MICHAEL Jordan paid tribute to basketball icon Jerry West on First Take.
It was revealed earlier today that the man who features on the NBA logo passed away aged 86 with his wife by his side.
Stephen A. Smith interrupted his show to read the tributeCredit: FIRST TAKE
Michael Jordan had great respect for Jerry WestCredit: Getty
Tributes have flooded in for West – a champion on and off the court.
And First Take posted on X to reveal Jordan, 61, texted Stephen A. Smith while he was live on to share his own words.
“I am so deeply saddened at the news of Jerry’s passing,” Smith read out on MJ’s behalf.
“He was truly a friend and a mentor. Like an older brother to me.
“I valued his friendship and knowledge.
“I always wished I could have played against him as a competitor but the more I came to know him, I wished I had been his teammate.
“I admired his basketball insights and he and I shared many similarities to how we approached the game.
“He will be forever missed, my condolences to his wife Karen and his son. Rest in Peace, Logo.”
“Wow that’s very beautiful of MJ tbh,” a fan commented on a clip of the tribute.
“Jerry West was the Greatest GM ever. Truly the GOAT GM. RIP Jerry ‘The Logo’ West,” added another.
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“He will be missed,” a third posted.
“Jerry West -All class! RIP,” a fourth said.
Smith, 56, also recalled an anecdote from when he crossed paths with West.
West heard Smith suggest Jordan should replace him as the NBA’s logo while watching the analyst’s show.
West called up the ESPN star and incredibly revealed that he agreed.
What the new TV deal means for the NBA?
By The U.S. Sun’s Assistant Sports Editor Damian Burchardt.
THE new TV rights deal is promising to be a humongous win for NBA players.
The league is set to more than double the revenue coming from its media partners, pocketing about $6.9 billion per year, which will inevitably lead to a huge salary cap spike in 2025-26.
That is going to send the value of player contracts skyrocketing.
Projected figures suggest we might see the first $100 million-per-year deal being signed soon.
Currently, Boston Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown is projected to earn the highest single-season salary in NBA history, collecting $65.1 million in 2028-29.
It does feel like basketball fans would be on the losing side of the fight if the NBA and TNT indeed parted ways, though.
Inside the NBA is a one-of-a-kind sports entertainment show, as evidenced by ESPN’s ongoing failure to come up with its own version of the program in recent years.
The NBA won’t be the same without Kenny and Ernie trying to make sense of Shaq and Chuck’s never-ending bickering every Tuesday night.
“He was calling because he felt like I sounded like it’s something he would refute,” Smith said.
“And he was saying, absolutely not. I think Michael Jordan’s the greatest. I think he deserves it.”
West was one of the greatest players in NBA history who also helped cultivate the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers dynasty
He had been working for the Los Angeles Clippers as a consultant at the time of his passing.
In 2010, the Lakers honored West with a statue and he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.
