As Kobe Bryant makes his way around the NBA on his farewell tour, he has gotten gifts, tributes, and standing ovations from around the league. The Boston Celtics gave Bryant a piece of their parquet floor, Michael Jordan called him his little brother, and Vlade Divac gave Kobe a number eight Charlotte Hornets jersey in a reference to the trade that brought him to Los Angeles on draft night.
The man who executed that trade twenty years ago was legendary Los Angeles Lakers guard and executive Jerry West. West now serves as a consultant for the defencing NBA champion Golden State Warriors, and with the 37-year old guard in town for his final professional game in the Bay Area against Stephen Curry and company, West chose to speak to the Los Angeles media about Bryant's career, pre-draft process that brought him to the Lakers all those years ago, and the state of the team's current rebuild:
Jerry West on Kobe Bryant: "This was a player from my perspective at 17 years old, I never had seen anyone with the skill level he had."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 15, 2016
Jerry West on Kobe Bryant: "He was a showman and a winner and he has led a legacy throughout the world."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) January 15, 2016
Jerry West calls Kobe "simply one of the greatest players who have ever played the game."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) January 15, 2016
Jerry West on Kobe: "I'm hoping for him to find something in his life that he can still find something where he can compete."
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 15, 2016
Jerry West said Kobe's agent Arn Tellem told Nets Kobe did not want to play for them. Jerry said Kobe did not want to play near hometown
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 15, 2016
Jerry West describing interviewing Kobe Bryant: "A personality, a swagger about himself, his eyes were darting all over the place."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) January 15, 2016
West said that it was very obvious to him how special Kobe was right away, and he was just surprised someone else didn't draft him.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 15, 2016
West on Kobe: "He was fearless. I think that's one of the things that spurred him to greatness. He wasn't going to allow himself to fail."
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) January 15, 2016
Jerry West says that Kevin Garnett was a great player but he wasn't Kobe Bryant.
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 15, 2016
JW: "I got a chance to watch him when he was young. I got a chance to watch him grow up & become the player he was. It was thrilling to me."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) January 15, 2016
Jerry West on Lakers: "We've had so many incredible players in Los Angeles. I defy you to find (a different franchise that had) more impact"
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) January 15, 2016
West said Kobe is a top 10 player of all time and "probably higher." Didn't want to demean anybody by naming him over other legends.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 15, 2016
Jerry West said he doesn't see anyone on the Lakers right now who can fill Kobe's shoes: "Hopefully they will be able to find one one day."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) January 15, 2016
In addition to the media, West addressed Bryant himself, in the form of a video that played for everyone in Oracle Arena during pregame intros, and the crowd went nuts:
Basketball legend Jerry West pays tribute to @KobeBryant prior to his final game in Oakland! #KB20 #LALatGSW
https://t.co/2ZR9IL1zIW
— NBA (@NBA) January 15, 2016
Kobe seemed to enjoy the video as well:
Kobe enjoying watching the man that drafted him pay his respects on the video board #KB20 pic.twitter.com/zUA6UDo4bx
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 15, 2016
Classy stuff from West and the Warriors organization on Bryant's final night in Oracle.