The NBA logo is one of the most iconic designs in sports and can be seen on basketball jerseys all over the world.
The man long considered the inspiration for the league’s “logo” passed away Wednesday morning.
Jerry West was an NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist both as a player and general manager and arguably the most influential basketball scout in the history of the league.
As fans mourn the loss of the legend, we take a look back at the origins of the NBA logo and the meanings of West’s many nicknames.
Who is the player on the NBA logo?
The legendary NBA logo has long been associated with Jerry West and his silhouette.
The decal on the jersey features the outline of a player dribbling a basketball with his left hand while approaching the rim.
The Los Angeles Lakers paid tribute to the iconic player on Wednesday, shortly after West’s death was announced.
West had questions about his involvement with the NBA logo.
He sometimes wished people would stop talking about the images and felt they were bothering people.
“I feel like I have to apologize for that symbol,” West said in 2021. “It’s not a fun thing.”
Who created the NBA logo?
The famous red, white and blue logo was designed in 1969 by Alan Siegel.
This wasn’t Segal’s first job: His agency has also created logos for other major companies, including AARP, Xfinity, Arby’s, Bank of America and Dell.
Segal said he charged $14,000 for the NBA logo.
He said that although it wasn’t a lot of money, he was grateful for the honor of the opportunity and accepted it.
How did Jerry West get his nickname?
West has one of the best nicknames ever.
In his second NBA season, West became known as “Mr. Clutch,” making key shots late in games.
Lakers announcer Chick Hearn gave West the nickname, which stuck with the Hall of Famer for the rest of his career.
That season, the Lakers won 54 regular season games and earned themselves a first-round exemption in the 1962 NBA playoffs.
West was also given the nickname “The Logo” after the NBA logo in which his silhouette appears.
What was Jerry West’s other nickname?
A three-time member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, West earned numerous badges throughout his playing career.
“Mr. Outside” was an obvious nickname for him. West was a great perimeter player and one of the first guards in the league to perform at a high level both offensively and defensively.
Besides his basketball fantasies, West was nicknamed “Zeke from Cabin Creek,” after a creek that flows near his hometown of Cheylan, West Virginia.
How many NBA championships has Jerry West won?
The NBA Finals were a challenge for West as a player, as he appeared in nine times and won the NBA Finals MVP trophy in a losing effort in 1969.
Despite trying many times, the West has only managed to win one championship, when the Lakers won the NBA Finals in 1972.
West won eight championships as a team executive.
After retiring from active play, he played for the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers, and was a two-time NBA Executive of the Year winner in 1995 and 2004.
