NBA.com: Mark West Bio

Never a big scorer, Mark West has made his mark in the NBA by way of his durability, shooting accuracy, rebounding and shotblocking, the result being a solid career that has lasted 16 years. One of the game's most reliable players, he appeared in every game for seven straight seasons beginning in 1988. A one-time NBA leader in field goal percentage, he has topped .600 from the field five times and ranks second on the career field goal percentage list with a 581 mark, behind only Artis Gilmore's .584. West also is one of the few NBA players to consistently shoot better from the field than from the free throw line. A muscular 6-10 center, West graduated from Old Dominion in 1983 after leading the college ranks in blocked shots twice. He left school as the NCAA's No. 3 all-time shotblocker, behind Ralph Sampson and Tree Rollins. A second-round draft pick of the Dallas Mavericks in 1983, he saw little action in his rookie season and was waived before the start of the 1984-85 campaign. The Milwaukee Bucks picked him up but then cut him loose six days later, after which he was signed by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He spent 3 seasons with the Cavaliers but never averaged more than 15 minutes or 6.5 points in any of those years. In February 1988, West, Kevin Johnson and Tyrone Corbin were traded to the Phoenix Suns for Larry Nance and Mike Sanders. That season marked the beginning of a string in which West would play 521 consecutive games before an injury finally sidelined him in 1994. It was with Phoenix that West became a significant factor in the NBA. He finished among the league's top 10 shotblockers in his first two full seasons with the Suns and posted field goal percentages over .600 for five consecutive years. In 1989-90 he chalked up career highs of 10.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game while leading the league with a .625 field goal percentage and placing eighth in blocked shots (2.24 per game). In 1992-93 he started all 82 games at center and helped the Suns to the NBA Finals. After the 1993-94 season the Suns traded West to Detroit for a pair of second-round draft picks. He provided veteran leadership on a young team and split center duties with former Suns teammate Oliver Miller. His playing time dropped dramatically in 1995-96 when he appeared in just 47 games and averaged only 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds in 14.5 minutes per game. Following the season he signed as a free agent with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and he appeared in 70 games for the Cavs in 1996-97, 43 of them as a starter at age 36. His playing time, however, was just 13.7 minutes per game. After the season, he signed as a free agent with the Indiana Pacers, although he appeared in only 15 games in 1997-98, largely due to an injured left knee. Prior ro the 1998-99 season, West signed with the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent, and he played in 49 of the team's 50 games as a backup to Dikembe Mutombo.

1999-2000 REGULAR SEASON
Placed on the injured list on 3/16 with back spasms Activated from the injured list on 2/9, after missing 10 games with back spasms

1997-1998 REGULAR SEASON
On the injured list from 3/17 to 4/13 due to chronic chondromalacia of his left knee On the injured list from 12/19 to 1/23 after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on 12/18 to remove cartilege from his left knee

1996-1997 REGULAR SEASON
West played in 70 games in his second tour of duty with Cleveland, making 43 starts but averaging just 13.7 minutes per game. He averaged 3.2 points and 2.7 rebounds in his limited time and led the Cavs in blocked shots with 55, an average of 0.79 per game. He started the first 20 games of the season, and 23 of the last 37 in which he played. His best game came on Jan. 19 in a 107-102 double overtime win over the Clippers, when he scored 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in 37 minutes, all season highs, and matched his season high with three blocked shots.

1995-1996 REGULAR SEASON
West played in 47 games, sitting out 35 due to a coach's decision. The 47 games marked the fewest he has played since his rookie year of 1983-84, when he played in 34 games for Dallas. The veteran center averaged 3.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game, also the lowest numbers since his rookie year, and played in 14.5 minutes per game. West scored a season-high 15 points at Miami on March 20 and had season-highs of 13 rebounds and five blocks against Vancouver on March 26. Perhaps because he was so well-rested, West turned in a strong effort in the playoffs, starting all three games for the Pistons agaisnt Orlando and Shaquille O'Neal. He averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 26.0 minutes per game, shooting .524 from the field.

1994-1995 REGULAR SEASON
West's consecutive-games streak finally came to an end in 1994 when he missed 14 games after suffering torn cartilage in his left knee on December 14. Ironically, he pulled down a season-high 17 rebounds in that game. The injury ended a string of 521 consecutive games played, the second-longest streak in the league (behind A. C. Green's). West hadn't missed a game since April 8, 1988. When healthy, West, who was acquired by the Pistons in the offseason in exchange for a pair of second-round draft picks, played well. He averaged 7.5 points and 6.1 rebounds for Detroit, his best numbers since the 1990-91 campaign, and his .556 field-goal percentage led the team. West played his best ball of the season after returning from the knee injury on January 19, averaging 8.2 points and 7.0 rebounds in the season's final 20 games. After having appeared in the playoffs in each of the previous six seasons while with Phoenix, West sat out the postseason as the Pistons finished at 28-54.

1993-1994 REGULAR SEASON
One of two Suns players to appear in all 82 games in 1993-94, West made solid contributions to a Phoenix squad riddled by injuries. He started 50 times at center and posted overall averages of 4.7 points and 3.6 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game. He also shot .566 from the floor, second on the club to frontcourt partner Oliver Miller. Having played in 501 straight NBA games through the end of the season, West trailed only the Suns' A. C. Green for consecutive games played among active players. He also ranked as the league's career leader in field-goal percentage (.591) among active players. In the offseason Phoenix traded West to the Detroit Pistons for a second-round draft choice.

1992-1993 REGULAR SEASON
The Suns' finest season ever culminated in an NBA Finals appearance against the Chicago Bulls. Phoenix compiled an NBA-best 62-20 mark and ranked first in the league in offense (113.4 ppg) and second in team field-goal percentage (.493). West's performance was instrumental in the Suns' success. He led the team in field-goal percentage (.614) and ranked second on the club in both rebounding (5.6 rpg) and blocked shots (1.26 per game). For the sixth time in his career West appeared in all 82 regular-season games. At the end of the season his streak of 419 straight games trailed only A. C. Green among active players. West's best stretch of the season came from February 28 to March 10, when he averaged 8.3 points and 10.0 rebounds in seven games. In 24 playoff appearances West averaged 4.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.38 blocks. In the Suns' six-game loss to the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals, he tied John Paxson for the best individual field-goal percentage in the series, with a .619 mark. In fact, after the 1993 NBA Playoffs, West held the NBA's career playoff record for field-goal percentage, with a .590 clip in 72 career postseason games.

1991-1992 REGULAR SEASON
Providing the Suns with consistent inside play on both ends of the floor, West enjoyed a solid ninth NBA season in 1991-92. Playing in all 82 games for the fifth straight season, he averaged 6.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 blocked shots. He also shot .632 from the floor, which would have led the league had he reached the required minimum of 300 made field goals (he had 196). West played a career-high 36 minutes against Patrick Ewing and the New York Knicks on January 5, scoring 14 points. He scored his season high of 16 points against the Los Angeles Clippers on February 22, and on April 9 he pulled down a season-high 12 boards versus the Seattle SuperSonics. The Suns took a strong team into the 1992 NBA Playoffs but lost to the Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference Semifinals, four games to one. West shot a remarkable .737 from the floor in the postseason, contributing 4.0 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.

1990-1991 REGULAR SEASON
Now in his eighth NBA season, West surpassed the 3,000 career rebound mark in 1990-91. The milestone came on January 15 against the Washington Bullets. For the season, he averaged 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds in 23.9 minutes per game. His best performance of the campaign occurred on November 16 against the Los Angeles Clippers, when he scored 21 points and hauled in 15 boards. Despite a stellar 55-27 regular-season mark, the Suns bowed out of the playoffs in the first round. They were defeated by the Utah Jazz in four games as West managed only 5.8 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in the series.

1989-1990 REGULAR SEASON
West's second complete season with the Suns saw the 6-foot-10 center lead the team in rebounding (8.9 rpg), blocked shots (2.24 per game), and field-goal percentage (.625). He led the NBA in field-goal shooting, finished eighth in blocked shots, and ranked 17th in rebounding. His scoring (10.5 ppg) and rebounding averages would stand as career highs. On December 8 West grabbed a season-high 24 rebounds against the Milwaukee Bucks, only 3 short of the club record. The Suns again made a strong playoff charge after compiling a 54-28 regular-season mark. They advanced to the Western Conference Finals for a second straight year before losing to the Portland Trail Blazers in six games. West averaged 11.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.6 blocked shots in 16 postseason contests.

1988-1989 REGULAR SEASON
Completing his first full season in Phoenix, West was voted the club's Outstanding Defensive Player. He led the Suns in blocked shots (187) and ranked eighth in the NBA with a career-high 2.28 blocks per game. West also shot a remarkable .653 from the field, which would have ranked him first in the league had he not fallen 57 made field goals short of the qualifying minimum of 300. West played in at least 82 regular-season games for the second time in his six-year career, logging 24.6 minutes per contest. He finished the year averaging 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds. Phoenix led the NBA in offense, generating 118.6 points per game. In part because of West's contributions, the Suns also ranked third in the league in field-goal percentage. The Suns went 55-27 during the season, then advanced to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Los Angeles Lakers in four games. West averaged 6.2 points in the postseason.

1987-1988 REGULAR SEASON
As the February 25 trading deadline approached, the talk throughout the league was that Cleveland would try to remedy its point guard log jam. The Cavaliers employed both Mark Price and Kevin Johnson in their stable, a pleasant problem to be sure, but Cleveland relished an opportunity to toughen its front line. Despite starting 41 of 54 games for the Cavaliers in 1987-88, West was dealt to the Phoenix Suns with Johnson in a package that brought Larry Nance to the Richfield Coliseum. West averaged 8.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.46 blocks for Cleveland before the deal. He found new life in the desert, playing in 29 games for Phoenix and contributing 11.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.34 blocked shots per contest. He finished the season having played in 83 games.

1986-1987 REGULAR SEASON
West led the Cavaliers in field-goal percentage (.543) in 1986-87 with the third-best single-season clip in franchise history. He provided depth for the team at center and power forward, playing in 78 games and starting 13. For the season, West averaged 6.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks. He had his best night against the Bullets in Washington on November 1, when he scored 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting from the field. Although he had played only three seasons in Cleveland, West already ranked sixth on the team's career blocked-shots list with 191.

1985-1986 REGULAR SEASON
Coach George Karl's rising confidence in West coincided with the young center's increased self-assurance in 1985-86. Both experienced their sophomore seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and West's playing time increased to 17.5 minutes per game as he appeared in a then career-high 67 NBA contests. West averaged 4.2 points and 4.8 rebounds for the season. He also managed to shoot better from the floor (.541) than from the free-throw line (.524). However, with a 29-53 mark, Cleveland missed the playoffs for the seventh time in eight seasons.

1984-1985 REGULAR SEASON
After playing a limited role in Dallas as a rookie, West found himself looking for a job in 1984 after the Mavericks released him during training camp. The Milwaukee Bucks signed him on November 6 but waived him six days later. Finally, on November 23 the Cleveland Cavaliers signed him for the rest of the season. West saw regular action with the Cavaliers, playing in 65 games and averaging 3.9 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game.

1983-1984 REGULAR SEASON
With the 30th pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks, who the previous season had surrendered 113.1 points per game and had allowed opponents a .502 shooting percentage from the floor, tried to bolster their front line. They selected Mark West, a 6-foot-10 center who had twice led the nation in shotblocking while at Old Dominion University. Like many rookies, however, West had difficulty cracking the rotation. With nine Mavericks playing at least 1,000 minutes, he saw action in only 34 games and averaged 1.1 points and 1.4 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per game.