Jerry West has been elected into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for a record third time, with his latest path coming as a contributor to the game, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday.
West, 85, has been previously inducted into the Hall of Fame as a player (1979) and as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team (2010).
The contributor election honors his work as a general manager with the Los Angeles Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies as well as his time as a consultant with the Golden State Warriors and LA Clippers.
While in those roles, West has won eight championships and was twice named NBA Executive of the Year (1994-95, Lakers; 2003-04, Grizzlies).
West, who also won an NBA championship as a player, was famously credited as the architect of the Lakers in the 1980s and 1990s during his 18 seasons as general manager, including the deal that brought Kobe Bryant to L.A.
Before joining the Clippers in 2017, West spent six years with the Warriors and helped compose rosters that won titles in 2015 and 2017. He also spent five years in Memphis’ front office, rebuilding the franchise from the foundation.
As a player, he was a 14-time All-Star with the Lakers, winning a championship, and was the inspiration for the NBA’s logo.
