[62] However, he laid down the foundation of the Lakers three-peat, which saw L.A. win three NBA titles from 2000-2002. In addition, Robertson broke Bob Cousys single-season assist record in one of six seasons leading the NBA in assists. The game, which was the Lakers' first home game of . He remained a . While his famous triple-double season would come a year later, Robertson got off to a fast start right out of the gate during his 1960-61 rookie season in which he . Media createst the impression that Oh, he had a triple-double! he did something spectacular. He was the third player in league history to reach 25,000 points (after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson). The USA had been the only country to win the gold medal since basketball was introduced at the Summer Games in Berlin, in 1936. West averaged 27.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists and was again NBA All-Star and All-NBA First-Team;[15] however, he played in only 55 regular-season games, missing the last seven weeks due to a hamstring injury. In Game 7, a 15-foot Frank Selvy jumper at the buzzer that would have won the game in regulation bounced off the rim. Inside) scoring nearly 35 ppg and West (Mr. Details about 1971 Topps NBA Assist Leaders #143 PSA 6 Jerry West/Oscar Robertson/N. Overall, his time with the Royals was dominant over a decade with the team, he averaged at least 24 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 47.0% shooting, and was an All-Star plus a First Team or Second Team All-NBA selection each year. Oscar Robertson. On the most recent episode of his podcast, Simmons named (in order) his top 15 in the "Pantheon." Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Tim Duncan, Wilt Chamberlain, Kobe Bryant, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Hakeem Olajuwon . Your email address will not be published. When you think about iconic NBA players of the 1960s and 1970s, a few players come to mind the great Russell vs. Chamberlain rivalry (and the great Celtics teams and players in general), Oscar Robertson and his triple-double season, Jerry West gracing the NBA logo with his silhouette, just to name a few. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically. He thinks its really going in! It did, sending Game 3 into overtime. [31] However, in the 1965 NBA Finals, the Celtics easily beat the short-handed Lakers, 41. He was unafraid, unabashed and unmatched in everything he did. [85], Early in his career, West's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild jeering. "None. [45] However, more frustration awaited West in Game 5, when Reed pulled his thigh muscle and seemed out for the series; instead of capitalizing on a double-digit lead and reeling off an easy win, the Lakers committed 19 second-half turnovers, and the two main scorers Chamberlain and West shot the ball only three and two times, respectively, in the entire second half and lost 107100 in what was called one of the greatest comebacks in NBA Finals history. But despite his remarkable legacy, West does not feel he was the best individual talent of his era. On more than one occasion West had to be helped to the court before games in which he ultimately scored 30 or 40 points. Required fields are marked *. [12] In Game 4, the guard scored 37 points and 18 assists, and the Lakers won. Professional career Los Angeles Lakers (1960 . You still have to shoot, rebound, pass and play defense," said Robertson, who was honored with West at The Q on Thursday in the 50th anniversary year of their Olympic basketball triumph for the USA in 1960 in Rome. His brilliance on and off the floor propelled West to call his former rival the best player of their era. He was the measuring stick for how a player. From there, he played his college ball at the University of Cincinnati, where in his three seasons with the Bearcats, he won the scoring title each year, was named a 3x All-American and 3x College Player of the Year (the Player of the Year award is now called the Oscar Robertson Trophy), made the Final Four twice, compiled 10 triple-doubles (a staple of his pro career), and set 14 NCAA and 19 school records. From college to the pros, Robertson and West shared a unique bond and reverence. Isiah Thomas potentially snubs Michael Jordan as he labeles The Flash as the best Chicago athlete. It is an honor to know him and to have competed against him. Theyre like salesmen I mean, and theyre selling the 97 game., Theyre not going to be selling the 56 All-Star game, or the 57 All-Star game. When it snowed West played wearing gloves. Biography. Years after a game in which he hit 16 of 17 shots from the field, sank all 12 free throw attempts, and notched 12 rebounds, 12 assists and 10 blocked shots, West told the National Sports Daily, Defensively, from a team standpoint, I didnt feel I played very well. On May 19, 2011, West joined the Golden State Warriors as an executive board member, reporting directly to new owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber. He made the varsity squad at East Bank High School, although he mostly sat on the bench during his junior year. Happy Birthday Jerry! For the rest of his illustrious career, West would average at least 20 points per game each year, including 25+ points per game for the next decade with four seasons above 30 points per game. Playing the guard position, he was voted 12 times into the All-NBA First and Second Teams, was elected into the NBA All-Star Team 14 times, and was chosen as the All-Star MVP in 1972, the same year that he won the only title of his career. [36] In Game 5, an injured West scored 35points, but Boston won by threepoints. "[56] At the time of his departure, West had scored more points than any other Laker in franchise history. [48] West himself contributed with 25.8points and led the league with a career-high 9.7assists per game. As an encore to his historic season, Robertson remained a nightly triple-double threat, shooting a career-best 51.8% in 1962-1963 and putting up 28.3 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 9.5 assists per game to narrowly miss out on another triple-double season. However, it became clearer later that NBA media got lazy, complacent and became more of a sales force for the league itself. A smallish youth, West didnt make his junior high football, baseball or track teams. "Why does everybody say the game has changed? His first season in Milwaukee was his best, as he averaged 19.4 points (49.6% shooting), 5.7 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game for Second Team All-NBA honors. After a slump in the early 1990s, West rebuilt the team of coach Del Harris around center Vlade Divac, forward Cedric Ceballos, and guard Nick Van Exel, which won 48 games, and went to the Western Conference Semifinals. Led by Bob Cousy, Bill Russell, and John Havlicek, the Celtics would win eleven NBA . However, West averaged 22.8points, but also averaged 8.8assists per game, and again was a First Teamer in the All-Star, All-NBA, and All-Defense Teams. And in the 1970 NBA Finals against New York, West launched the famous bomb that, at least briefly, resuscitated the Lakers. He explained (h/t YouTube) that Wests appraisals of Robertson solidified the Big Os greatness that much more. Laker Legend Jerry West calls Redick out for his reckless. Known as "The Logo", Jerry West's legendary career ended with him unquestionably among the sport's all-time greats. [27], In the following 196364 NBA season, West became the Lakers' scoring leader for the first time. [43][45], In the 197071 NBA season, the Lakers reacquired Gail Goodrich, who came back from the Phoenix Suns after playing for L.A. until 1968. And, you know, Oscar said, You right, Jerry.'. They accomplished their mission of beating the USSR, too, winning 81-57. "I was one of the fortunate ones selected as a player and to be a part of a team," West said. Its one that calls for a mutual appreciation, something that remains to this day. Rendimiento en Playoffs The Big O appeared on the Knuckleheads podcast to discuss his favorite players in league history. The following year he and Oscar Robertson led an extremely talented U.S. squad to a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. Despite Wests playoff heroics, which included leading the postseason in scoring average 4x (highlighted by a career-best 40.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in the 1965 playoffs), the 1960s saw six Finals losses to the rival Celtics (1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, and 1969). Oscar was sitting right there. Baylor's tip-in attempt was thwarted by Sam Jones. ", The NBA had only eight teams in 1960 when West and Robertson were rookies. [65][66] This role also came with an undisclosed minority ownership stake in the team. For some of Jerry West, Oscar Robertson and Elgin Baylors triple-doubles, youd think they had the worst game in the world: When Wilt Chamberlain explained how NBA basketball got diluted in quality over his lifetime, When will it be fair to name LaMelo Ball as the greatest Hornet ever!? Three of the Finals went seven games, with the Lakers losing two of those Game 7s to the Celtics by a single basket. It wasn't a 3-pointer, but Jerry West's 60-foot prayer was answered in Game 2 of the 1970 NBA Finals. Asked who he likes to win it all this year, West remained loyal to the Lakers dynasty he built as a general manager. West's son, Jonnie, also played college basketball for West Virginia. [20] His college coach was also hired to coach the Lakers. David Astramskas 32,332 November 24, 2015 No Comments oscar robertson. With Wests hot hand leading the way, East Bank won the 1956 state title. [8] Having played forward early in his career, West was also a capable rebounder, and gifted with long arms, quick hands, and strong defensive instincts, West was also once described as one of the best ballhawks, man-to-man defenders and shot blockers among NBA guards:[23] when the All-Defensive Teams were introduced in 1969, West made every one of them until his career ended in 1974. Robertson had a storied high school career (fun fact: his team lost in the 1954 basketball state semifinals in Indiana to eventual champions Milan, who were the basis for the classic 1986 movie Hoosiers), which culminated in him being named Indiana Mr. Basketball in 1956. I felt I was deceived. They were also both on the gold medal winning team at the 1959 Pan American Games. It seems to bother the Big O more than West, this dulling of fans' memories of their glory days. Also, Oscar declined more rapidly than West so the seasons where Robertson was better early in their careers are partially balanced by the seasons where West was better later in their careers. To hear Jerry West and to see Jerry West talk about Oscar Robertson Ill never forget it. West remained as uptight in the front office as he had been on the court. We got one dollar a day as a per diem. [12], In his final collegiate season (195960) West enjoyed several career highs, such as scoring 29.3points per game, a 134 season-assists, 16.5rebounds per game, and a shooting average of 50.4% from the field, 76.6% from the free throw line. Neither Chamberlains 50 point, 25.7 rebound average nor Oscars triple-double average swayed the media from such a view. His mother lashed him when he showed up hours late for dinner and he became so thin that he had to receive vitamin injections.But the practice paid off. The Americans arrived in Italy in 1960 with 28 wins in as many games at the Olympics. Although injured captain Elgin Baylor ended his career, the Lakers had a season for the ages. In particular, in a Finals loss to Boston in 1969 that went the distance, West put up 42 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 assists in the decisive Game 7, and was named the inaugural Finals MVP despite being on the losing team, the only time in NBA history this has happened. The next season, though he averaged 27.1 points per game, he only played in 55 games; injuries and missed games were a prevalent theme throughout Wests career, as he would play in fewer than 70 regular season games in half of his 14 NBA seasons. In his final NBA season in 1973-1974, West was still a highly productive player (20.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game), but injuries limited him to only 31 games played and at the conclusion of the season, he would retire from the NBA at age 35. All rights reserved. Robertson named West among his top five. They were 39-3 at midseason and finished at 69-13, the best single-season record in NBA history until the 1995-96 Bulls (72-10) bested it.. Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Hal Greer, the Boston Celtics became the most dominating team in the league. [84] His first wife Martha Kane recalled that her husband often had difficulties opening up to her. [41] In Game 3, Russell opted to double-team West, and the guard's exhaustion began to show: West twice asked to be subbed for longer periods, and both times the Lakers fell back by double digits and finally lost by sixpoints. Indeed, Jerry West looked at Oscar Robertson and saw what he thought was the best player in the game. Kevin Durant shows no signs of rust in his 1st game with Phoenix, meshing quickly with his new teammates. FantasyPros considers the best player values for DraftKings and FanDuel NBA DFS. In a generation defined mostly by big men, Jerry West and Oscar Robertson managed to stand out from the crop. But West committed costly turnovers and L.A. lost the game 108106 despite a triple-double of 42 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists from West, who became the only recipient of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award from the losing team. [32] Still, the Lakers guard finished the playoffs with 40.6points per game. Robertsonwas on hand when the Rome Olympic champions were inducted at Springfield. The Lakers had risen from third place in the division to first since Wests arrival, posting a 54-26 record and in the playoffs, West upped his scoring average to 31.5 ppg. On the international stage, before jumping to the NBA, Robertson and West were co-captains of the US Basketball Team at the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome (professionals would not be allowed to play until the Dream Team in 1992); considered by many pundits to be the best collection of amateur basketball talent in history (in addition to Robertson and West, Jerry Lucas and Walt Bellamy would also become Hall of Famers), the team easily won the gold medal at the Games and was collectively elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Jerry West SG. Revitalized, he played two more seasons. Wilt Chamberlain definitely had an explanation for why fans from his time fell out of love with NBA basketball. Could you live on that?" The following year he and Oscar Robertson led an extremely talented U.S. squad to a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome. Countdown 4: Top 10 Five-Tool Players in MLB History, Countdown 153: Top 10 Minnesota Twins of All Time, Countdown 152: Top 10 Dallas Mavericks of All Time, Countdown 151: Top 10 Tampa Bay Lightning of All Time, Countdown 150: Top 10 Kickers in NFL History, Countdown 149: Top 10 Left-Handed Pitchers in MLB History. West held himself to seemingly impossible standards. He was named All-State from 1953 to 1956, then All-American in 1956 when he was West Virginia Player of the Year, becoming the state's first high-school player to score more than 900 points in a season, with an average of 32.2 points per game. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. [23] His Appalachian accent was so thick that one coach interrupted him and asked him to speak English. Although both ranked among the top four leading scorers in history when they retired, neither man ever won an MVP. Unexpectedly, most of the coaches changed direction as suddenly as a team that just had the ball stolen at midcourt. [33], The 196667 NBA season saw West playing only 66 regular-season games due to injury;[22] his averages fell slightly to 28.0points, 5.9rebounds and 6.8assists per game. For both Robertson and West, their stellar rookie campaigns were just a sign of things to come over the next decade and a half, both players would continue to dominate the NBA as individual players, though it would take a bit longer for each one to overcome the Boston Celtics dynasty and win an NBA title. [28] The Lakers struggled during the entire season, winning only 42 games, and were beaten by the Hawks in five games during the first round of the 1964 NBA Playoffs. It was particularly frustrating because I was playing so poorly that the team overcame me. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. However, West had also injured his right hand and received several manual injections,[43] and Reed famously hobbled up court before Game 7: the Knicks center scored the first four points, and inspired his team to one of the most famous playoff upsets of all time. Clutch" a handle which stuck with West for his entire career. All videos are . [14] In his first varsity year under head coach Fred Schaus, West scored 17.8points per game and averaged 11.1rebounds; he also started in all 28 games while shooting 49.6% from the field and 73.2% from the free throw line. If Im not nervous, if I dont have at least a little bit of the same self-doubt and anxious feelings I had when I started playing, then it will be time for me to go on, he told the Orange County Register in 1990. He had finally won a championship, in one of the greatest seasons ever for an NBA team. [5] West was named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA history in 1996, and to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.[6][7]. "I did that once or twice. [20] In March 2008, ESPN voted West the third greatest shooting guard of all time. [47], Before the 197172 NBA season, West was smarting from his frequent injuries and losses and considered retirement. . During their overlapping careers, Robertson and West faced off head-to-head on 94 occasions. Oscar Robertson vs Russell Westbrook. West helped to build the great 1980s Lakers dynasty, also known as Showtime, which brought five championship rings (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988) to Los Angeles. As a player with the Cincinnati (Ohio) Royals of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1961-62, he averaged . With Elgin Baylor (Mr. Hence, every college game, every practice and every summer workout by 1958 became about the game within the game: winning at all costs, but also showing the world he could . , but Jerry West 's West Virginian roots made him a target for some mild.! 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