1961 Fleer Basketball Jerry West ROOKIE #43 PSA 8 NM-MT

Alan Siegel designed the NBA logo in 1969. The image reflects a white silhouette of Jerry West placed on a red and blue background, gesturing toward the patriotic colors of the American flag. A now-famous photo of the legendary Laker driving to the basket impressed Siegel with its elegance and fluidity, leading to his creation of the iconic emblem. While never directly connected to Jerry West, the media picked up on the similarity to West over time, though many wondered about the origins. Former commissioner David Stern even investigated the matter, and Siegel eventually acknowledged that the Laker star had indeed been his model for the current logoman. West himself was uncomfortable and even embarrassed with the association. Shy by nature, the fourteen-time All-Star resented being reduced to a nickname, “The Logo,” preferring to be recognized for his basketball achievements. West averaged 27 PPG with 6.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds per game. He won the scoring title in 1970 and tallied 25,192 points for his career, ranking in the top 25 all-time with significantly fewer games played in that tier. In later years, West softened somewhat in his resistance to being known as “The Logo” yet offered recommendations for new images. The 1961-62 Fleer #43 issue is a logo in the world of vintage basketball cards, one of the premier rookies in one of the sport's most iconic sets. Graded a NM-MT PSA 8, it's also one of the top copies in existence. The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 12/05/2025.