Clippers leave Jerry West empty seat in war room in ‘bittersweet’ draft without him

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The two-day NBA draft was tinged with sadness for the Los Angeles Clippers without Jerry West in their war room.

West has spent the last seven years as a consultant for the team, helping recruit Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.

The Hall of Fame player and executive died June 12 at the age of 86.

“He loved the draft. It was like Christmas,” Lawrence Frank, the team’s president of basketball operations, said Thursday. “He loved knowing every player, he loved meeting the players. He was very proud of where the players were going. Once the selections were made, he was so happy.”

The team left a seat for West in their war room and “put some of his favorites in there,” Frank said.

“We just want to honor and respect Jerry every day.”

The Clippers didn’t have a first-round pick this year. They selected Minnesota’s Cameron Christie with the 46th pick in the second round.

Frank said he and general manager Trent Redden considered West “an incredible mentor, friend and advisor.”

“It’s a bittersweet day,” Frank said. “I’m very sad that Jerry wasn’t here for this.”

Born in West Virginia, West starred at West Virginia University from 1957 to 1960 before being selected second overall by the Minneapolis Lakers in the NBA draft. The team moved to Los Angeles and he became a 14-time All-Star and won the 1972 NBA championship with the Lakers. He later worked for the team as an executive.

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NBA AP: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA