"He was truly a friend and a mentor"- Stephen A. Smith shares Michael Jordan's text to honor late NBA legend Jerry West
NBA legend Michael Jordan paid tribute to fellow Hall of Famer Jerry West on Wednesday morning following news that the LA Lakers legend had passed away. The news came as a shock to many members of the NBA community, with Jordan texting ESPN's Stephen A. Smith to share his thoughts on West. On Wednesday morning's installment of First Take, Smith read the text sent by Jordan.
In it, the six-time NBA champion called West a friend and mentor, while crediting him with being an older brother to him. As Smith indicated, Michael Jordan requested that Smith read the following text paying tribute to Jerry West on-air:
"I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry's passing. He was truly a friend and a mentor. Like an older brother to me. I valued his friendship and knowledge. I always wished I could have played against him as a competitor but the more I came to know him, I wished I had been his teammate.
I admired his basketball insights and he and I shared many similarities to how we approached the game. He will be forever missed, my condolences to his wife Karen and his son. Rest in Peace, Logo."
LeBron James joins Michael Jordan in paying tribute to Jerry West with heartfelt posts on social media
While Michael Jordan texted Stephen A. Smith to share his heartfelt tribute to NBA legend Jerry West, LeBron James took to social media to give West his flowers. The pair had become friends over the years, and had public appearances together going all the way back to James’ first stint with the Cavaliers.
Given that, the two had become close, with James looking at the Hall of Famer as a friend and mentor. In his first post regarding West’s passing on Wednesday, James wrote:
“Will truly miss our convos my dear friend! My thoughts and prayers goes out to your wonderful family! Forever love Jerry! Rest in Paradise my guy!”
The four-time NBA champ and future Hall of Famer then followed up the post with another one:
“My mentor, My friend! Hopefully I continue to make you proud!. You're already missed!”
As Commissioner Adam Silver wrote in his heartfelt tribute to Jerry West, relayed by the NBA PR account on social media, the LA legend impacted the game of basketball for 60 years. From his 1972 NBA championship to his remarkable run as a executive that saw him land Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, his impact on the game can’t be denied.
While the basketball community as a whole is collectively mourning the losses of both West and fellow Hall of Famer Bill Walton, it’s clear that the game is better because of their influence both on and off the court.
Given West’s legacy, expect the league to pay tribute to West ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Wednesday night.