. I didn't know much about Jerry West besides the fact that he is the NBA logo, an iconic player from the 1960's and 1970's for the Los Angeles Lakers, and was responsible for getting Kobe Bryant to become a Laker. Besides that, I didn't know much about Mr. Clutch. Everyone always talks about the Lakers vs the Celtics in the 1980's with Bird and Magic, but I didn't know too much about the rivalry between the two clubs in the 1960's. I knew Boston won everytime, but I didn't know that West lost SIX times, along with Elgin Baylor. I also didn't know that West was 1-8 in NBA Finals series and didn't get his first championship until 1972 when the Lakers won a record 33 straight games (the streak actually began in 1971 but the championship was in 1972).
The only downside of this book was there was TOO much in the beggining about Jerry West's family. Look, I understand there should be a couple chapters on his mom and dad and brothers and sisters, but when you start talking about family that was living in the 1790's like this book does, you have to wonder--what has this to do with Jerry West? I really don't need to know about his great grandpa that much. Due to this, the reader doesn't learn about West playing for the Lakers until around halfway through the book of a book that is nearly 400 pages. Other than that, a fine read. I recommend this book to any Laker fan and also to any fan of the NBA.
The only downside of this book was there was TOO much in the beggining about Jerry West's family. Look, I understand there should be a couple chapters on his mom and dad and brothers and sisters, but when you start talking about family that was living in the 1790's like this book does, you have to wonder--what has this to do with Jerry West? I really don't need to know about his great grandpa that much. Due to this, the reader doesn't learn about West playing for the Lakers until around halfway through the book of a book that is nearly 400 pages. Other than that, a fine read. I recommend this book to any Laker fan and also to any fan of the NBA.
April 25, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “#44 “MISTER CLUTCH” HALL OF FAMER JERRY WEST”
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It’s been over thirty-five years since all-time great Jerry West retired from the NBA so it’s a daunting task to attempt his biography in a way that will seem fresh and meaningful to longtime Jerry West fans… but author Roland Lazenby succeeded in just such a quest. The author has done yeomen’s work in combining archival historical articles, books and interviews… along with recent interviews with former teammates… associates… family members… and probably most impressive of all… former fiery members of competitive teams. I was raised to believe the greatest compliments a ballplayer could receive were from his peers… both teammates and competitors. An example of such haloed praise for West was proffered by Boston Celtic Tom Heinsohn who played… coached… or announced the six straight NBA championship series that West’s Lakers lost to the hated Celtics: “WEST AND (TEAMMATE ELGIN) BAYLOR WERE TWO OF THE FIVE GREATEST PLAYERS EVER.” Despite the fact that Jerry West finally got his elusive championship as a player by defeating the New York Knicks in 1972… a season that included *THE GREATEST CONSECUTIVE GAME WINNING STREAK BY ANY PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ANY MAJOR SPORT IN HISTORY (33-STRAIGHT-GAMES)… Jerry’s career both in college as an All-American at West Virginia and as a FOURTEEN-TIME-ALL-STAR for the Los Angeles Lakers… will be remembered by Jerry… as well as by those close to him… by the self-imposed anguish that was his daily life. He… like his Mother… was a perfectionist… and a single loss would nag at him inconsolably for months. It’s this festering self-doubt and loathing that led some close to him to observe that despite all he accomplished in his career “HE NEVER SEEMED TO FIND ANY JOY IN IT.” This self-imposed psychosis is probably the most amazing thing that a reader who is otherwise overly familiar with Jerry West’s accomplishments will take away from this book. Hot Rod Hundley who preceded Jerry as a West Virginia All-American… and also preceded West as a first round selection by the Lakers so aptly said: “WEST ACCOMPLISHED TEN TIMES AS MUCH AS I DID IN MY CAREER, BUT HE’S ABOUT A TENTH AS HAPPY AS I AM.”
There are plenty of unmatched statistics such as during the six NBA finals series against the Celtics in 1962,63,65,66,68, and 69… he averaged 31,29,34,35,32, and 38. In the 1964-65 six game Western Conference playoff series with the Bullets, “WEST AVERAGED 46.3 POINTS PER GAME, A RECORD THAT HAS WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF EVEN MICHAEL JORDAN’S BEST.” Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan wrote: “NO CELTIC OPPONENT HAS EVER HAD MORE FANS WISHING HE WOULD SWITCH UNIFORMS, AND THAT INCLUDES MICHAEL JORDAN.”
*JERRY WEST WAS NAMED THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER OF THE 1969 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES… THE ONLY TIME IN LEAGUE HISTORY THAT THE MVP CAME FROM THE LOSING TEAM!”*
The reader will hear no holds barred comments from West regarding such luminaries as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Jack Kent Cooke, Jerry Buss, Fred Schaus, Phil Jackson… and many others. You will learn… or be reminded that West is probably the most loved and respected player to ever come from the state of West Virginia… in fact the author who is also from West Virginia says that his Father worshipped Jerry West. “I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE THAT THERE WERE TWO PICTURES ON THE WALL OF OUR HOME WHEN I WAS A BOY. ONE WAS OF JESUS. THE OTHER WAS OF JERRY WEST. THE PICTURE OF JESUS, I TELL PEOPLE, WAS HUNG HIGHER THAN THE PICTURE OF JERRY, BUT ONLY BY ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO.”
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The only part of this book from my perspective that was not five star quality was approximately thirty-odd pages near the beginning of the book that went into the history of West Virginia as far back as the 1700’s. Perhaps I… like many other potential readers was simply chomping at the bit to immediately get to the main subject… my childhood hero Jerry West. I grew up in Los Angeles while West was playing for the Lakers. I wore his number 44 on my high school team… my junior college team... and on my military team. I practiced day and night imitating Jerry’s unstoppable jump shot until mine was one and the same.
In my house… Jerry’s picture was higher on the wall than any other.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It’s been over thirty-five years since all-time great Jerry West retired from the NBA so it’s a daunting task to attempt his biography in a way that will seem fresh and meaningful to longtime Jerry West fans… but author Roland Lazenby succeeded in just such a quest. The author has done yeomen’s work in combining archival historical articles, books and interviews… along with recent interviews with former teammates… associates… family members… and probably most impressive of all… former fiery members of competitive teams. I was raised to believe the greatest compliments a ballplayer could receive were from his peers… both teammates and competitors. An example of such haloed praise for West was proffered by Boston Celtic Tom Heinsohn who played… coached… or announced the six straight NBA championship series that West’s Lakers lost to the hated Celtics: “WEST AND (TEAMMATE ELGIN) BAYLOR WERE TWO OF THE FIVE GREATEST PLAYERS EVER.” Despite the fact that Jerry West finally got his elusive championship as a player by defeating the New York Knicks in 1972… a season that included *THE GREATEST CONSECUTIVE GAME WINNING STREAK BY ANY PROFESSIONAL TEAM IN ANY MAJOR SPORT IN HISTORY (33-STRAIGHT-GAMES)… Jerry’s career both in college as an All-American at West Virginia and as a FOURTEEN-TIME-ALL-STAR for the Los Angeles Lakers… will be remembered by Jerry… as well as by those close to him… by the self-imposed anguish that was his daily life. He… like his Mother… was a perfectionist… and a single loss would nag at him inconsolably for months. It’s this festering self-doubt and loathing that led some close to him to observe that despite all he accomplished in his career “HE NEVER SEEMED TO FIND ANY JOY IN IT.” This self-imposed psychosis is probably the most amazing thing that a reader who is otherwise overly familiar with Jerry West’s accomplishments will take away from this book. Hot Rod Hundley who preceded Jerry as a West Virginia All-American… and also preceded West as a first round selection by the Lakers so aptly said: “WEST ACCOMPLISHED TEN TIMES AS MUCH AS I DID IN MY CAREER, BUT HE’S ABOUT A TENTH AS HAPPY AS I AM.”
There are plenty of unmatched statistics such as during the six NBA finals series against the Celtics in 1962,63,65,66,68, and 69… he averaged 31,29,34,35,32, and 38. In the 1964-65 six game Western Conference playoff series with the Bullets, “WEST AVERAGED 46.3 POINTS PER GAME, A RECORD THAT HAS WITHSTOOD THE TEST OF EVEN MICHAEL JORDAN’S BEST.” Boston Globe columnist Bob Ryan wrote: “NO CELTIC OPPONENT HAS EVER HAD MORE FANS WISHING HE WOULD SWITCH UNIFORMS, AND THAT INCLUDES MICHAEL JORDAN.”
*JERRY WEST WAS NAMED THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER OF THE 1969 NBA CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES… THE ONLY TIME IN LEAGUE HISTORY THAT THE MVP CAME FROM THE LOSING TEAM!”*
The reader will hear no holds barred comments from West regarding such luminaries as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Jack Kent Cooke, Jerry Buss, Fred Schaus, Phil Jackson… and many others. You will learn… or be reminded that West is probably the most loved and respected player to ever come from the state of West Virginia… in fact the author who is also from West Virginia says that his Father worshipped Jerry West. “I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE THAT THERE WERE TWO PICTURES ON THE WALL OF OUR HOME WHEN I WAS A BOY. ONE WAS OF JESUS. THE OTHER WAS OF JERRY WEST. THE PICTURE OF JESUS, I TELL PEOPLE, WAS HUNG HIGHER THAN THE PICTURE OF JERRY, BUT ONLY BY ABOUT AN INCH OR TWO.”
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The only part of this book from my perspective that was not five star quality was approximately thirty-odd pages near the beginning of the book that went into the history of West Virginia as far back as the 1700’s. Perhaps I… like many other potential readers was simply chomping at the bit to immediately get to the main subject… my childhood hero Jerry West. I grew up in Los Angeles while West was playing for the Lakers. I wore his number 44 on my high school team… my junior college team... and on my military team. I practiced day and night imitating Jerry’s unstoppable jump shot until mine was one and the same.
In my house… Jerry’s picture was higher on the wall than any other.
October 4, 2018
a couple of boring parts but other then that pretty good book
September 27, 2019
fave player of all time even though i am 11
April 5, 2010
"Jerry West: The life and Legend of a Basketball Icon" by Roland Lazenby is a wonderfully written boook which describes the famed of basketball legend Jerry West. Before reading this book I didn't know much about Jerry West and his career, but after reading it I learned that this man was bigger than the game itself. He went 9 NBA finals, but only won once. The symbol of the NBA is based upon West's style of play with his left hand dribble and leaning posture.
Unlike most basketball players today, West started out in the ABA (American Basketball Asociation) which was only a developing basketball league in the US. But that didn't stop him when he was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1960. After that, he averaged 27 points a game in the regular season and 29 points in the postseason! It's no wonder they called him Mr. Clutch because he came through when it counted most and that's in the playoffs. I can't think of a player who averaged 29 points a game and led his team to 9 NBA Finals. Not even Kobe or Lebron have achieved that and they're the NBA's superstars of the new millenium. I give my respect to West for being so consistent in his career and making the NBA what is today.
By reading this book I learned about a legendary basketball player who was just as good or better than the NBA stars today. Becuase of the generation gap between the 70's and the millenium, I was unaware of the great players who came before me. Roland Lazenby is a terrific author and does a great job of capturing the persona of this great icon through statistics, interviews, and personal insight. Jerry West is an incredible player and will always be remembered because of his style of play.
To make things short I recommend anyone who has a love for basketball to read this book. It is very inspiring and will make want to drive for more when playing basketball. This book showed me that you don't need fancy dribbling or cool moves to be a good player. You can still become a good player like Jerry West through sheer determination and hustle. That's a simple lesson for any young basketball players.
Unlike most basketball players today, West started out in the ABA (American Basketball Asociation) which was only a developing basketball league in the US. But that didn't stop him when he was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1960. After that, he averaged 27 points a game in the regular season and 29 points in the postseason! It's no wonder they called him Mr. Clutch because he came through when it counted most and that's in the playoffs. I can't think of a player who averaged 29 points a game and led his team to 9 NBA Finals. Not even Kobe or Lebron have achieved that and they're the NBA's superstars of the new millenium. I give my respect to West for being so consistent in his career and making the NBA what is today.
By reading this book I learned about a legendary basketball player who was just as good or better than the NBA stars today. Becuase of the generation gap between the 70's and the millenium, I was unaware of the great players who came before me. Roland Lazenby is a terrific author and does a great job of capturing the persona of this great icon through statistics, interviews, and personal insight. Jerry West is an incredible player and will always be remembered because of his style of play.
To make things short I recommend anyone who has a love for basketball to read this book. It is very inspiring and will make want to drive for more when playing basketball. This book showed me that you don't need fancy dribbling or cool moves to be a good player. You can still become a good player like Jerry West through sheer determination and hustle. That's a simple lesson for any young basketball players.
February 25, 2011
Very detailed. Often this was a positive, because there were insights into relationships between players, managers, owners, etc., which added a dimension I never had from following the Lakers pretty closely during the West years. But at other times, it felt like it could have used some skillful editing to keep the interest level up. Also, though this isn't a puff piece, Lazenby is clearly not writing an expose here, either. He pretty deftly glosses over the negatives. A lot can be excused by citing West's intense perfectionism, and Lazenby does that on virtually every page.
August 21, 2013
A well-written bio of a hardworking man who tried like hell to make it to the very top as both a player and an sports executive and mostly fell short because of elements (e.g. Celtics) that he could for the most part not individually overcome. Was it a blessing or a curse that West was once named NBA Finals MVP, the first and only time that the award went to a member of the LOSING team? Lazenby dares us each to consider what the true measure of success is. For West, it's safe to say that it may always be an issue too painful to contemplate.
Read
January 26, 2016Jerry West is the NBA's version of the Buffalo Bills - great talent and lost REPEATEDLY to the Celtics in the finals in the 60's. This book is fairly interesting - telling of how he came from humble beginnings in West Virginia, paints a picture of a much smaller, less popular NBA...... But in the end, it certainly doesn't make West a figure to admire/emulate, etc.... a great talent, but a narcissist - more about "I" than team (which the author offers as WHY the Celtics beat him repeatedly).
Net net - if you're an NBA historian type, go for it. Otherwise, I'd hold.
Net net - if you're an NBA historian type, go for it. Otherwise, I'd hold.
April 30, 2010
West cooperated with the author more than I expected, and the result is a good view of the complex and tortured existence West created for himself as a loner perfectionist from the West Virginia mountains who became one of the top basketball players of all time. Winning was never good enough and losing was always a worse low than most can imagine for West. For Lakers and NBA fans I recommend putting it on the top shelf.
March 26, 2010
I'd always wanted to read a biography about Jerry West. I highly recommend Lazenby's biography on the "Logo." Ultimately the book is about West trying to come to terms with his inner drive and demand for perfection set against the failures of his teams - in college and the professional ranks. West is a fascinating individual and Lazenby does a great job of presenting the life and times of the great Jerry West.
June 24, 2010
Best sports biography I've read in a while. West is pretty closed off, but the author was able to get some interesting insight into what makes him seem so cold. Also a great lesson on the history of southern West Virginia.
August 29, 2011
This was a good book that describes the career of the Logo. I learned a lot about West that I had no idea before reading the book.
July 26, 2013
Came from a Hard Working to achieve greatness. Learned a lot about rural west Virginia.
November 27, 2013
How an author can make something so exciting read so boring is beyond me. No excitement, no fun, just boring.
December 20, 2013
What a tortured life. And reliving all those Finals series from the 60's and 70's was no picnic either.
October 17, 2017
I enjoyed this book. The interesting dynamics of him and his dad were fascinating to read about. I loved the insight to how his battles with the Celtics affected him so much. You get insight to the life to one of the greatest basketball players of all time. I would definitely recommend this to any basketball fan. From not growing up in the era of Jerry West it, this book by Roland Lazenby brings you back to the era of basketball and makes you feel like you have court side seats.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews