NBA legend and Hall of Famer Jerry West has passed away at the age of 86, the Los Angeles Clippers announced on Wednesday. West had been working as an advisor to the team since 2017.
Following the announcement, the Las Vegas Raiders released a statement mourning the passing of the basketball great, whose incredible career spanned 14 seasons, all with the Los Angeles Lakers.
"The Raiders Family is mourning today's loss of basketball legend Jerry West," the team wrote. "A Hall of Fame player before becoming a builder of champions on the hardwood, West is an iconic figure in basketball and sports worldwide.
"Known as 'Mr. Clutch' and 'The Logo,' he earned All-Star selections in each of his 14 years as a player and was one of the NBA's top defenders in addition to his offensive prowess.
"A great friend of Al Davis and later with current Raiders Owner Mark Davis, West won an amazing nine championship rings in his career both on the court and in the front office.
"The thoughts and prayers of the Raider Nation are with Karen West and the entire West family at this time."
On top of his legendary playing career, West was also a highly successful executive in the NBA, winning a total of eight championships and two NBA Executive of the Year awards. He also won an NBA Finals once as a player with the Lakers.
