NBA Champions 2014 - Can David West Lead Young Indiana Pacers All The Way? Veteran Enforcer Teaches 'Playing With An Edge'

David West was a vital cog in the Indiana Pacers run in the Eastern Conference Finals. While the scorer (George) and the behemoth (Hibbert) get all the attention, West’s ‘old school’ grit may be the difference between victory and defeat. West was a free agent during the lockout riddled season in 2011.

Coming off an ACL injury, he left the New Orleans Hornets (now the Pelicans) which totally blasted their core (franchise player Chris Paul also left). Looking back at that time, not too many people paid attention to the transaction. West was not a flashy player, yet executives understand his importance to the game. His prophetic observation in 2011, from ESPN: "Indy was a team that I was really giving a good, hard look at. They've got a good balance in terms of a couple good veterans and some really good young players. There are some budding guys and I think that's a team that I can help in the next couple years." Fast forward to 2013, West’s $ 20million two year deal has expired, and hardly any team attempted to pry him for the Pacers. Not because teams didn’t want him, but they knew he was a lock. Pacers’ President Larry Bird is that kind of person, and West was his kind of player.

In an interview with Grantland, West talks about the Pacers’ title chances, and how he taught the young guns about ‘playing with an edge.’ On choosing the Pacers that year (2011): “Honestly, the only I guy I knew about was Danny [Granger]. I knew they were just about complete in terms of the next four to six years, with Paul [George] being in his second year, and all the other young guys. I knew there was going to be an opportunity to put my post in the ground here, if I was able to come in and have an impact. I think that summer they had already traded for George [Hill] before the lockout set in, so I was like, ‘OK, they've got a point guard.’ Basically, the team was set. And I knew, just in terms of my experience, I'd be able to come in and add something they didn't have.”

On the team’s emergence: “These guys are workers. They've got the right attitude, in terms of their approach to the game. They work to grow bit by bit, they've accepted the roles they are put in. Last year, unfortunately, Danny was out, and Paul had to grow up a little faster than everyone expected.

On his on-court skirmishes, especially with the Heat: “I just try to play with an edge. I try to set the tone, in terms of our aggressiveness. That was one of the things this group was lacking when I got here — that hit-back, that push-back. I think you have to play a certain way, and have a certain attitude, and carry yourself a certain way if you want to be successful. It's not always about knocking somebody to the floor, but there is a time and place for it.”