West: Jordan Will Be 'Incredible'

West: Jordan Will Be ‘Incredible’

By TIM KAWAKAMI

Jan. 20, 2000 12 AM PT

Laker Executive Vice President Jerry West, one of the few Hall of Fame players to flourish as a franchise’s top decision maker, on Wednesday said he was glad that Michael Jordan has taken on such a role with the Washington Wizards and that he was sure Jordan would succeed, as well.

“I think for myself, obviously, I’m happy to see him back involved,” said West, who watched two Laker games alongside Jordan recently.

“I think one of the most difficult things for any player, when you play this game for so long, particularly when you retire . . . It’s not the fact that you want to play the game any more.

“It’s [that] you need something to do to stay competitive. And this will be a very competitive thing for him.

“There will be all the newspaper articles about [how difficult it will be for] an incredible player like him . . . that it’s just the average people who can do it. That’s not true.

“I think he will do an incredible job.”

West said that Jordan needed to return to basketball as much as the NBA needed him back.

“I just think the thing that has brought him incredible fame has been basketball,” West said. “It hasn’t been golf, it hasn’t been baseball.”

After noting his pleasure in seeing Jordan back in the league, Laker Coach Phil Jackson, Jordan’s coach for six NBA title runs, said Jordan will have to be patient with the Wizards.

“It’s about as difficult a situation to go into as any in the NBA,” Jackson said.

“You can’t make a remarkable thing happen just overnight.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Triple Plays / The Big 3

Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant and Glen Rice have been the driving force behind the Lakers’ success. How they fared:

O’NEAL

*--*

Wed. Season 27 Points 27.7 23 Rebounds 14.7 2 Assists 3.5

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BRYANT

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Wed. Season 25 Points 22.7 13 Rebounds 6.5 4 Assists 4.1