I'm still mad about losing a pick up game that I was up 9-4 in two weeks ago and the guy who I gave it too threw up a stupid ass shot when we were at 9-9 and the opps point guard pull up on a 3
What this demonstrates to me is the how something which is valueless (basketball/sport) has some ridiculous value placed upon it. Most of us wish loosing a game was as bad as it gets!
Yeah, imagine if he (and other NBA elite) had that much passion about life, like feeding housing the homeless, educating kids in the projects, how about even being a dam father! Yep that much passion could change the world.
Folks, IT IS A DAM GAME. The only value in sport is its entertainment value which by the way is value that is substantially overvalued. This is not to say that the relationships within the game are not significant, they are. What I am saying is I spent about 40 years playing a DAM game. What the hell do I possess to pass on to my kids? The same DAM worthless game. Dad can you teach me to do some plumbing, build a garage, do some electric work, perhaps take a walk in the woods and point out some wildlife or trees, maybe a little biology and chemistry. Nope, son/daughter all I can teach you about is what kind of sneakers to buy and the fundamentals of a worthless sport. So someday (and it is coming) when you can't buy or sell, when civilizations infrastructure comes crashing down, how will you eat, how will your family survive? Maybe someone will still pay to see grown people PLAY a kids game.
veazy v - No, they didn’t give it to him to disrespect him, they gave it to him because he was “hands down” the best player, & it was obvious to everyone. It was actually a sign of respect to give him the award. But it doesn’t take away his pain though, & it’s hard for him to think about because he knows he should have won more championships, but didn’t get the assistance he needed from several of his teammates. So it’s painful memories.
Wow...Jerry is so honest. He is one of the few who reveals the turmoil of those who are obsessed with winning. He speaks for Bill, Oscar, Kareem, Magic, Bird, McHale, Stockton, Jordon, Bryant and onwards.....
I'm from Boston and yes I'm a Celtic Fan but I Had the great fortune to see Mr West Play at the Garden .The man was a fearless competitor and in my opinion had the prettiest stop and pop fade away jumper of anyone who's played the game . He was a baaa'd dude and if they had a 3 point line back then he would had killed it !!!
Yep I’m going on 67 years old , No denying that I’m Celtics fan , but many of those games between the rivalry were very tight and could have gone either way , talk about giving somebody high blood pressure! Celtics fan or not, the fact that this great athlete only won one championship is ridiculous , and he played along side the great Elgin Baylor for a good portion of his career. Later on Wilt joined the Lakers and West was able to get his first and only championship , however Elgin Baylor sat out most of that season and may have retired I’m not sure , so Elgin didn’t rightfully get his Championship ring although the team made sure he received one from all those years of playing in the trenches and building the Lakers brand at the time …
Jerry West was my favorite basketball player, Walt Hazzard was my second favorite. As I listen, I think the same way Jerry thinks, it was his fault, because as the best player on the team, I thought he should have found a way to win. Sometimes, I thought he'd try to take shots to win that shouldn't have been taken, or he just missed the shot. Yes, others could have made their shots, and the Lakers could have won. But they didn't. Games my team lost in baseball, and basketball, I remember when I made a mistake or error that lost the game (I never attempted a game winning shot, my teammates were smarter than that. Lol), but now I don't agonize over them. I empathize with West. Hopefully one day he will realize he did his best, it wasn't good enough to win, and concentrate on the future. A little bit of history on Walt Hazzard. Was part of 1 or 2 undefeated seasons at UCLA with Lee Alcindor, which the kids who played basketball that I knew when they made a shot, yelled AL CIN DOOR ! (I must have picked the right player, because I had sharp elbows, hence a hazard, I was never a loud talker, in any sport, always thinking too much) Hazzard changed his name to Mahdi Abdul Rahman, as he became a Muslim. Coached at UCLA as Hazzard. In Philadelphia, 1985, I think, a Muslim compound got attacked and some were killed, and at first it was reported whites did it, but it was a rival Muslim sect. Mahdi Abdul Rahman, his wife and their children, were members of the compound, but had gone somewhere that day. They were spared. I only found out about his involvement in the compound in the newspapers, when he passed last year or so.
I don't care about his win-loss record....I care about how he played in those losses. He elevated his already impressive scoring in the playoffs. I will never criticize anyone for losing that plays at their regular level or elevated it in the playoffs......only players that decline. Shouldnt be faulted.
As you can hear in the interview all that doesnt matter, all that he ever wanted was his just reward against the Celtics in the 60s....life is simply unfair, all that it could have taken was a lucky bounce of the ball and he would have won 2 more rings back then.😓
Love this interview. I actually like how Jerry West is not letting go of the loss and the pain from them. He's that big of a competitor and he's that passionate. That's so rare today. All these freaking athletes today just want to be homies and vacation together.
@@Jazz-gb9lp You're an idiot. You didn't get his comment at all. Back in West's era players weren't buddy buddy with their opponents, which made things more competitive.
Many of those players were friends outside of the game, but during the game, that went out the window. That is what's missing in today's NBA, no killer instinct amongst a lot of the stars.
SuperVince93 someone must have a miserable life, but to answer your point genius, look at his last sentence and see how it has negative feelings towards today's athletes. Literally nothing wrong with being friends off the court, for example, MJ and Charles were friends off the court, but did that make the game less competitive? No, now go check yourself fool
Dear Jerry, you NEVER let anyone down. ALL of the kids, and I, in the neighborhood LOVED you and the Lakers. When I listened to you being interviewed by Chick, I hung on every word. You are special. Most of the time, the best team does win, but I do agree with you that the Lakers were in fact the best team in 1969, which made it more of a heartbreaker that we lost. But you made up for it in 1972 when the Lakers one the ring. I was at game two of the 69 Finals, in which you scored 41, Hondo 43, and Elgin saved the day that night with 32 and 20, including the Lakers last 12 points. Anyway, all things considered, you are the greatest Laker of all time. Signed, a lifelong Jerry West fan
keep up the good work graham. For whatever reason athletes seem to open up to you on a real serious human emotional level that you wont get from an ESPN interview. Great work.
Its bc the rest of the interviewers are just media that talk shit about you the minute they can. This guy Graham just wants to hear them talk and is genuinely interested about what they have to say, not just trying to "get a story"
zerocal76 Nobody in the media is talking shit about Jerry West, I assure you. Just because some media members are bad, doesn't mean all or most of them are. ESPN is a business and so they cover and put out what gets ratings, which means that is what people want.
One of the greatest players of all time, intense driven guy left everything he had on the court. Respected as one of the best by anyone who played with or against him.
All these players today that just care about the money and when they lose don't care the next day should watch this!!! Dude is still hurt after losing in the finals 40+ years later
I'm a big Jerry West fan but he should get over it, and see it as a game now. Since then, he was the architect GM of the Lakers dynasties in the 80's and 2000's bringing in Shaq & Kobe. Jerry West has 9 rings, one as a player and 8 as GM/executive.
He should be upset, nobody ever mentions him in 'Greatest Player of All Time' talks, despite the fact he is still 5th All-Time in NBA history for PPG average, in between LeBron James and Kevin Durant, despite the fact he never played a single NBA game with a 3 point line.
I disagree with that assessment. The amount of work these dudes put in to being great is incredible. I think it's a very small minority among players. The great players want to be known as champions and the lesser players want to just stay in the league if possible. But you're right that in the case of Jerry and guys like him, it's a different level. Really it's an unhealthy obsession. And you see it all these years later. His face is almost like he just lost. Wow.
I hate that he's with the clippers now but Jerry West is a legend. He's really the greatest Laker of all time. What he did on and off the court together will never be duplicated. A real tortured genius.
Jerry, I modeled my game after you, Scottie Pippin and "The Hondo." I grew up in the 90's and watching old video of you made me fierce 🏀 Love you Mr. West
When you don't have millions of dollars, social media, clout, clubs, and media attention to drive you, you actually care about basketball so much that you losses stay with you. This is a real hooper.
My all time favorite guard, super player. I copied his jump shot when I played, watched him over and over, tapes and so forth, until I got it down. It worked great for me! Love Jerry!!
I don't think there's ever been a more competitive player in any sport than Jerry West. In the 1969 Finals where he won that "meaningless" Finals MVP he says he didn't deserve because his team lost, he averaged 38 points and had a triple double (42 points, 12 assists, 13 rebounds) in game 7 while playing with a pulled hamstring that he had suffered in Game 5.
That's why I'm so disappointed in Chris Paul. I think he's afraid of losing to the point of bowing out due to any kind of injury, particularity telling was this year's Game 7 of the Finals where it's possible this might be his last shot and he just sat out. Shoot something in your leg, pop some pills and get on the damn court!
@@Lootroq ever had the kinds of injury Chris Paul had? I bet he would of played and he knows his body well and didn't want to risk having a bigger injury. Look at Durant and Klay, they gotten big injuries for the sake of trying to become 3peat champions.
He only won one ring as a player - 1972 with Wilt Chamberlain leading the way.. Never seen a "more" competitive player in any sport? You must have not watched sports since the 1960s then if you really believe that statement... He wasn't even the most competitive basketball player in the 1960s - Bill Russell was (and he has the rings to prove it)....
This is one athlete I wish I had a chance to see in person. Not just for his ability and commitment to the game and team, but passion for the City of Angeles and its fan base.
I always enjoy Graham's interviewing style. I watch his show every Sunday night at midnight. West was one of the greatest, and as a GM, even better. The Lakers are now the kings of the NBA, while Boston had that title when West played.
I was thinking the same thing. He carries a deep rooted bitterness with him and the series has done a good job representing that. It’s a damn shame he carries that dead weight around. He has so much to be proud of. He was one of the best players of his era hell of a player and he was even better in his front office role for the Lakers helping them win 8 titles and winning executive of the year twice. I had no idea he has been living with this much guilt and self pity.
Totally agree, these videos are popping up because of Winning Time. They portray West as half a loon and my goodness they are correctly portraying him. Despite this man's greatness and successes he is a sad case. Jeez.
As a die hard Boston Celtic fan growing up as a boy in Boston, I had great respect for the Lakers then and I consider Jerry West team one of greatest Laker teams of all time. He was such a great player. I sadden that he feels that way. There is no shame losing to Bill Russell and the Celtics. I consider West one of the greatest Lakers.
@@johnford5568 In West's case, he IS right that they should've won two Finals. The Lakers almost came back from a 1-3 deficit in the 1966 Fins before losing Game 7 and infamously lost Game 7 in the 1969 Finals
Despite losing to Boston so many times, Jerry West is definitely a winner. A lot of players are obsessed with fame and fortune and are not hurt this way. You have to be a great player to win MVP honors from the losing team. I'm glad he finally won one but he would have gotten more satisfaction in beating Boston...
Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Chamberlain was supposed to bring them a championship in the late 60s, he didn't. That's why I rate Russell over Chamberlain. The 60s championships, Russell 8, Wilt 1. Wilt dominated, except against Russell.
Boogie Loo, but Jerry West NEVER had the attitude of "winning at all costs". He cut no corners; slighted no foe; even when he was often the #1 Lakers player, he never hogged the ball or shots. He ALWAYS played the game the right way; the TEAM-FIRST way. Heck, if he'd been more of a "wanting to win at all costs" type of guy; the Lakers may well have won a couple of those down-to-the-wire last Finals games.
@@teddy1234599 I thought Jerry took too many shots, when he should have passed and gotten in a position to receive a pass for a better shot. If he had made his shots to win a playoff series against the Celtics half the time, I wouldn't say it. Lol He suffered a broken nose 8 times. Took being a hard nosed player seriously, too seriously, it seems. 🙄
Graham, you are hands down the best interviewer i've ever seen do his thing. Most people would think you just let them talk, which IS part of your method. However, you get people to OPEN UP! People have opened up to you about things that they never have with anyone else. I think it's partly because you don't do what MOST media pricks do, and take clips and twist what they said. You don't sensationalize it, you just listen. And you make them feel comfortable. I'm loving what you do man and KEEP GOING!! You are going to be the Michael Jordan of sports interviewing.
Mr WEST, YOU ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST BASKETBALL PLAYERS EVER. AFTER HEARING YOU TALK OF YOUR LOSES TO BOSTON I SAW HOW MUCH YOU LOVED THIS GAME " AND THE HEART YOU HAVE " YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY RESPECT " FROM AND THE L A FANS. THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CHANCE OF BEING A PART OF YOUR LIFE. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
My all time favorite basketball player, nothing but class. You can read more about Jerry West----"West By West My Charmed, Tormented Life by Jerry West and Jonathan Coleman. Jerry West The Life And Legend of a Basketball Icon by Roland Lazenby. Both are excellent. One of the greatest.
Ironically, he’s had the most success after retiring as a player...quite the opposite of what happened to MJ whose success mostly derived from what he did as a player
Just Some Guy With No Mustache Bruh what are you talking about MJ is literally a billionaire. His shoe sales make billions each year. (Nike makes that money not him, but it’s his brand and he definitely has stock in it or gets a cut) MJ is a bad owner but to say jerry west has been more successful is just ignorant of the facts dog
Brae10 jordan was already rich when he retired but success in the next chapter after retirement goes to Jerry they both got into nba management and jerry has made himself the goat executive a team builder.he helped built the show time lakers, the kobe shaq lakers and the warriors current dynasty, now he’s building something big with the clippers that’s 35 years of success right there. Jordan became a billionaire of his shoe deals cause of his name. His job right now is a shitty executive his career in management is shit .
John Marquette mj is running a million things same thing manic told lakers he said I’m a businessman first I have a million other things to do is that cool with you and the lakers said yea we know Michael is Michael Jordan that dude is not worrying about what some sorry ass players can’t do not his job to teach them to play ball they should already know they just suck
STR8KOP TV that’s bad an ideal gm is someone who solely focuses on that gm role. Doing multiple things isn’t the best recipe for success not everyone is Elon musk that dude runs 4-5 billion dollar businesses. That definitely explains why mj and magic haven’t/ weren’t successful as basketball executives/management.
John Marquette that's the point of what these other guys are saying though, you can say Jordan and magic were complete shit as a gm especially in comparison to jerry west but they've had success aside from that
So intense, so focused, and so determined!!! There is a side of me that admires him, but there another side that feels sorry for him!!! He doesn’t seem to appreciate what he accomplished but rather dwells on his failures!!! Is he the very definition of a “perfectionist”? Winning to him is the only thing that matters!!! To me, Jerry West is a Hall of Famer, a very successful executive, and a legend of the game!!! But he seems to view his career as missed opportunities!!! Mr. West, thanks for giving it your all and then some!!! God bless!!! ☮️🖖🏽
Jerry West is the best example of a player that didn't do much winning, and yet was just an absolute winner by heart. I guess he was just beat by the best winner of all time.
We have to find the happiness in the journey of competing - not just winning. I know great players remember the losses play by play - but I hope everyone finds the peace in bringing their best to the game (& helping bring others to the highest level - Like Kobe) totally free from being tormented by losses.
Thank you Jerry I dont know much about you but I really respect you for just being honest ,,that's one of the biggest things thats missing in sports say what you really feel,,,I hate when things are sugarcoated,,,when players tell you what you want to hear or give you the corporate answer,,,its like the ying and yang you. You can have sportsmanship but you also want to see the other side ,,,the pain,,,anger,,,disappointment,,,
@slip satch It just proves how good/great BILL Russell is and how valuable and significant those Russell next tier dynastic teams are to history. To beat a incredibly driven man like team West, Russell and crew were certainty a monster squad. We take nothing from him as a great player. But, damn those Russell led dudes were awesome.
Celtics fan here. Great respect for Jerry West in spite of his being a lifelong Laker. That *will to win* was a quality that all the greats of that era had.
Jerry, as great as he was, just couldn't seem to take solace in all the blessings that were bestowed upon him, despite losses in just basketball games. It seems Jerry won the game of life.
Highly respect Jerry West, amazing player and amazing General Manager. You can still see the pain from those finals losses. But the Celtics in the 60s were loaded. The only finals against the Celtics that they definitely should have won was in 69. Like Jerry said, they were clearly the better team, but Russell would not be denied.
Man it’s crazy like a non pro athlete can forget things over time, but a pro athlete like Jerry says and you can hear it he hasn’t let those losses go. But that makes what sports so great. I have flag football loses like that obviously nothing like nba finals.
wow that's crazy how he's still tormented by the losses. shows you just how passionate the guy is about the game of basketball!
I'm still mad about losing a pick up game that I was up 9-4 in two weeks ago and the guy who I gave it too threw up a stupid ass shot when we were at 9-9 and the opps point guard pull up on a 3
DJ Academicz That's just ridiculous. His games meant something.
What this demonstrates to me is the how something which is valueless (basketball/sport) has some ridiculous value placed upon it. Most of us wish loosing a game was as bad as it gets!
Yeah, imagine if he (and other NBA elite) had that much passion about life, like feeding housing the homeless, educating kids in the projects, how about even being a dam father! Yep that much passion could change the world.
Folks, IT IS A DAM GAME. The only value in sport is its entertainment value which by the way is value that is substantially overvalued. This is not to say that the relationships within the game are not significant, they are. What I am saying is I spent about 40 years playing a DAM game. What the hell do I possess to pass on to my kids? The same DAM worthless game. Dad can you teach me to do some plumbing, build a garage, do some electric work, perhaps take a walk in the woods and point out some wildlife or trees, maybe a little biology and chemistry. Nope, son/daughter all I can teach you about is what kind of sneakers to buy and the fundamentals of a worthless sport. So someday (and it is coming) when you can't buy or sell, when civilizations infrastructure comes crashing down, how will you eat, how will your family survive? Maybe someone will still pay to see grown people PLAY a kids game.
you can see on his face that those losses still really piss him off. Especially when he won MVP of the finals and his team was on the losing end.
veazy v - No, they didn’t give it to him to disrespect him, they gave it to him because he was “hands down” the best player, & it was obvious to everyone. It was actually a sign of respect to give him the award. But it doesn’t take away his pain though, & it’s hard for him to think about because he knows he should have won more championships, but didn’t get the assistance he needed from several of his teammates. So it’s painful memories.
Still the only player to win FMVP as a player on the losing team
alana moore as I've been saying, the whole "goat" thing in a team sport is erroneous. Dude was the best player but doesn't win.
I didn't realize he was MVP twice on the losing team in the Finals (against the Warriors and Celtics).
@@mahadragon he wasn't. It was only against the Celtics in 1969.
Wow...Jerry is so honest. He is one of the few who reveals the turmoil of those who are obsessed with winning. He speaks for Bill, Oscar, Kareem, Magic, Bird, McHale, Stockton, Jordon, Bryant and onwards.....
*Jordan
Dumb fuck lol
He speaks for all those you listed, . . . except that those guys won.
@@folag I don’t think you understood his comment
Jerry won as well @@folag
I'm from Boston and yes I'm a Celtic Fan but I Had the great fortune to see Mr West Play at the Garden .The man was a fearless competitor and in my opinion had the prettiest stop and pop fade away jumper of anyone who's played the game .
He was a baaa'd dude and if they had a 3 point line back then he would had killed it !!!
of course you would love him, your team always beat him
I doubt anyone today could average 46.3 ppg in a playoff series without three pointers like Jerry once did. Not even Wilt ever did that.
Never a bad thing when it's LA vs BOS in the finals.
bro how old are you?
Yep I’m going on 67 years old ,
No denying that I’m Celtics fan , but many of those games between the rivalry were very tight and could have gone either way , talk about giving somebody high blood pressure! Celtics fan or not, the fact that this great athlete only won one championship is ridiculous , and he played along side the great Elgin Baylor for a good portion of his career. Later on Wilt joined the Lakers and West was able to get his first and only championship , however Elgin Baylor sat out most of that season and may have retired I’m not sure , so Elgin didn’t rightfully get his Championship ring although the team made sure he received one from all those years of playing in the trenches and building the Lakers brand at the time …
One of my favorite people ever in the NBA family
ProtectedSouls4 my hero one of best jump shots ever
Jerry West is a winner. It’s hard for a winner not to win. Am proud of you JERRY WEST
He was never a winner against the Celtics.
Jerry West was my favorite basketball player, Walt Hazzard was my second favorite. As I listen, I think the same way Jerry thinks, it was his fault, because as the best player on the team, I thought he should have found a way to win. Sometimes, I thought he'd try to take shots to win that shouldn't have been taken, or he just missed the shot. Yes, others could have made their shots, and the Lakers could have won. But they didn't. Games my team lost in baseball, and basketball, I remember when I made a mistake or error that lost the game (I never attempted a game winning shot, my teammates were smarter than that. Lol), but now I don't agonize over them. I empathize with West. Hopefully one day he will realize he did his best, it wasn't good enough to win, and concentrate on the future.
A little bit of history on Walt Hazzard. Was part of 1 or 2 undefeated seasons at UCLA with Lee Alcindor, which the kids who played basketball that I knew when they made a shot, yelled AL CIN DOOR ! (I must have picked the right player, because I had sharp elbows, hence a hazard, I was never a loud talker, in any sport, always thinking too much) Hazzard changed his name to Mahdi Abdul Rahman, as he became a Muslim. Coached at UCLA as Hazzard. In Philadelphia, 1985, I think, a Muslim compound got attacked and some were killed, and at first it was reported whites did it, but it was a rival Muslim sect. Mahdi Abdul Rahman, his wife and their children, were members of the compound, but had gone somewhere that day. They were spared. I only found out about his involvement in the compound in the newspapers, when he passed last year or so.
Jerry is just to real
Bill Russell went over after 69 loss and he saw Jerry crying. He hugged him and felt.bad
Jerry West is an NBA Legend. He went 1-8 in the Finals as a player but went 8-5 as an executive. 9 Rings is still pretty good
mickser101 best gm ever. Man got Kobe and shaq.
Greatest executive in Basketball history for sure.
I don't care about his win-loss record....I care about how he played in those losses. He elevated his already impressive scoring in the playoffs. I will never criticize anyone for losing that plays at their regular level or elevated it in the playoffs......only players that decline.
Shouldnt be faulted.
As you can hear in the interview all that doesnt matter, all that he ever wanted was his just reward against the Celtics in the 60s....life is simply unfair, all that it could have taken was a lucky bounce of the ball and he would have won 2 more rings back then.😓
@@heya1988 I guess that you never heard of Red Auerbach.
Everyone mocking how he is portrayed on Winning Time yet here is the man, speaking about how tormented he STILL is, 50 years later.
I won't watched winning time agian
@@aparnarajeshgreatest show hbo has ever produced
Love this interview. I actually like how Jerry West is not letting go of the loss and the pain from them. He's that big of a competitor and he's that passionate. That's so rare today. All these freaking athletes today just want to be homies and vacation together.
yo ...u got it....word
Theres nothing wrong with that cause at the end of the day people are paying to watch THEM play not you
@@Jazz-gb9lp You're an idiot. You didn't get his comment at all. Back in West's era players weren't buddy buddy with their opponents, which made things more competitive.
Many of those players were friends outside of the game, but during the game, that went out the window. That is what's missing in today's NBA, no killer instinct amongst a lot of the stars.
SuperVince93 someone must have a miserable life, but to answer your point genius, look at his last sentence and see how it has negative feelings towards today's athletes. Literally nothing wrong with being friends off the court, for example, MJ and Charles were friends off the court, but did that make the game less competitive? No, now go check yourself fool
Dear Jerry, you NEVER let anyone down. ALL of the kids, and I, in the neighborhood LOVED you and the Lakers. When I listened to you being interviewed by Chick, I hung on every word. You are special. Most of the time, the best team does win, but I do agree with you that the Lakers were in fact the best team in 1969, which made it more of a heartbreaker that we lost. But you made up for it in 1972 when the Lakers one the ring. I was at game two of the 69 Finals, in which you scored 41, Hondo 43, and Elgin saved the day that night with 32 and 20, including the Lakers last 12 points. Anyway, all things considered, you are the greatest Laker of all time.
Signed,
a lifelong Jerry West fan
*won*
Terrific interviewer. Asks insightful questions and then gets out of the way and listens without interrupting.
Cy Tab You can’t fool us Graham we know it’s you with your other account
Lol
keep up the good work graham. For whatever reason athletes seem to open up to you on a real serious human emotional level that you wont get from an ESPN interview. Great work.
Its bc the rest of the interviewers are just media that talk shit about you the minute they can. This guy Graham just wants to hear them talk and is genuinely interested about what they have to say, not just trying to "get a story"
zerocal76 Nobody in the media is talking shit about Jerry West, I assure you. Just because some media members are bad, doesn't mean all or most of them are. ESPN is a business and so they cover and put out what gets ratings, which means that is what people want.
I didn't say anyone was doing that about jerry west. They do it for all the athletes who arent saints and might screw up now and then
It's funny too, so many people love to make fun of Graham for his eagerness to listen and let them continue talking lol
Even after many years, you can see him getting angrier as he starts talking about it. Winning the game means so much to this man.
A great man. An incredible player. Purest jump shooter, and arch I've ever seen.
I am a big Celtics fan. That said ,West was and is true class one of the best to ever play the game.
Well said
Just watching winning time, really shows a lot
One of the greatest players of all time, intense driven guy left everything he had on the court. Respected as one of the best by anyone who played with or against him.
You could see the genuine passion for those things to still bring back bad memories today.
All these players today that just care about the money and when they lose don't care the next day should watch this!!! Dude is still hurt after losing in the finals 40+ years later
Nigga life goes on. 40 years later and you still that hot about it? That's just stressful to yourself lol
I'm a big Jerry West fan but he should get over it, and see it as a game now.
Since then, he was the architect GM of the Lakers dynasties in the 80's and 2000's bringing in Shaq & Kobe.
Jerry West has 9 rings, one as a player and 8 as GM/executive.
He should be upset, nobody ever mentions him in 'Greatest Player of All Time' talks, despite the fact he is still 5th All-Time in NBA history for PPG average, in between LeBron James and Kevin Durant, despite the fact he never played a single NBA game with a 3 point line.
@@lamardogmatic3864 Don't let it control your life, but let it keep the fire burning
I disagree with that assessment. The amount of work these dudes put in to being great is incredible. I think it's a very small minority among players. The great players want to be known as champions and the lesser players want to just stay in the league if possible. But you're right that in the case of Jerry and guys like him, it's a different level.
Really it's an unhealthy obsession. And you see it all these years later. His face is almost like he just lost. Wow.
I hate that he's with the clippers now but Jerry West is a legend. He's really the greatest Laker of all time. What he did on and off the court together will never be duplicated. A real tortured genius.
Jerry West...
Such a quiet, reflective, astute human being. Truly a superstar and champion. HE is the NBA LOGO!!
Not to mention a helluva GM
Just an old school legend.
Jerry, I modeled my game after you, Scottie Pippin and "The Hondo." I grew up in the 90's and watching old video of you made me fierce 🏀 Love you Mr. West
@Arthur Anderson You a bitch.
When you don't have millions of dollars, social media, clout, clubs, and media attention to drive you, you actually care about basketball so much that you losses stay with you. This is a real hooper.
My all time favorite guard, super player. I copied his jump shot when I played, watched him over and over, tapes and so forth, until I got it down. It worked great for me! Love Jerry!!
One of the greatest players and finest men in sports history.
Ask a clear, open, fair question; wait quietly, respectfully for a complete and thoughtful answer. Amazing process. So very rare.
This guy is a real champion
True NBA Legend
I don't think there's ever been a more competitive player in any sport than Jerry West. In the 1969 Finals where he won that "meaningless" Finals MVP he says he didn't deserve because his team lost, he averaged 38 points and had a triple double (42 points, 12 assists, 13 rebounds) in game 7 while playing with a pulled hamstring that he had suffered in Game 5.
That's why I'm so disappointed in Chris Paul. I think he's afraid of losing to the point of bowing out due to any kind of injury, particularity telling was this year's Game 7 of the Finals where it's possible this might be his last shot and he just sat out. Shoot something in your leg, pop some pills and get on the damn court!
@@Lootroq do you have that same kind of energy?
@@migonzz What do you mean? Nothing has changed my mind about what I said
@@Lootroq ever had the kinds of injury Chris Paul had? I bet he would of played and he knows his body well and didn't want to risk having a bigger injury. Look at Durant and Klay, they gotten big injuries for the sake of trying to become 3peat champions.
He only won one ring as a player - 1972 with Wilt Chamberlain leading the way.. Never seen a "more" competitive player in any sport? You must have not watched sports since the 1960s then if you really believe that statement... He wasn't even the most competitive basketball player in the 1960s - Bill Russell was (and he has the rings to prove it)....
This is one athlete I wish I had a chance to see in person. Not just for his ability and commitment to the game and team, but passion for the City of Angeles and its fan base.
This hit different after winning time
I always enjoy Graham's interviewing style. I watch his show every Sunday night at midnight. West was one of the greatest, and as a GM, even better. The Lakers are now the kings of the NBA, while Boston had that title when West played.
he really loves the game. that’s nothing but love for the game. i love it
I was kid during those loses and I'm still tormented, too!
What a tremendous athlete and honest, humble person! He deserves to be the model of the NBA logo!
Wow, the honesty and pain in his face when he talks about the game 7 loss.
"Winning Time" is on point with it's portrayal of Jerry West
I was thinking the same thing. He carries a deep rooted bitterness with him and the series has done a good job representing that.
It’s a damn shame he carries that dead weight around. He has so much to be proud of. He was one of the best players of his era hell of a player and he was even better in his front office role for the Lakers helping them win 8 titles and winning executive of the year twice. I had no idea he has been living with this much guilt and self pity.
Totally agree, these videos are popping up because of Winning Time. They portray West as half a loon and my goodness they are correctly portraying him. Despite this man's greatness and successes he is a sad case. Jeez.
West is suing them for false representation, defamation of character. I hope he wins.
LOL HES SUING THE MAKERS OF THE SHOW FOR FALSE REPRESENTATION
How would you know?
I fuck with Mr. West... passionate player 💯
Maybe this is where “winning time “ got the idea to make this man a crazy angry man dude still to this day can’t let it go😂😂
Nobody deserves the honor of being “the Logo” more than Jerry West. The definition of a legend
Yes there's plenty of players who deserve it more
Your right
kobe deserves it modt
This is where winning time got the character of Jerry west from
I can understand. As a Jerry West and Laker fan in the 60's they were heartbreaking losses to the Celtics.
This guy, wow. Kobe sounds just like The Logo. What amazing dedication and perseverance.
As a die hard Boston Celtic fan growing up as a boy in Boston, I had great respect for the Lakers then and I consider Jerry West team one of greatest Laker teams of all time. He was such a great player. I sadden that he feels that way. There is no shame losing to Bill Russell and the Celtics. I consider West one of the greatest Lakers.
This guy IS Basketball! 🙌🏻
winning time seems a lil more accurate after watching this.. this man used the word “tormented”
Agreed
This shows one of the great things about basketball. There are no more victories. If you have a quintuple double and lose, you just got a workout.
Wow. This guys like 80 and he doesn’t let it go
see he gets it.
nothing matters if you dont get the dub
Problem is you don't have control over it.
@@johnford5568 In West's case, he IS right that they should've won two Finals. The Lakers almost came back from a 1-3 deficit in the 1966 Fins before losing Game 7 and infamously lost Game 7 in the 1969 Finals
Maxten, True.
Despite losing to Boston so many times, Jerry West is definitely a winner. A lot of players are obsessed with fame and fortune and are not hurt this way. You have to be a great player to win MVP honors from the losing team. I'm glad he finally won one but he would have gotten more satisfaction in beating Boston...
A great ball player and obviously a great person.
great Interview with the greatest guard of all time
One of top 10 ever to play..never gets credit for how great he was
Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain one of my favorite duos
They hated each other.
Shaq and Kobe are one of the best duos of all time and they hated each other during that time. Wilt and West is one of the best duos of all time.
@@greasergreg785 they were and so was Russell and havlicek
Jerry West and Elgin Baylor. Chamberlain was supposed to bring them a championship in the late 60s, he didn't. That's why I rate Russell over Chamberlain. The 60s championships, Russell 8, Wilt 1. Wilt dominated, except against Russell.
A true legend and all time great player!
True warrior. That's the nature of a competitor - wanting to win at all costs. Respect.
Boogie Loo, but Jerry West NEVER had the attitude of "winning at all costs". He cut no corners; slighted no foe; even when he was often the #1 Lakers player, he never hogged the ball or shots. He ALWAYS played the game the right way; the TEAM-FIRST way.
Heck, if he'd been more of a "wanting to win at all costs" type of guy; the Lakers may well have won a couple of those down-to-the-wire last Finals games.
@@teddy1234599 I thought Jerry took too many shots, when he should have passed and gotten in a position to receive a pass for a better shot. If he had made his shots to win a playoff series against the Celtics half the time, I wouldn't say it. Lol
He suffered a broken nose 8 times. Took being a hard nosed player seriously, too seriously, it seems. 🙄
Graham, you are hands down the best interviewer i've ever seen do his thing. Most people would think you just let them talk, which IS part of your method. However, you get people to OPEN UP! People have opened up to you about things that they never have with anyone else. I think it's partly because you don't do what MOST media pricks do, and take clips and twist what they said. You don't sensationalize it, you just listen. And you make them feel comfortable. I'm loving what you do man and KEEP GOING!! You are going to be the Michael Jordan of sports interviewing.
Thank you for the kind words, glad you enjoy watching! -AD
@@GrahamBensinger Thanks for the content!
Mr WEST, YOU ARE ONE OF THE GREATEST BASKETBALL PLAYERS EVER. AFTER HEARING YOU TALK OF YOUR LOSES TO BOSTON I SAW HOW MUCH YOU LOVED THIS GAME " AND THE HEART YOU HAVE " YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE MY RESPECT " FROM AND THE L A FANS.
THANK YOU FOR GIVING US A CHANCE OF BEING A PART OF YOUR LIFE. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
Jerry West, was the first professional basketball player, that I became a fan of. After, Dr. J.
My all time favorite basketball player, nothing but class. You can read more about Jerry West----"West By West My Charmed, Tormented Life by Jerry West and Jonathan Coleman. Jerry West The Life And Legend of a Basketball Icon by Roland Lazenby. Both are excellent. One of the greatest.
Much respect to Mr West...
uncle jerry I'll always love you man
Wow never really heard him speak before but this gave me a lot of respect for him.
Passion, Love & Pain. I just want to shake Mr.West's hand one day.
It’s admirable how much of a responsibility jerry felt for losing a team game despite his extraordinary efforts and individual impact.
Ironically, he’s had the most success after retiring as a player...quite the opposite of what happened to MJ whose success mostly derived from what he did as a player
Just Some Guy With No Mustache Bruh what are you talking about MJ is literally a billionaire. His shoe sales make billions each year. (Nike makes that money not him, but it’s his brand and he definitely has stock in it or gets a cut) MJ is a bad owner but to say jerry west has been more successful is just ignorant of the facts dog
Brae10 jordan was already rich when he retired but success in the next chapter after retirement goes to Jerry they both got into nba management and jerry has made himself the goat executive a team builder.he helped built the show time lakers, the kobe shaq lakers and the warriors current dynasty, now he’s building something big with the clippers that’s 35 years of success right there. Jordan became a billionaire of his shoe deals cause of his name. His job right now is a shitty executive his career in management is shit .
John Marquette mj is running a million things same thing manic told lakers he said I’m a businessman first I have a million other things to do is that cool with you and the lakers said yea we know Michael is Michael Jordan that dude is not worrying about what some sorry ass players can’t do not his job to teach them to play ball they should already know they just suck
STR8KOP TV that’s bad an ideal gm is someone who solely focuses on that gm role. Doing multiple things isn’t the best recipe for success not everyone is Elon musk that dude runs 4-5 billion dollar businesses. That definitely explains why mj and magic haven’t/ weren’t successful as basketball executives/management.
John Marquette that's the point of what these other guys are saying though, you can say Jordan and magic were complete shit as a gm especially in comparison to jerry west but they've had success aside from that
So intense, so focused, and so determined!!! There is a side of me that admires him, but there another side that feels sorry for him!!! He doesn’t seem to appreciate what he accomplished but rather dwells on his failures!!! Is he the very definition of a “perfectionist”? Winning to him is the only thing that matters!!! To me, Jerry West is a Hall of Famer, a very successful executive, and a legend of the game!!! But he seems to view his career as missed opportunities!!! Mr. West, thanks for giving it your all and then some!!! God bless!!! ☮️🖖🏽
thank you jerry west for everything you did for the lakers. your the best player to ever play the lakers. best guard to play in the nba.
You can see it in his eyes still that he’s devastated. Wow. Wish his Lakers could’ve beaten Boston!!
The GREAT Jerry West!!
TALK THAT TALK!🙌🏾🙌🏾
I learned this a long time ago. You forget the wins very quickly, but the losses stay with you forever. It does not matter the sport or the level.
Jerry West is the best example of a player that didn't do much winning, and yet was just an absolute winner by heart.
I guess he was just beat by the best winner of all time.
Mr. West: You are, and will always be, a winner.
My goodness! What an intense individual! What a burden to carry at an old age!
That's a cool story, this Man is serious about his basketball. Jerry (The Logo) West is "Class Personified".
Yes
no matter what happens and where he works...that man bleeds purple and gold
We have to find the happiness in the journey of competing - not just winning. I know great players remember the losses play by play - but I hope everyone finds the peace in bringing their best to the game (& helping bring others to the highest level - Like Kobe) totally free from being tormented by losses.
Jerry is a straight competitor. Respect
Thank you Jerry I dont know much about you but I really respect you for just being honest ,,that's one of the biggest things thats missing in sports say what you really feel,,,I hate when things are sugarcoated,,,when players tell you what you want to hear or give you the corporate answer,,,its like the ying and yang you. You can have sportsmanship but you also want to see the other side ,,,the pain,,,anger,,,disappointment,,,
Absolute legend
Jerry West is simply the best.
To me Mr Clutch was the best player ever and a true gentleman
Richard Almaraz
If he was Mr clutch how did those 2 series in question get away?
Richard Almaraz he a winner off the court and on the court one of the best jump shot ever
@@bowsershark gimme a break. What more was he supposed to do individually in 1969?
@slip satch
It just proves how good/great BILL Russell is and how valuable and significant those Russell next tier dynastic teams are to history. To beat a incredibly driven man like team West, Russell and crew were certainty a monster squad. We take nothing from him as a great player. But, damn those Russell led dudes were awesome.
@@FuShengAlex Play as a PG
“How long did it take you to get over losin the world series in 1997? I’ll tell you when I get over it.” -Mike Hargrove Cleveland Indians 2017
That still pains me.
Me, too.
The things I love the most, have always brought me the most pain.
God damn!! That’s soo fucking true!!! You’re not alone jerry west! You’re not alone.
Winning time is spot on. See why he’s upset
I grew up a Celtic fan in Boston... but I loved West. Had his poster in my room.
You can see the pain in his eyes 😞
You can still hear the pain in his voice. Can't imagine how he was in the off season after losing. Would not be fun to be around him in the summer.
High class man!
Celtics fan here. Great respect for Jerry West in spite of his being a lifelong Laker. That *will to win* was a quality that all the greats of that era had.
That era was pure trash lmao
@@masel4036 you’re laughing your ass off but the joke’s on you. Guess you never heard of John Havlicek. Now it’s my turn to lmao
If the damn coach would had put Wilt back in.
True Prophit, right? I never understood that, either.
SidJustice1 he was trying to downplay Wilt he told him we can win the thing with you.
@@TrueProphit they were playing better without him. He had already missed 9 free throws and you know how he is in foul trouble
Wilt was not the defensive player Russell was and he was a poor free throw shooter and yes In late 60s and early 70s I was a Laker fan
@@michaelnivens6267 And Wilt didn't want to foul out of a game for the first time, I think. But the free throws were a problem.
Class
Jerry, as great as he was, just couldn't seem to take solace in all the blessings that were bestowed upon him, despite losses in just basketball games. It seems Jerry won the game of life.
They say his book is just full of bitterness and self-hatred period And yet to watch and play was a study in elegant and perfectionism. Fascinating.
Wow the pain. Even now. It's not just a game
Highly respect Jerry West, amazing player and amazing General Manager. You can still see the pain from those finals losses. But the Celtics in the 60s were loaded. The only finals against the Celtics that they definitely should have won was in 69. Like Jerry said, they were clearly the better team, but Russell would not be denied.
Man it’s crazy like a non pro athlete can forget things over time, but a pro athlete like Jerry says and you can hear it he hasn’t let those losses go. But that makes what sports so great. I have flag football loses like that obviously nothing like nba finals.
I see a lot of comments about how awesome his attitude is. I actually find it sad. There is so much more to life than this.