David West has been considered to be one of the most respected veterans in the NBA for quite a few years. He was a star back in his prime with New Orleans and Indiana and nearly helped the Pacers past LeBron James and the Miami Heat during their big-time rivalry. Unfortunately, the Pacers were never able to advance to the NBA Finals with West on the roster.
Following a very successful career, West has announced that he is retiring from professional basketball. It is a sad day for basketball fans who love seeing the game played right. West has always kept things respectful and professional, which is becoming more rare by the day.
One of his former teammates in Indiana, Paul George, shared a very touching message to West on his Instagram page.
PG with a message for David West ? pic.twitter.com/xEG7uTMaAu
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) August 30, 2018
Needless to say, George and West went through quite a bit together. West was always the veteran that helped teach George about certain situations. He taught him how to carry himself on and off the court and also taught him a lot about leadership during the Pacers’ Eastern Conference Finals battles with James and the Heat.
West finishes his career with 1,034 career NBA games played. He averaged 13.6 points per game throughout his 15-year career to go along with 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists. In addition to those numbers, West shot 49.5 percent from the field overall, which shows just how consistent he was on the offensive end of the court on a nightly basis.
At 38-years-old, West is coming off back-to-back championship wins with the Golden State Warriors. While he became a bit of a ring chaser at the end of his career, no one can take anything away from him. He played the game right all the way through the end of his career.
The NBA is going to miss West and the kind of attitude that he brought to the court. As veterans continue retiring, that kind of mentality will begin heading out the door with them.
For those who missed it, here is the official announcement of retirement that West made on his personal Twitter account.
— David West (@D_West30) August 30, 2018
It will be interesting to see what the future holds for West moving forward. Coaching may very well be in his future, although it is likely that he will take some time away from the game. A front office spot could become available for a guy with the kind of basketball IQ that West brings to the table as well.
