Clutch Player of the Year. It has been only two years since the award was introduced by the league. But in such a short span, it has become one of the most sought-after accolades because it signifies that a player can deliver under pressure to impact winning. Just like the superstar who the award is named after, ‘Mr. Clutch’ himself, Jerry West. And to nobody’s surprise, Stephen Curry took it home last season after scoring 189 clutch points all year. To honor his achievement, the Warriors conducted a ceremony during tonight’s preseason finale where the Baby-Faced Assassin was awarded the trophy by a very special guest.
Yes, it was none other than the Lakers legend’s son, Jonnie West. It was only four months ago that Jerry passed away at the age of 86. But his son is doing a tremendous job carrying his legacy in the Bay Area. While Jerry spent his entire playing career suiting up for the Purple and Gold franchise, he worked closely with the Warriors for six years as their Executive Board Member and only stepped down from that role seven years ago. Meanwhile, Jonnie continues to be a part of the Warriors franchise and is currently working as their Senior Director of Pro Personnel, a role he took over three years ago.
Moreover, he has been an intricate part of the franchise for the last twelve years when he joined as a scout. But he was promoted to the Associate General Manager role for the Santa Cruz Warriors amid his three years of scouting job. Since then, he has served multiple roles for the franchise, including the Director of Player Programs, Basketball Operations, and now Pro Personnel. While Jonnie continues to carry Jerry’s Bay Area legacy to new heights, he has picked up most of the tricks of the trade from his legendary father, “I spent a lot of time around him, watched and fell in love with what he was doing. That was the turning point.”
Even ‘The Logo’ proudly expressed his trust in Jonnie during an old interview, “He’s very serious about pursuing opportunities that would give him a chance to eventually run a team. There’s no question he has the capability to run a team. I say that by being biased.” And Jonnie continues to take immense strides as an NBA executive while honoring his father’s legacy like he did tonight by handing out the Jerry West trophy to Steph. Moreover, the night was special for the West family for one more reason. The franchise debuted the “JW” court decal in honor of the Lakers legend, which will shine bright in Chase Center for the entire season. Sure enough, during Jerry’s tenure, the team won two championships, so it’s only right to honor the Hall of Famer’s legacy following his unfortunate passing.
Jonnie West was also a Basketball Player and is married to a Professional Golfer
Born in 1988, Jonnie was one of the two children of Jerry’s second wife, Kristine ‘Karen’ Bua. He also had three more siblings from the Lakers legend’s first marriage with Martha Jane Kane. Although not as great as his father, Jonnie was also a hooper growing up, which explains why he is so passionate about the game. Following in Jerry’s footsteps, he joined the Hall of Famer’s alma mater, West Virginia University, and played college ball for four years. Playing as a guard, he averaged 1.8 points during his tenure and made multiple NCAA tournament appearances. While he was not good enough to go pro, it paved the way for his career as an executive.
Somewhere along his professional journey, Jonnie also met golfer Michelle Wie West through a mutual friend. Sure enough, the two instantly hit it off and got into a romantic relationship. And it was five years ago that Jonnie proposed to Michelle and the golfer shared glimpses of the moment on Instagram writing, “My person for life!!!!!!!!! #WieGoesWest.”
And just five months later, they got married in a beautiful ceremony in Beverly Hills, California. Even Steph and other Warriors stars attended the wedding because of their relationship with the West family. Surprisingly, the good news kept on coming as just a few months later, Michelle announced that the couple was expecting a child, “Babygirl, we love you so much already and we just can’t wait to meet you this summer!!” Later that summer, they welcomed their baby girl, who they named Makenna, as the golfer couldn’t contain her excitement, “Kenna baby, I have waited my entire life to meet you. Makenna Kamalei Yoona West, your daddy and I love you more than any words can describe. You are our entire 🌎 we can’t wait to watch you grow. 6/19/20” Amazingly, Jonnie and Michelle are expecting another child soon, this time a baby boy, as she recently shared images with a baby bump on IG.
Be it on the basketball court or in his personal life, Jonnie has built an amazing life for himself, and Jerry would surely be looking at him from above as a proud father.
