Jerry West is a retired American basketball player. Jerry spent his entire time in the National Basketball Association with the Los Angeles Lakers. He played guard for the majority of his career, earning him 12 selections to the All-NBA First or Second Team.
After retiring from basketball, West spent three seasons as the Lakers’ head coach before being promoted to general manager. West was a co-captain of the United States gold-medal-winning team in the 1960 Olympics in Rome and was selected as one of the NBA’s 50 greatest players in 1996.
Who is the woman behind basketball legend Jerry West? What secrets lie within the romance that endured the highs and lows of an NBA superstar’s life? Could there be more to Jerry West’s love story than the public eye has seen? Dive into the untold story of Jerry West’s wife!
Who is Jerry West’s Wife?
Our research shows that Jerry West, an American basketball star, is married to Karen West. Jerry was born on May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia. Karen is often seen in NBA circles and has enjoyed the perks of Jerry’s basketball fame.
Despite the age gap between them, Jerry and Karen fell in love. They got married on May 28, 1978.
Jerry and Karen West have two sons, Ryan and Jonnie. Jonnie followed in his dad’s footsteps, playing as a guard for Jerry’s old college basketball team, the West Virginia Mountaineers.
Who is Karen West?
Karen West was born On June 16, 1963, in the United States of America. Karen grew up in an American family, but she has kept her parents’ identity secret. She, too, is a white American citizen and a member of the white ethnic group.
Because of her marriage to Jerry West, a former NBA player and executive, Karen becomes a public figure. He was a professional basketball player with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association.
Karen West Education
As a Los Angeles native, Karen went to a local high school. While still a student, she became a cheerleader for the school team. While attending Lakers games, she also met her future husband.
Karen West Career
Karen West worked as an assistant teacher at a Los Angeles Unified School District campus. She also worked for the office of the California State Controller. Of her husband Jerry West’s professional life, however:
The date of Jerry West’s birth is May 28th, 1938. He has worked in both the playing and managerial ranks of the NBA. He was a professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers, and he competed in NBA games. In his early years, West was a diminutive forward. Both at East Bank High School and later at West Virginia University, where he was a key member of the Mountaineers’ 1959 NCAA championship team, he excelled as a player.
He was recognized as the tournament’s best player even though his team lost. In 2010, he was inducted as a co-captain of the 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He then began a 14-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
As an NBA player, West excelled. A guard, he was named to the NBA’s First or Second Team 12 times, the All-Star Team 14 times, and the Most Valuable Player of the NBA All-Star Game in 1972, the year he won his only title. With an average of 46.3 points per contest across a playoff series, West owns the NBA record.
In addition, he was a part of the first five NBA All-Defensive Teams (finishing second once and first four times) when he was 32 years old. He is the first player in NBA history to win Finals MVP while on the losing team (9 Finals appearances).
In 1980, West was honored by being chosen to play on the NBA’s 35th Anniversary Team and by being inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. West was chosen as one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history in 1996, and he was also included for the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.
When his playing days were done, West took over as head coach of the Lakers for three seasons. After joining the Memphis Grizzlies in 2002 as general manager, West guided the team to its first postseason appearance in franchise history.
When did Karen marry Jerry West?
Karen West met her future husband while she was a cheerleader in Los Angeles 55 years ago. The public’s interest was piqued when the two began dating despite their age difference.
Karen and Jerry West tied the knot on 28 May 1978, and exchanged their wedding vows in a magnificent wedding with family and close friends filling the guest list.
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Jerry West and Karen West Kids
He and his wife have two sons, and he played basketball professionally. Ryan and Jonnie West are the names of the couple.
Jerry West Kids
Jerry is the proud father of five kids. Jerry has five sons total; two with Karen and three with his college love, Martha Jane. They have three kids, David, Mark, and Michael, despite their divorce.
The former NBA star Jerry West brought Karen West into the spotlight as his wife. She has been a constant presence during her husband’s time in the NBA. Jerry and Karen West wed in 1978 and currently live in California with their two boys, Jonnie and Ryan West.