Los Angeles Lakers To Wear Jersey Band in Honor of NBA Legend This Season
By Max Weisman
Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West passed away in June and the Purple and Gold will be honoring the man known as "The Logo" with a jersey band this season. The band, which will be placed on the jersey's left shoulder area, will bear West's number 44,
In an press release, the Lakers confirmed that the commemorative jersey band will be featured in their jerseys for all 82 games of the 2024-25 season.
"The Los Angeles Lakers open the 2024-25 season on Tuesday, Oct. 22, honoring Jerry West as they host the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena (10 ET, TNT)," the team said in the news release.
"Recognizing the significant contributions West made to the organization as a player and executive across three decades, the team will wear a commemorative No. 44 band on the left shoulder of its uniform this season."
The team will honor Jerry West with a commemorative No. 44 band on their jerseys this season 💜 pic.twitter.com/S8MZ3WN5DB
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 10, 2024
Jerry West played for the Lakers from 1960 to 1974, winning the NBA Finals with Los Angeles in 1972 and bagging Finals MVP in a losing effort in 1969. He is still the only player in NBA Finals history to win Finals MVP and be on the losing team. West was also a 14-time All-Star.
Following his retirement, West coached the Lakers from 1976 to 1979 before working in the Lakers' front office from 1979 to 2000. West was the general manager during the Showtime Lakers era, helping build a team that won five championships.
The Lakers won the Finals in West's final season as GM in 2000, and Los Angeles has West to thank for trading center Vlade Divac for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant.
In some form, West helped bring 10 championships to Los Angeles. Now, he will be rightfully honored by the Lakers throughout the upcoming NBA season.