President Trump on Thursday awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Los Angeles Lakers legend Jerry West during a ceremony in the Oval Office.
The president, in his welcoming remarks, touted his election victory in West’s native West Virginia as he praised the star hoopster as “one extraordinary American.”
“I swear my name is going to look like a misprint on this list,” West said, referring to other recipients of the medal, America’s highest civilian honor.
Trump added afterward that West was “a great man, great player and is going to be around for a long time.”
The 81-year-old jump-shooting genius can add the medal to an impressive collection of awards he’s been honored with for his career as an NBA Hall of Fame guard and championship-winning executive.
He has a statue outside the Staples Center in LA, a bronze plaque in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum’s Memorial Court of Honor and his silhouette adorns the league’s logo.
He was also named in 1996 as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in conjunction with the league’s 50th anniversary.
West was born May 28, 1938, in Chelyan, West Virginia, and his shooting, defensive skills and intensity made him a dominant player at East Bank High School, at West Virginia University and with the Lakers, who won just one championship, in 1972, with West on the roster.
West was a two-time first-team All-American in his final two seasons at West Virginia University and was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the 1959 NCAA men’s basketball tournament, when he led the tournament in scoring.
West, who helped build the Golden State Warriors into champions as an exec, now fills a similar role with the LA Clippers.
He was accompanied by a host of family members, including his wife, Karen, five sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, and West Virginia’s Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin.
Last month, Trump awarded Boston Celtics legend and native New Yorker Bob Cousy the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Former President Obama awarded medals to Bill Russell in 2011 and UCLA and Lakers’ star Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and NBA legend Michael Jordan in 2016.