After he led the U.S. Olympic Team to a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Rome, he was drafted to the now-defunct Minneapolis Lakers (they later changed to the Los Angeles Lakers). Although the team would go on to lose most of their championship games, Jerry’s skills were so impressive that he was named “Finals MVP.” He was also nicknamed Mr. Clutch for making pivotal moves during important games.
It would take a decade for Jerry to finally win a championship, but he didn’t lose hope or heart.
This happened against the Knicks after they lost the first Game 1 but then went on to win the next four straight games. Throughout his 14-year basketball career, Jerry helped bring the team to nine NBA finals.
After retiring from basketball in 1974, the then 36-year-old was eager to get back. In 1976, he became the Lakers’ head coach. Eventually, he helped bring the team to overall greatness during the ’80s when he became general manager.
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