Lakers Madness: Looking Back At Future Lakers In NCAA Tournament

Jerry West: 1959 Most Outstanding Player1logo

While the story/stance may vary about how Jerry West became “The Logo”, no one questions whether West should be mentioned amongst the greatest to ever play. From his days as a star at the University of West Virginia, West established himself as a “gamer” and one of the most hard-nosed competitors the game has seen.

[GET $5 FREE WHEN YOU ENTER EARLY FOR SPORTSBOOK’S $100,000 BRACKET CHALLENGE]

There’s a reason why Kobe Bryant has always recognized West as a mentor and someone he’s looked up to. As ESPN LA’s Max Kellerman often says, “game recognize game.”

25 points, 15 rebounds, 5 assists vs. Dartmouth

36 points, 15 rebounds, 1 assist vs. St. Joseph’s

33 points, 17 rebounds, 3 assists vs. Boston University (Even hated “Boston” back then…)

38 points, 15 rebounds vs. Louisville

28 points, 11 rebounds vs. California

 

Walt Hazzard: 1964 Most Outstanding Player

On the surface level, Walt Hazzard’s numbers may not be as impressive as others, but you have to remember Gail Goodrich and Keith Erickson were also on that UCLA team. Before the era of “super-teams” (as we know them), Hazzard’s Bruins (led by John Wooden) would have definitely fit that description.

26 points, 7 rebounds vs. Seattle

23 points, 3 rebounds vs. San Francisco

19 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists vs. Kansas St.

11 points, 8 assists vs. Duke

Next Page: The Greatest College Basketball Player of All Time

You May Also Like

LeBron James Believes Inconsistency Is Hurting Lakers, Understands Margin For Error Is Low

The Los Angeles Lakers have performed way below expectations in 2021-22, going through three-quarters of the season…

VIDEO: Dwight Buycks Crosses Over Gary Harris, Hits Three

After the Los Angeles Lakers ruled Wayne Ellington out for the season…

What Went Wrong for the Lakers in Game 1 Against the Thunder

Well, this wasn’t the impression that the Lakers should have made on…

Mitch Kupchak Discusses Adding Veterans, Lakers Free Agency Pitch

With the first order of business out of the way, the NBA draft, Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is focusing on NBA free agency…