I know when I left the game, I could have played more. There is no question. I think I could have played at a very high level, too. But I could not play the way everyone wanted me to play. And I was not willing to compromise what I felt was a standard that I had established in this league and, particularly, for our fans at home.

Jerry West

You can't get much done in life if you only work on the days when you feel good.

Jerry West

When it's time for me to walk away from something, I walk away from it. My mind, my body, my conscience tell me that enough is enough.

Jerry West

I'm a Gemini. Know what that means? There are two very different sides to me.

Jerry West

Fear of failure, it's the greatest motivational tool. It drives me and drives me and drives me.

Jerry West

I hate to say it's not a Laker but Michael Jordan. He's been the greatest player I've ever seen. And I'm probably a harsh judge of talent in the sense that I admire players that are really good defensive players and really good offensive players.

Jerry West

Confidence is a lot of this game or any game. If you don't think you can, you won't.

Jerry West

You need lofty goals. Then cement it with a great work ethic.

Jerry West

A shot is a lever; it's all it is. You don't open a car door differently each time. A car door is efficient - it opens and closes. So is a shot.

Jerry West

A couple teams will grind the shot clock down. Most of the time coaches do that, it's usually a talent deficit. They can't compete against the better teams.

Jerry West

The season is a beast within itself. It's not the quickest race; it's a marathon. In the playoffs - if you're fortunate enough to make the playoffs - that's more like a dash. You have to concentrate on one opponent. When they're done, you have to concentrate on another one.

Jerry West

You have to win games by scoring points, of course, so that's important. But when you're having nights against a good defensive team, you have to win in a different manner. You have to win a defensive-type game.

Jerry West

Coaches who have been players in the league, they get so attuned to playing how they were successful and who their coaches were.

Jerry West

Even though I felt, at times, 'My goodness, you're among the upper echelon,' there is still a huge void there. A huge void. It is about self-esteem. That's a thing that has always been a real complex part of my life.

Jerry West

That's a strong sign of a good coach, to let an assistant participate. It shows his confidence in the coach's ability not to have to dominate everything.

Jerry West

I would never stay under circumstances where I felt I was a figurehead and might look good in your team media guide. I don't want to be that. I do want to contribute, and if I don't contribute, I'll walk away from it. If I don't feel welcomed, I'll walk away from it.

Jerry West

I've always been a very harsh judge of talent because if you don't play the game on both ends of the court, and if you don't play hard every night, I'm probably not going to be in love with you as a player. I'm going to respect you because you're good, but these players are unique.

Jerry West

I've been so low sometimes and when everyone else would be so high because I didn't like myself.

Jerry West

Anything you can do to help someone, I just think it's so important because there's a lot of kids that look up athletes of all size and shapes in a lot of different fields, not necessarily in the basketball field. They get involved emotionally with those people because there's something about certain athletes that people rally around.

Jerry West

I've always been someone who has been very driven. I think my circumstances, how I grew up, hard work and work ethic are absolutely vital to any success that people might have, regardless of what they might be doing.

Jerry West

I enjoy winning, but more importantly, I enjoy the people I'm around.

Jerry West