30 Jerry West Quotes for You to Enjoy

Jerry West

American Businessman

Born: May 28, 1938

Game Good Me People Think You

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

Motivational Me Failure Fear Tool Drives Greatest

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. Jerry West

You Beast Enough Dash More Concentrate Like Make Another Within Opponent Itself Done Race Fortunate Marathon Season Playoffs

I know when I left the game, I could have played more. There is no question. I think I could have played at a very high level, too. But I could not play the way everyone wanted me to play. And I was not willing to compromise what I felt was a standard that I had established in this league and, particularly, for our fans at home. Jerry West

Home Me Game Fans Think Too Everyone Our Way Willing High High Level More Compromise No Question Could Had League Know Particularly Felt Question Left Very Established Wanted Standard Play Level Played

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. Jerry West

Great You Sports Money Hurts Free Believe Enormous Say Athletes Free Agency Making Candid Agency Helps Amount

The league is changing, and we don't have many back-to-the-basket players. We now have a game that requires skill and versatility. A lot of that is about being able to think. It makes all the difference in the world to have a player in there with a high basketball IQ who can make the right decision. Jerry West

Game World Decision Right Decision Think Changing High All The Difference Able About League Make Makes Versatility Lot Difference Being Skill Requires Who Many Now Right Player Players Basketball

I like to keep people guessing. Jerry West

People Guessing Like Keep

Self-esteem is something I still battle. People look at me and say, 'You've got fame. You've got admiration. You've done this; you've done that.' As far as I'm concerned, I haven't done anything. I've just fulfilled a dream of competing. Jerry West

I remember, years ago, if I had had an opportunity to leave the Lakers, I would have left for one reason: because I did not like an owner that was not telling me the truth. And it would have made no difference what they would have offered me; I would have left. Jerry West

I'm just ultracompetitive. I will be till they put me in the grave. Jerry West

Me Will Put Till Just Grave

There's been so many unbelievable players in Los Angeles, maybe the best of the best. Jerry West

Best Unbelievable Angeles Los Los Angeles Been Maybe Many Players

The advent of so much dribbling has created a different kind of player, and it starts at a very early age. We have so many gifted ball handlers. Everything is pick-and-roll. Unless he's a catch-and-shoot guy, a player is going to put it on the floor and attack. Kevin Durant is a wonderful ball handler. Jerry West

Age Wonderful Starts Unless Everything Gifted Kind Guy Attack He Put Advent Ball Very Very Early Age Going Different Different Kind Much Created Many Floor Player Early Early Age Kevin

If I'm not nervous, if I don't have at least a little bit of the same self-doubt and anxious feelings I had when I started playing, then it will be time for me to go on. I must have that tension. Jerry West

Time Me Will Nervous Feelings Bit Must Had Tension Self-Doubt Least Go Same Anxious Little Little Bit Then Started Playing

I'm at the point where you look back on your life and reflect. I've always been an unbelievable critic of me. If we lost a game, I blamed myself every night. I'm very proud of some of the things I did as an athlete, as an executive. Jerry West

Life Myself Me You Game Lost Reflect Every Back Critic Athlete Some Unbelievable Blamed Point Look Executive Always Proud Been Very Did Where Your Things Every Night Night

Some guys lay their fannies out there every night - they play the game at such a high level, and they give so much that, frankly, they don't get credit for it. And I think it's tragic sometimes. Jerry West

I have often wondered why I was never captain of the Lakers. Jerry West

Never Wondered Often Lakers Captain Why

Anything you can do to help someone, I just think it's so important because there's a lot of kids that look up athletes of all size and shapes in a lot of different fields, not necessarily in the basketball field. They get involved emotionally with those people because there's something about certain athletes that people rally around. Jerry West

You People Important Field Think Rally Those Kids Athletes About Someone Something Shapes Emotionally Look Involved Because Around Lot Up Get Just Different Size Anything Fields Certain Help Necessarily Basketball

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. Jerry West

At one time, we were asked to play your own man; you're responsible for your own man. And, if you were good enough and kind of a ball hawk, you helped everyone else. Now it's really much more of a team concept defensively than it was when we played. Jerry West

Time Good You Man Own Enough Defensively Else Everyone Everyone Else Kind Responsible One Time More Hawk Concept Ball Were Than Asked Much Really Your Team Helped Now Play Played

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