The Lakers honor NBA icon Jerry West this season with jersey patch No. 44

The Los Angeles Lakers will honor Jerry West with a jersey patch throughout the 2024–25 season.

On Tuesday, the team unveiled a ribbon with the number 44 that will appear on the left shoulder of their jerseys this season. West, who played for the Lakers before working as a coach and executive for the organization, died in June. He was 86.

West, who served as the inspiration for the NBA's logo, was one of the biggest names in league history. He played 14 seasons for the Lakers, was an All-Star in every season he played and averaged 27 points per game. He helped the franchise to a title in 1972 and was named the Most Valuable Player of the 1969 NBA Finals, although the Lakers lost that series. West made the Finals nine times as a player and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.

West served as the Lakers' head coach for three seasons before moving to their executive office. During his time there, he built the “Showtime” Lakers, who won five championships in the 1980s. He also built the Lakers teams around Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal that won three consecutive championships from 2000-2002.

West also worked in the front office of the Memphis Grizzlies and served on the board of directors of the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers. He will again be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a contributor, making him the first person to be inducted in both roles. He also received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.

The NBA and the Lakers have honored West in a variety of ways since his death. The league reserved a courtside memorial seat for him during Summer League games in July, and both the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks honored him before Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The Lakers announced Tuesday that they will honor West again by giving him a special jersey at their season opener in October.