A Return West

Jonah Ballow with Doug West

Avoiding cold weather is one of the main reasons Doug West found a career and life in basketball. Oddly enough, an NBA career that began in Minneapolis.

"This is the best game because it's played indoors and in shorts, there is no better way," West joked.

"I had a coach and he put his time out there for a bunch of snot-nosed kids in the neighborhood to teach them to not be on the streets and teach them to play basketball. He said I was the biggest one out there and I was going to play too. I didn't even like the game, I loved football at the time," West remembered.

Ironically, West became an instructor of young men preparing to take the next step in basketball. After four years in the high school coaching ranks, West made the leap to college basketball. In one year at Duquesne University on the women's basketball staff, West built the experience needed to land a position with a high-caliber college program.

In October 2007, West joined his alma mater as an assistant coach at the University of Villanova, where he played four seasons and ranks fourth all-time on the scoring list. The versatile shooting guard developed into a strong defender while helping to lead the Wildcats to a spot in the Elite Eight in 1988.

West feels a deeper sense of accomplishment with the Villanova squad that reached the Final Four this past year.

"The most enjoyable part of that process was watching us get better as the season progressed," West said. "For that group, their best ball took us to a semifinal game in the NCAA tournament, to a Final Four. By far, that was one of the most amazing experiences for me as a coach and player."

Before the move to the pine, West transitioned the admiration of football into basketball and eventually reached the 6-7 height that led to an opportunity in the NBA. The Wolves used a second round draft pick on West in the 1989 draft to join the inaugural roster in Minneapolis.

"I've always loved the Twin Cities," West commented. Got here 20 years ago and got acclimated to the mosquitoes in the summer and then the cold in the winter. I just fell in love with Minnesota in general; the people have always been great, very supportive of me, my family and the team, it was a great time for me."

The rookie campaign for West was a rocky road after Minnesota struggled to a 22-60 record 20 years ago. The 2008-09 Wolves squad is 24-57 in a rebuilding effort after dealing their franchise player, Kevin Garnett.

West shared his analysis; "One of the things I did notice before Al [Jefferson] got hurt was once Kevin [McHale] took over, the team started to turn it around. They were getting an identity and winning some games, feeling a lit more comfortable in their roles. I think with Al in the middle, it opened up a lot of stuff for the guards outside. Some of the guys, Randy Foye and Kevin Love will learn how valuable Al was to the team. They had to go through a process of trying to lead this team and I think it will make them that much better next year."

West provides a perfect perspective for players looking to improve on losing teams. In 1991, West displayed enough talent and improvement to garner a spot in the starting lineup. Fans awed at the athletic abilities from West, which earned him an appearance in the 92' Gatorade Slam Dunk Championship. West increased his scoring average to 14 points per game in that season and then posted a career-high 19.3 in 1992-93.

Eight years after retiring from the NBA, his viewpoint is different but West compares the differences between today's game versus the "old school" style seen in the 90's.

"The game has cleaned itself up. When I played, you were allowed to hand-check and control the guy all over the floor. I just don't see the execution, it seems like the older, more experienced teams win more." West said.

The chance to instill a high level of execution from his team is the challenge facing the Pennsylvania native. West now chases a long-standing career as a coach and the smile on his face proves the enjoyment he receives from the teaching aspect of the game. With West returning to Minneapolis on Wednesday night for the season finale, parallels can be drawn between the meteoric rise on the court to the recent success in coaching. Memories of West's famous reverse dunk will reverberate through the Wolves crowd while his future may consist of several nights stalking the sidelines, leading young players in the game he thought he didn't love.