The NBA modeled its logo upon an image of Jerry West, which is something he wishes never happened.

"I've said it more than once. It's flattering if that is me -- and I know it is me," West said. "But it is flattering. But to me, I played in a time when they first started to market the league. There were five people that they were going to consider, and I didn't find out about it until the late commissioner (J. Walter Kennedy) told me about it.

"Again, it's flattering. But if I were the NBA I would be embarrassed about it. I really would. I don't like to do anything to call attention to myself, and when people say that, it's just not who I am, period. If they would want to change it, I wish they would. In many ways I wish they would."

In 2015, West said his pick to replace him would be Michael Jordan.