The presence and star of the basketball icon

The la Lakers will unveil a statue of Jerry West outdoors Staples center by method coming from all Star Weekend. The instant will draw the 50th anniversary of West’s rookie period all through the exercise course of movement due to the actuality the team’s 50th anniversary in Los Angeles.
West was named to the All-Star group that year, even while he did not start away to the Lakers.
In honor of that occasion, i am providing up this flashback to people times used from my book, Jerry West, The presence And star of the Basketball Icon.
West faced substantially uncertainty that rookie season. He promptly figured out he was stepping directly into a faster, more powerful league that specified unimaginable real physical and mental demands on its game enthusiasts in people times forward of it grew to become a big-money lifestyle. The resorts obtained been seedy, the industrial flights cramped, the foods generally bad. not simply was West within a brand-new game, but he was relocating to some brand-new position, from forward to guard, and he at current obtained an notion coming from all the variations that may recommend for his game.
Basically, defensively, the adjustment was not a trouble for me. But offensively, in lieu of commencing out 19 or twenty ft offensively and having an person dribble to the hoop or an person dribble to obtain a shot, I had to start out 28 feet, which essential a full whole lot more finesse in acquiring where by you desired to go.”