Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Docu explores life of basketball icon; strong language.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Jerry West: The Logo
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
The title JERRY WEST: THE LOGO refers to the fact that West's image as a legendary basketball player in motion was translated into the NBA's logo. Interviews with 84-year-old West, a 14-time NBA All-Star, present a complex man whose thoughtful and emotional nature made his passion for and contributions to the game both rewarding and frustrating for him. "Can he be happy?" one interviewee asks rhetorically, a question he immediately answers: "No." The much younger Michael Jordan laments that he never had the chance to play against West, but he's sure he would have learned a lot and become a better player if he had. West's playing era in the 1960s saw a White-dominated sport start to open up to and eventually be dominated by talented Black players. He sought out and nurtured many young Black players in the years to come. After his playing career, he became coach and then general manager of the L.A. Lakers. They won six championships during his time as a Laker executive. His stint as Memphis Grizzlies GM brought that team to their first playoffs games. His work with the Golden State Warriors helped them achieve two championship wins. Many players speak of him with admiration. Former ring-winning Los Angeles Laker Shaquille O'Neal says West "made all my dreams come true."
Is It Any Good?
This is a heartfelt and absorbing movie about respect. Some of the greatest players of the game speak with awe and affection about West. In some ways, this feels like an answer to the 2022 HBO series Winning Time. In that fictionalized tale of the Showtime-era Lakers, West is portrayed as a depressive, violent, crude, maniacal, and profane hothead. His family and friends have publicly contested that version of his persona, and this is the perfect antidote to that portrayal.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about West's achievements in so many areas of his sport. How do interviews with players he worked with paint a picture of the man?
Interviews with West's children add a picture of a largely absent father with a brooding nature. They say on game days they weren't allowed to make noise in the house. What do you think it would be like to be the child of a well-known, too-busy parent?
How does West convey that his long and great career had a high personal cost to him?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : April 16, 2026
- Director : Kenya Barris
- Inclusion Information : Black Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Amazon
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Sports ( Basketball )
- Character Strengths : Teamwork
- Run time : 121 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : April 14, 2026
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