Shortly after the announcement of Jerry West’s passing, fans in Morgantown, West Virginia wasted no time in paying their respects. They laid flowers at the feet of the NBA legend’s bronze statue outside the West Virginia University Coliseum.
Jamie Lester, the sculptor behind the statue, shared with 12 News that it was his most ambitious project to date.
“It was incredibly challenging and honestly quite daunting. But they had faith in me and believed I could do it, so I pushed through,” Lester recounted to 12 News.
At the start of the interview, a solitary yellow flower rested at the statue’s base. By its conclusion, two more floral arrangements had been placed there in honor of West. As word spread, more tributes continued to accumulate.
Using wax and ceramic molds, Lester crafted the statue before casting it in bronze. He revealed that the project was kept confidential from West throughout its creation.
“The statue was kept under wraps from him while I worked on it because the concern was if he found out, he might halt it,” Lester explained. “It came as a surprise to him during the unveiling. We spoke afterward. He’s a reserved, modest person—very polite and a true gentleman.”
In addition to the Jerry West statue, Lester has contributed to several other notable sculptures in Morgantown, including those of Don Knotts on High Street and Hot Rod Hundley, also located outside the Coliseum.
