Lakers News: LA Superstar Concedes That Fellow Lottery Pick Was Far More Developed As A Rookie
Whenever a player is selected as a lottery pick in the NBA Draft, they usually look to see who was drafted ahead of them and sometimes even share their own opinion as to whether or not they should've been selected earlier. Even though making it to the league fulfills their biggest dream, sometimes they also have their eyes set on a bigger contract, playing for a certain city and even just bragging rights.
However, back in 1960 when the Los Angeles Lakers (Minneapolis Lakers at the time) selected Jerry West with the number two overall pick, times were very different. The NBA was still coming into its own and even though it took West nine tries to finally capture his first and only championship with the Lakers, he became a symbol of hope for the franchise and remained loyal through it all.
But who went number one over West in that 1960 draft? Well, it was none other than Oscar Robertson, a 6'5 point guard that was fundamentally sound and was crowned the king of triple-doubles for a number of decades. West recently opened up about what it was like to see The Big O get drafted over him and was honest about why that was the case.
"When I first started in the league, he was so much more advanced than me," said West. "And I think that by playing in the Olympic Games together, I probably had a ways to go to be considered his equal or even as good as him. His route there was a lot different and I didn't see that type of competition, certainly not in college. He's still one of the players I admire most from during my time in the NBA."
West has made it a point to give many superstars that are currently playing their flowers but he has just a much respect for those that he himself went up against, even someone from his draft class!
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