The Los Angeles Lakers will honor the late Jerry West this season by wearing a commerative patch on their jerseys.
Jerry West is not just one of the greatest players in Lakers history, he’s arguably the greatest figure in the franchise’s history. And, after his passing this spring, he will be rightfully remembered as such.
The Lakers announced on Tuesday that it will honor the late Jerry West by putting a commemorative No. 44 patch on every jersey during the 2023-24 NBA season.
They also labeled the Oct. 22 game against the Minnesota Timberwolves Jerry West night and will give fans a West 44 jersey.
West passed away in June of this year. His imprint on the game of basketball is immeasurable, as he was a franchise cornerstone both as a player and as an executive for over three decades.
The Lakers announce they’ll wear a commemorative #44 patch on their jerseys this season in honor of Jerry West pic.twitter.com/d09fRBuIqj
— Jacob Rude (@JacobRude) September 10, 2024
As a player, West helped the Lakers win the title in 1972, and in 1969, he won the Finals Most Valuable Player award despite being on the losing team. He averaged 38 points a game for the purple and gold in the Finals and is still the only player to win the award without being on the winning side.
As legendary as he was as a player, he was arguably even better in the front office.
He helped orchestrate the 1980s Showtime Lakers, who went on to win five NBA titles. In the summer of 96, he pulled off an incredible feat by trading Vlade Divac for Kobe Bryant’s draft rights and signed Shaquille O’Neal, beginning another Lakers dynasty.
That Kobe-Shaq duo went on to win three straight titles from 2000-02. No NBA franchise has been able to 3-peat since.
The Lakers have already honored West in so many ways. He has a statue outside the arena, and his jersey hangs in the rafters.
Still, it’s good to honor the people who have helped create this legendary brand and this patch and Jerry West Night are much better acknowledgments of his contributions than the too-brief statement the team released when West initially passed.
Besides Jerry West night, fans can also look forward to notable game celebrations this season, including Michael Cooper’s jersey retirement on Jan. 13 versus the San Antonio Spurs, Girl Dad Night on Feb. 27 when the Lakers face the Minnesota Timberwolves and LGPTQ+ Pride on Oct. 26 against the Sacramento Kings.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.
