Arts & Culture

Jerry West

American basketball player, coach, and manager
Also known as: Jerome Alan West, Mr. Clutch, Zeke from Cabin Creek
Jerry West
Jerry West
In full:
Jerome Alan West
Byname:
Mr. Clutch
Born:
May 28, 1938, Cheylan, West Virginia, U.S. (age 85)
Awards And Honors:
Basketball Hall of Fame (1980)

Jerry West (born May 28, 1938, Cheylan, West Virginia, U.S.) American basketball player, coach, and general manager who spent four noteworthy decades with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A frail youth, West overcame his early physical shortcomings by putting in long hours practicing his shot and developing the quick release that would become his signature. He grew dramatically during the summer before his senior year and then led his high school to a state championship, drawing the attention of colleges nationwide. As a sharpshooting 6-foot 3-inch (1.91-metre) guard for West Virginia University, West became the ...(100 of 548 words)