In Kobe Bryant’s Eyes, Jerry West Is Best Laker of All Time
Yes and no. Yes, he wants to capitalize on every chance he gets to add to his trophy case and his jewelry box. But at the same time, he knows that certain accolades in this game are unattainable.
Bryant was asked at practice Saturday afternoon whether winning these Finals against Boston would help him solidify his case as the best Laker ever. He quickly answered no, and he went on to say that that distinction wasn't within his reach.
"In my opinion, it's Jerry West," said Bryant, 12-time NBA All-Star and four-time champion. "In terms of everything that he's done, as a player and as a general manager. He's responsible for Magic [Johnson] being here, he's responsible for [Shaquille O'Neal], he's responsible for myself. You put the whole picture together, everything that he's done, and to me, he's the greatest."
Bryant has played 14 seasons in a Laker uniform to date. West retired after 14 years in the league, also all with the Lakers — he played from 1960 to '74. After hanging it up as a player, he spent three years as a head coach from 1976 to '79, three as a scout from '79 to '82, and then a full two decades as the team's general manager.
As a player, he was an All-Star in all 14 seasons and a 10-time All-NBA first-teamer. He scored 25,192 points, 15th-most in NBA history, and he remains the only player ever to win NBA Finals MVP honors in a losing effort (in 1969, when Bill Russell's Celtics beat West's Lakers in seven).
As a player, West won one title, in 1972. As a scout, he played a small part in two more.
As an executive, he piled up six.
"I'll take Jerry's body of work and the championships that he's been responsible for," Bryant said. "This is just my opinion. You can have your own opinion, it doesn't really matter to me. But in my opinion, I'll take Jerry West."
But the one thing neither one of them ever did was beat the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Only the 1985 and '87 teams, led by Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, have done that so far.
But when it comes to the men in green and their history, Kobe really couldn't care less.
"What is everybody's fascination with the Celtics?" Bryant asked. "It's a little weird to me."
