Among the many smart moves Jerry Buss made as owner of the Lakers was to make Jerry West his right hand basketball guy for so many years, through much of the “Showtime” era. While a lot of superstars struggle to make the transition to an after-basketball role — playing is instinctual, the front office is about observation, analyzation and negotiation — West was brilliant at both.
Here West talks about his time with Dr. Buss, who passed away at the age of 80 on Monday, and the impression he left on West, the Lakers and Los Angeles.