Former NBA Executive Confirms Jerry West Called 17 Y/O Kobe Bryant the ‘Best Player He’s Ever Worked Out’

In addition to being the NBA’s logo and one of the finest guards to grace the game, Jerry West was also among the greatest executives in league history. He had an incredible eye for talent, evidenced by his fixation on Kobe Bryant ahead of the 1996 NBA draft. The high school star was among several future Hall of Famers in his draft class, but according to Rob Thorn, West was determined to land the guard.

In a telephonic interview with Sirius XM Radio, the former Chicago Bulls general manager spoke about West’s exploits as an executive and reminisced about a phone call he had with him a month before the 1996 NBA draft.

Thorn revealed that West gushed about Bryant and was willing to leave no stone unturned on draft day. He said,

“Jerry said, ‘I worked out the best player I’ve ever worked out today in Los Angeles. I’ve got to get him.’ And I said, ‘Who’s that?’ And he said, ‘Kobe Bryant.’ And I said, ‘You are talking about the high school kid?’ And he said, ‘Yes. Best player I’ve ever worked out.'”

The Lakers owned the 24th pick in the draft and West knew there was no chance he’d fall that low. So, he called the Hornets and offered center, Vlade Divac, and in exchange, he wanted them to draft Bryant with the 13th overall pick and trade him to LA.

The Hornets obliged and West accomplished his goal. Thorn claimed he still needles Charlotte’s then-general manager Bob Bass for making the worst trade in the league’s history.

Jerry West has passed away at the age of 86.
 
When former NBA executive Rod Thorn joined @TheFrankIsola and @Scalabrine, he remembered his phone call with Jerry the first time he worked out Kobe Bryant. pic.twitter.com/cB6lSPGG3H

— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) June 12, 2024

Landing Bryant is inarguably West’s most memorable move as an executive, but it’s only one among several that have altered the course of the franchises he’s worked for. He was the Lakers’ general manager during the ‘Showtime’ era in the 1980s when they won five rings and built the roster that’d three-peat at the start of the millennium.

West would play a key role in building another dynasty after joining the Golden State Warriors in 2011. Four years after hiring the veteran executive, the franchise would win its first NBA title in 40 years. The core that West helped build went on to win three more titles.

West finished his NBA career with only one championship. However, he won five as general manager, one as vice president of basketball operations, and two more as an executive board member. The Logo’s NBA legacy is unparalleled and his exploits would be spoken about as long as the league exists.