Jerry West

Jerry West, nicknamed “Mr. Clutch,” starred for the Los Angeles Lakers for 14 seasons, making 14 All-Star teams and remaining, to this day, the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite playing for the losing team (1969). His silhouette is widely believed to be the model for the NBA's iconic logo. After retiring, West built a second Hall of Fame-caliber career as a front-office executive, constructing championship rosters for the Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Golden State Warriors.

West remained deeply connected to his home state throughout his life. He and his wife, Karen, were longtime supporters of West Virginia University, funding the Jerry West Scholarship for undergraduates with financial need (first awarded in 1971) and contributing to the WVU Medicine Children's “Grow Children's” capital campaign, which included a sports-themed floor where young patients could get out of their hospital rooms.

Jerry West passed away in June 2024 at age 86. Following his death, Los Angeles Clippers chairman Steve Ballmer and his wife, Connie, made a $5 million memorial gift to WVU in his honor, split between completion grants for at-risk students and the Jerry West Scholarship. In 2008, Westcoast Sports Associates honored him with the Roy Firestone Award, recognizing one of basketball's most enduring and multifaceted careers.