The 75 greatest players in NBA history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)

27.    Jerry West-22.91

The logo, Jerry West, may have been the most important basketball figure in NBA history, not only as a player but as a coach and GM. As a player, West was one of the best in the 1960s and early 1970s, even making an all-star team in each of his 14 seasons in the league.

His career scoring average of 27 points per game is the fifth highest in NBA history and came during an era that didn't have the three-point line. Still, despite the lack of spacing, he had an above-average true shooting percentage of 55% at the time.

That elite scoring and strong shooting efficiency helped him finish with a terrifc 22.9 PER, sky-high for a point guard. However, factoring in the absence of a 3-point line and the fact that steals and blocks weren't counted during his career, he could have ranked much higher on this list.

Especially since West was also one of the best defensive players of his era. Still top-30 for West in PER is pretty good given the incomplete stats. There is definitely an argument to be made for him being a top-25 or even a top-20 player all-time but PER is close enough.