They Didn’t Know Jerry as a Non-Laker

Well, we always knew he wasn’t exactly normal.

Forty-two years later, it’s hard to remember how perfect it was

He lived, died inside and rose again annually to go on another quest but with no idea what one would do with the grail.

Uh, put it on the mantel?

In 1972, when he won his only NBA title in his 12th season, his teammate and close friend, Pat Riley, who had danced him off the floor, noted that West just “came into the locker room, had a sip of champagne, shook a few hands and left.”

West and Riley returned in the ‘80s for Showtime, five titles’ worth, after which West picked up the pieces when Magic Johnson left in 1991 and had a new superpower up and running by 2000.

Only the great Red Auerbach, whose Celtics came back to win in 1974 and 1976 after their long run had ended in 1969, ever had a turnaround that good, and if these Lakers turn out to be an actual dynasty, no one did.

Of course, as Laker publicist John Black, who is close to West, notes of that period:

“You know Jerry. He was happier when we were miserable than when we were on top.”

His friends always say that--”You know Jerry”--when he does something incomprehensible ... like walking away from a $3-million put-your-feet-up- and-accept-the-congratulations job because his nerves are so shot, he can’t even watch the games ... or return two years later for mission impossible, moving his wife and 13-year-old son from Malibu to Memphis, just in time for the start of the annual humidity festival.

We definitely know Jerry. There was no way to miss him.

As a player, he might as well have pinned his beating heart to his jersey.

His longing and anguish were so palpable, you could feel them from the last row of the Sports Arena or the Forum.

Even the Celtics loved him. Everyone else, they might (or might not) have respected, but with West, there was always more emotion, coming and going.

After he became the only Finals MVP from a losing team in 1969, John Havlicek embraced him on the floor, saying, “I love you, Jerry.” When West retired in 1974, Bill Russell, who’d ruined six of West’s postseason excursions, attended the ceremony, noting before a Forum crowd that quivered with emotion:

“Jerry, if I could have one wish granted, it would be that you would always be happy.”

Well, that was going to be easier said than done.

After all the years, all the triumphs and all the hints about going elsewhere that went nowhere, the end of the Laker part of West’s NBA career--a phrase I never expected to use--was awkward.

A rift opened in the dark days of last season’s Shaquille O’Neal-Kobe Bryant standoff, with Coach Phil Jackson and O’Neal allied on one side and the retired West and Bryant on the other.

West, ever fractured, helped talk Bryant into rejoining the program and admired Jackson, while worrying that the coach’s relationship with Jeanie Buss meant Jackson would inherit the franchise.

Jackson, in turn, wondered where the leaks were coming from, once surmising to friends that an aggressive writer was “a West guy.”

There could be no going back. West wouldn’t move in on his protege, Mitch Kupchak, and besides, nobody was asking him to.

In retirement, West all but disappeared. At his request, there was no mention of him among the executive profiles in this season’s Laker media guide. He wasn’t even listed in the directory.

However, charismatic executives are in short supply and other teams kept calling, making it impossible for him to put the game behind him.

One insider says as many as 10 teams called in two years. West kept saying he wasn’t interested ... and the offers kept getting bigger.

If the Grizzlies don’t sound like the “optimal situation” he insisted on, they have an upside with Pau Gasol, Shane Battier, a high draft pick coming and Jason Williams, whom West thinks he can talk down off the high wire.

Then there’s the compensation package, thought to be even higher than the reported $5-million salary--perhaps even including the piece of the team West always dreamed of.

Whatever the price, it’s a coup for Grizzly owner Michael Heisley, who hadn’t had any previous revelations, which is why they’re capped out through 2004 and West has a $2-million-a-year assistant, Dick Versace.

Meanwhile, organizations from New York to Golden State, which wanted new leadership but neglected to pursue West, are already hearing about it.

Of course, West will have to move more than mountains--it’s more like a whole range of them--to get his new team into the playoffs in a conference dominated by his old team, plus assorted Kings, Spurs, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Trail Blazers, SuperSonics, Jazz and Clippers (if they survive this summer).

“If he didn’t go, he would always have wondered if he should have,” Black says. “If it doesn’t work out, he’ll go away again, come back here, play golf and gin and enjoy his family.”

Black choked up reading a newspaper story about West’s departure, but what else is new? West was probably wiping away tears halfway to Tennessee.

Lakerdom will never be the same. East is East and so is West. As always, he’s emotional and so are we.

Faces and Figures

How do you say, “The air just went out of the balloon” in Chinese? Chinese wonder center Yao Ming worked out for officials from 26 teams in Chicago, showing he’s athletic and skilled but a long way from being a franchise player. Also, instead of being a mammoth 7 feet 5 and 270 pounds, as reported, he was measured at a reedy 7-5 and 236.

West, asked to compare Yao to greats such as O’Neal, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar or Bill Walton: “He’s not any of those guys. [Rik] Smits is a good comparison. This guy is big but he’s more of a finesse player at this point. Everyone would like to see him play closer to the basket. His biggest challenge will be on the defensive end.” Yao is still considered the best big man in the draft and is expected to go in the first two or three picks. West is expected to take him if the Grizzlies get the chance.

Maybe I could have phrased that better: Toronto center Antonio Davis’ wife, Kendra, taunted Detroit people in the hallway outside the Pistons’ dressing room after the Raptors, who had trailed, 2-0, tied the series, 2-2, declaring, “Y’all celebrated too soon.” Replied Detroit’s Chucky Atkins, “With all respect to Antonio Davis’ wife, I respect her for saying what she did, but she won’t be on the court tomorrow night. Know what I mean?”

Only you, Reggie Miller: Now the scourge of the entire New York metropolitan area, the 36-year-old Pacer star averaged 24 points, leading all scorers, banked in a 40-foot three-pointer at the end of regulation in Game 5, flew down the lane for a dunk in the first overtime, then blamed himself for the double-overtime loss to the Nets: “I know a lot of people talk about me out there like I’m the boogie-man in the playground, like I’m a myth or something and I come up with all these plays. I didn’t come up with the big one tonight.”

Look for Jazz brass to scatter most of their eight free agents to the winds. Coach Jerry Sloan called it “the most selfish team I’ve ever coached.” They won’t trade Karl Malone--unless he forces them to--but Mailman’s head was a problem too, as suggested by his 14-point, three-rebound performance in the finale. He got his nickname because he delivers, not because he mails games in, but, as an insider noted, “There were a lot like this this season.” Malone is looking around, as usual: “I’d definitely like to know who’s coming back and what their plans are for me. Until I get those answers, it’s hard to give the public an answer about what’s going to happen.”

After six consecutive first-round exits, the Timberwolves’ press corps is bored, bored, bored, which may be why it overlooks the team’s never having been favored and never having had the home-court advantage. “I’ve also been here when we’ve won 19 games,” GM Kevin McHale said. “There’s just no absolute way you’re going to flush everything down the toilet and say, ‘I’m going to throw away 50 wins.’ ... I’d call for Shaq every day if I thought I could get him. But they ain’t trading Shaq.”

Spur guard Terry Porter, after learning that Tim Duncan wouldn’t play in Game 4: “Our room for error just left the building.” More than that left the building. The Spurs lost by 12.... There goes the neighborhood: Either out of frustration with Antoine Walker’s shot selection, or just because he wanted the ball, Boston’s Paul Pierce fumed when Coach Jim O’Brien called a play for Walker in Game 4 of the series against Philadelphia. “It’s good to want the ball,” said teammate Kenny Anderson, “but [Pierce] has to learn, and learn well, that you can’t win by yourself.” ... Orlando’s Grant Hill, on his rehab: “I’m the black Mark Spitz. I’m always in the pool.”