Oct. 3, 1974: Lakers legend Jerry West announces his retirement after 14 seasons.
Below is a day-by-day look at landmark moments, games, performances and more from this week in NBA lore.
Sept. 28
Sept. 28, 1983
The NBA and the Players’ Association established a landmark program in sports to battle drug abuse, providing treatment and rehabilitation that also mandated expulsion of repeat offenders and players convicted of using or selling drugs.
Sept. 28, 2002
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame formally opens its new 80,000 square-foot, $103 million building.
Sept. 30
Sept. 30, 2000
The USA Olympic Men’s Basketball Team captured its 12th gold medal in 14 Olympic basketball competitions with an 85-75 victory over France in the gold medal game in Sydney, Australia. The U.S. team, comprised of NBA players, had a close call in the semifinals, defeating Lithuania 85-83 in the semifinals when a three-point attempt by Sarunas Jasikevicius of Lithuania missed at the buzzer.
Oct. 1
Oct. 1, 1986
Several NBA stars and other members of the league’s family gathered in New York for the taping of a special series of anti-drug public service announcements entitled “Don’t Foul Out.”
Oct. 1, 1999
Boston Celtics legend Kevin McHale, former Cleveland Cavaliers president and COO Wayne Embry and late Fort Wayne and Detroit Pistons owner Fred Zollner lead a class of five basketball immortals who are enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Oct. 1, 1999
Boston Celtics legend and Hall of Famer Bill Russell, who led the franchise to 11 NBA Championships in his 13 seasons from 1956 until 1969, is the subject of ESPN’s SportsCentury series. Russell was selected by a distinguished panel of 48 journalists, historians, observers and administrators as No. 18 on the list of the greatest North American athletes of the 20th Century.
Oct. 1, 2002
Wang Zhizhi signs a contract with the LA Clippers, resulting in Wang becoming the first player from the People’s Republic of China to play in the National Basketball Association.
Oct. 3
Oct. 3, 1974
Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers, dubbed “Mr. Clutch” for his performances on the court, retired after playing 14 seasons in the NBA. West scored 25,192 points during his career, along with averaging 29.1 ppg in 153 playoff games.
Oct. 3, 2005
Following the fallout and a bevy of suspensions from the Indiana Pacers-Detroit Pistons altercation, Pacer Ron Artest is reinstated.
