Jerry West

Jerry West is the NBA logo — literally. His silhouette, captured in a driving layup, has been the league's official logo since 1969. That distinction is fitting, because West embodied the platonic ideal of a basketball player: smooth, competitive, skilled, and devastating in the clutch. His nickname — 'Mr. Clutch' — was earned through a career of game-winning shots that arrived with metronomic reliability when the pressure was highest.

West's statistical profile is remarkable: 27.0 points per game for his career, a Finals MVP award in a losing effort (the only player ever to receive that honor), and a level of two-way play that made him one of the most complete guards of his era. He played in nine NBA Finals with the Lakers, winning only one — a testament to the misfortune of competing against Bill Russell's Celtics dynasty. His one championship in 1972 came as part of a team that won 33 consecutive games, still the longest winning streak in major American professional sports.

West's post-playing career as an executive may actually exceed his playing legacy. He built the Showtime Lakers, constructed the Shaq-Kobe Lakers, helped build the Golden State Warriors dynasty, and consulted for the LA Clippers. His eye for talent is unmatched in NBA history, and the league he helped shape as a player, he continued to shape as a front-office architect.