West was born into a poor household in Chelyan, West Virginia, on May 28, 1938. He was the fifth of six children of Cecil Sue West, a housewife, and Howard Stewart West, a coal mine … See more

Los Angeles Lakers (1960–1974)
1960–64: Mr. Inside and Mr. Outside
West made himself available for the 1960 NBA draft, and he was drafted with the second overall pick … See more

Los Angeles Lakers (1979–2000)
After his coaching stint, West worked as a scout for three years before becoming general manager of the Lakers before the 1982–83 season, … See more

West ended his playing career with 14 All-Star, 12 All-NBA Team and five All-Defensive Team selections, and scored 25,192 points, 6,238 … See more

West graduated from East Bank High School in 1956, and more than 60 universities showed interest in him. He eventually chose to stay in his home state and attend West Virginia University (WVU), located in Morgantown. In his freshman year … See more

Los Angeles Lakers (1976–1979)
Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke was known for a keen eye identifying leadership and … See more

West was an all-around combo guard who could take the playmaking roles of a point guard and score like a shooting guard, while being equally strong on offense and defense. He had a jump shot with a release the NBA lauded as "lightning quick", and was … See more