The NBA as we know it today doesn't exist without Jerry West.
Welcome to Layup Lines, For the Win’s basketball newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for the Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey. Now, here’s Prince J. Grimes.
What’s up hoops fans. Welcome back to Layup Lines. It’s your boy Prince here, and I know we have Game 3 of the NBA Finals tonight, but we’ll get to that later.
It wouldn’t be right to open up today’s newsletter any other way than to talk about Jerry West a little bit.
West died Wednesday morning at 86 years old, marking a giant loss for the basketball world. His list of accomplishments are many and span beyond a legendary playing career that made him the NBA logo and a Hall of Famer before he was ever a title-winning executive.
West was an all-star every season of a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers that started in 1960. He made 12 All-NBA teams and five NBA All-Defensive teams. He won a scoring title, a championship and a finals MVP — in a year he lost the finals, no less. The list goes on.
United under one Logo.
Jerry West, 1938-2024
pic.twitter.com/AiFtYjuhlz
— LA Clippers (@LAClippers) June 12, 2024
However, for all of his many accolades, the thing that might be most impressive to me about West is how he’s managed to stay relevant in the trajectory of the NBA to this day. He might be gone, but his impact on the league will be felt long beyond 2024.
The first way he helped mold the NBA in his image post-playing career was by helping to build the Showtime Lakers, constructing a dynasty that won five championships in the 1980s. Then, before his time with the Lakers was over, he drafted Kobe Bryant and traded for Shaquille O’Neal. We know what that duo accomplished together.
RELATED: NBA players paid tribute to Jerry West after his death
After a brief stint with the Memphis Grizzlies — who he guided to their first 50-win season and playoff appearance in franchise history — he joined the Golden State Warriors in 2011 to chip in with the construction of that dynasty, including the recruitment of Kevin Durant. After Golden State, he went to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2017 as a consultant to help build the team they are today, which includes trading for Paul George and signing Kawhi Leonard.
And that brings us to now. In fact, Leonard just signed an extension with the Clippers this year. If he can ever stay healthy and guide them to a title, West will have played a part in that.
I can’t think of another person who had as a big of an impact as West for as long as West. His basketball genius transcended eras in a truly unique way. The only way I can explain it is the man just knew what winning basketball looked like. It’s why West will be missed and not soon forgotten, and that would have been the case even if he wasn’t the logo.
Rest in peace to a legend.
FTW’s Bryan Kalbrosky continued his Prospect Park series today with a look at Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham. And the exciting 19-year-old wants people to know he can do more than just dribble and score the ball.
“I would say an all-around playmaker player who can get my teammates involved and really just do whatever the team needs to win,” Dillingham said about his game. “I feel like if it involves scoring a ball, I can score the ball. If it involves passing the ball, I can pass the ball.”
But at 6-foot-1, teams will want to know how much he can help on the defensive side of the ball too, and Dillingham’s attitude towards improving on that end sounds promising.
“I’m going to rise to the occasion. Whatever the coach needs me to do to play defense, I can do it. If I don’t do it, you can take me out. I don’t have a problem. I want to get better in that role and I feel like I can, honestly,” Dillingham told Kalbrosky.
Be sure to check out more from BK’s conversation with Dillingham here.
(All odds via BetMGM)
Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Celtics (+125) at Dallas Mavericks (-2.5; -150), 8:30 p.m. ET
OK, now we can get to the game. And I honestly have no other reason to believe in the Mavericks tonight other than the fact I originally picked the series to go six games — and they can’t look any worse than they already have, right?
Let’s hope the answer is no, because I’m rolling with Dallas’ moneyline in this one. Kristaps Porzingis is questionable and his injury doesn’t sound good — I’m not even sure these are real words. His potential absence gives Dallas one less Celtics threat to worry about. And it’s hard to expect Kyrie Irving to stay down for too long. If there was one game the Mavericks should be able to win in this series, this is the one. If they don’t, I’m afraid a sweep might just be the way this goes.
Prince’s Pick: Mavericks moneyline
— A Florida bettor dropped $1.5 million on the Celtics to win Game 3
— Steve Carrell praised Nikola Jokic’s spot-on Gru impression
— Jrue Holiday’s resurgence is a celebration of what makes Boston great
— Did Shannon Sharpe forget about Kyrie Irving’s NBA Finals game-winner?
