Which Player Is On The NBA Logo?

Many people think Jerry West is the player on the NBA logo, but it is actually based on another player. Find out who the player is and the story behind the logo.

Jerry West

Jerry West is the player on the NBA logo. He was born in Chelyan, West Virginia in 1938. Jerry West played his collegiate basketball at West Virginia University. As a sophomore, he led the Mountaineers to the NCAA championship game.

West’s playing career

Jerry Alan West was born on May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia. He played collegiately at West Virginia University, leading the Mountaineers to the 1957 NCAA championship game. Drafted by the Lakers with the No. 2 overall pick in the 1960 NBA draft, West played his entire 14-season career with Los Angeles. He was a 14-time All-Star and 12-time member of the All-NBA First Team.Also known as “Mr. Clutch” for his late-game heroics, he helped lead the Lakers to nine NBA Finals appearances, including eight in a row from 1982 to 1989. He also was named Finals MVP in 1969 when Los Angeles defeated Boston for its first NBA championship since relocating from Minneapolis in 1960. After retiring as a player in 1974, he served as head coach of the Lakers for three seasons (1976–1979), then as general manager and executive vice president of basketball operations until 2000.

West’s coaching career

In 1982, West became head coach of the Lakers, replacing Paul Pressey, who had taken over when West retired as a player in 1974. Under his leadership, the team compiled a 43–39 record and reached the playoffs. In the first round, they were matched up against the Phoenix Suns, who were led by two of West’s former teammates: point guard Norm Van Lier and small forward Paul Westphal. The Suns ran a tight ship under head coach John MacLeod, and despite the addition of rookie James Worthy to the team’s core of veterans Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob McAdoo, the Lakers were no match for them and were swept in three games. After the series, owner Jerry Buss fired West as head coach.

West’s executive career

After his active playing career ended, West became head coach of the Lakers for three seasons, from 1976 to 1979. In that capacity he was also general manager of the team, responsible for player personnel decisions. He then returned to a front office position as the team’s vice president of operations from 1982 to 1983. In the latter capacity he oversaw the Lakers’ rebuildingProject that landed Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In 1982, West helped draft high-scoring small forward James Worthy with the first overall pick in the NBA draft.

In 1983, Jerry West participated in one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, acquiring future All-Stars Byron Scott and Eric “Sleepy” Floyd from the New Jersey Nets in exchange forsworthless role player Danny Vranes and two 1980 first round draft picks (which became Darryl Dawkins and Albert King). The trade is now considered one of the best in NBA history, as Scott and Floyd went on to form one of the best backcourts in Lakers history while Vranes barely lasted two seasons with New Jersey.

Other players who have been on the NBA logo

The National Basketball Association (NBA) logo features the silhouette of Jerry West, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1960 to 1974. West was selected for the logo because he was considered to be one of the best players in NBA history. Other players who have been featured on the NBA logo include Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who played 20 seasons in the NBA, is the most decorated player in league history. He is a six-time NBA champion, a 19-time All-Star, and the all-time leading scorer in NBA history. He was also a two-time Olympic gold medalist and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.

Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is the only player in NBA history to be featured on the logo. He is also the only athlete in any sport to have this distinction. The former Chicago Bulls star was put on the logo in 1984, and he remained on it until his retirement in 2003. In 2011, he was replaced by current Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant.

Kobe Bryant

Kobe Bean Bryant (born August 23, 1978) is an American former professional basketball player. He played his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He entered the NBA directly from high school and won five NBA championships with the Lakers. Bryant is an 18-time All-Star, 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, and 12-time member of the All-Defensive team. He led the NBA in scoring during two seasons, and ranks fourth on the league’s all-time regular season scoring and all-time postseason scoring lists. He is also the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history. Bryant is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

At 34 years and 104 days old, he became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points. He became the all-time leading scorer in Lakers franchise history on February 1, 2010, when he surpassed Jerry West. On December 14, 2011, he surpassed Michael Jordan’s previous record of 32,292 points scored for Most Points Scored In A Single Calendar Month with 33 Giants points scored in a win against New York Knicks. When he scored his 30,011th point against New Orleans Hornets on March 23, 2012, Bryant became only 19th player in NBA history—and second youngest player behind Wilt Chamberlain—to achieve that mark in more games played than anyone else (1125).

The current NBA logo

The current NBA logo features Jerry West. Jerry West was a shooting guard who played 14 seasons in the NBA. He was an All-Star 12 times, and was named to the All-NBA First Team 10 times. He was also the 1969 NBA Finals MVP.

The history of the NBA logo

The NBA logo is one of the most iconic sports logos in the world. It features the silhouette of legendary basketball player Jerry West. The logo was designed by Alan Siegel in 1971 and has been incredibly popular ever since. Over the years, the logo has undergone minor changes, but the overall design has remained largely unchanged.

The NBA logo is widely considered to be one of the best sports logos in existence. It is simple, yet instantly recognizable, and it perfectly encapsulates the essence of the sport of basketball. The logo is so popular that it has even been featured on clothing and other merchandise outside of the realm of traditional sports memorabilia.

The current NBA logo design

The current NBA logo was designed by Alan Siegel and Bruce Blackburn in 1971. The basketball in the center of the logo is said to represent a player shooting a free throw. The player on the logo is not meant to represent any specific player, but is instead meant to be a generic representation of a basketball player.