'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Jerry West, "The Logo" of the NBA, passed away at the age of 86 on June 12 at his home peacefully with his wife Karen by his side. ESPN's Stephen A. Smith recalled the time he first met the legendary player and it was when there were talks of possibly replacing West as the logo with Michael Jordan.
West has been the league's logo since 1969 and will likely stay put for years to come. Smith shared a story of how he met West and how he told him that if anyone would replace him as the NBA's logo, it would be "His Airness."
"The first time I ever had a conversation with him, that was when our relationship took off because he heard me saying that Michael Jordan, the silhouette will be changed to Michael Jordan from him. He wasn't calling to refute it. He was calling because he felt like I sounded like it's something he would refute. And he was saying, 'Absolutely not. I think Michael Jordan's the greatest. I think he deserves it,'" Smith said.
Trending
Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Stephen A. Smith added that his relationship with Jerry West grew after that and they stayed in contact for years until the last few when they got both very busy. Smith's career took off and became the face of ESPN with "First Take" being a ratings hit.
West became an executive for the Golden State Warriors in 2011 until 2017 when he was hired by the LA Clippers. He stayed with the Clippers until his death on Wednesday morning. He was not just a great player, but might have had the greatest executive career in NBA history.
Jerry West wanted the NBA to change its logo
In an appearance on ESPN's "The Jump" back in 2017, Jerry West admitted that he wants the NBA to change its logo. West regretted making the information about him being the logo public and wished the league would have moved forward to change it to something different.
"I've said it more than once, and it's flattering if that's me, and I know it is me, but it is flattering. ... If I were the NBA, I would be embarrassed about it. I really would. I don’t know, I don’t like to do anything to call attention to myself, and when people say that, that's just not who I am, period. If they would want to change it, I wish they would. In many ways, I wish they would," West said.
Despite the encouragement from West, the league has not made any decisions about changing its logo. And with his death, it would be hard to imagine Adam Silver even starting the conversation about replacing "Mr. Clutch" as "The Logo."
