Quotes from Jerry West

That's a strong sign of a good coach, to let an assistant participate. It shows his confidence in the coach's ability not to have to dominate everything.

Even though I felt, at times, 'My goodness, you're among the upper echelon,' there is still a huge void there. A huge void. It is about self-esteem. That's a thing that has always been a real complex part of my life.

When the Warriors are on, my wife keeps away from me. I'm a rabid fan, and my language sometimes is not too good.

I often do things that surprise me, not to mention others.

I'm surprised when the ball doesn't go into the hoop. I think I should make every shot.

To be candid with you, free agency hurts all sports. It's great for athletes making an enormous amount of money. But to say it helps the sports, I don't believe that.

Fear of failure, it's the greatest motivational tool. It drives me and drives me and drives me.

If you can't see someone's got a game with great personality, you shouldn't be out there looking.

Confidence is a lot of this game or any game. If you don't think you can, you won't.

In the playoffs, the best players are supposed to play better. I did. It made no difference.

The season is a beast within itself. It's not the quickest race; it's a marathon. In the playoffs - if you're fortunate enough to make the playoffs - that's more like a dash. You have to concentrate on one opponent. When they're done, you have to concentrate on another one.

You have to win games by scoring points, of course, so that's important. But when you're having nights against a good defensive team, you have to win in a different manner. You have to win a defensive-type game.

Coaches who have been players in the league, they get so attuned to playing how they were successful and who their coaches were.

We talk about players of yesteryear, guys who could play or couldn't play, and I think it's ridiculous to try to even compare people... The things that you can do in basketball today that you couldn't even do then... you can carry the ball; you walk all over the place.

I see people that have success, and I see how poised and polished they are and how they handle it. I wonder inside if they feel the same way that I feel.

You need to possess more than a little nastiness to play basketball at the highest level.

I hate to say it's not a Laker but Michael Jordan. He's been the greatest player I've ever seen. And I'm probably a harsh judge of talent in the sense that I admire players that are really good defensive players and really good offensive players.

I would never stay under circumstances where I felt I was a figurehead and might look good in your team media guide. I don't want to be that. I do want to contribute, and if I don't contribute, I'll walk away from it. If I don't feel welcomed, I'll walk away from it.

I'm still very much a West Virginia boy. I haven't forgotten my roots, because that's really who I am.

I'd go fishing and always pretend I would catch the biggest fish. I'd stay out there for hours after everybody else left until I caught something. When I shot baskets, I was always the coach and star player and always made the winning shot.

Many people, men in particular, just can't not be active. I guess our minds demand that we seek other challenges.

I've seen a lot in my life. I've seen a lot of winning. I've seen a lot of testing times. I think when you're tested, you really find out what you're made of.

To be candid with you, free agency hurts all sports. It's great for athletes making an enormous amount of money. But to say it helps the sports, I don't believe that.

You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.