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There will be no public memorial for Hall of Fame player and executive Jerry West.
“We will honor Jerry’s wishes and mourn his passing privately,” his family said in a statement released Thursday by the LA Clippers.
West was working as a consultant for the Clippers when he died June 12 at age 86.
He was born in the West Virginia hamlet of Chelyan and starred at West Virginia University from 1957 to 1960 before becoming the second overall pick in the NBA draft by the Minneapolis Lakers. The team relocated to Los Angeles, and he became a 14-time All-Star and won the 1972 NBA championship with the Lakers.
The family said West can be honored through donations to four different funds at West Virginia, including academic and basketball scholarships named after him and his wife, Karen.
“Jerry’s heart never left West Virginia,” the statement said.
The statement was signed by his widow, Karen, and West’s five sons — David, Michael, Mark, Ryan and Jonnie — along with their spouses and children.
West was selected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame three times in a storied career as a player and executive. His silhouette is considered to be the basis of the NBA logo.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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