Doug West facts for kids

Jeffery Douglas West, born on May 27, 1967, is an American former professional basketball player. He is currently an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). West is 6 feet 6 inches tall. He played as a swingman, which means he could play both shooting guard and small forward.

West was chosen by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 1989 NBA draft. He was part of the very first team roster for the Timberwolves. He was also the last player from that original team to stay with them for many years.

Doug West's Early Basketball Years

High School Achievements

Doug West went to Altoona Area High School in Pennsylvania. While there, he became a Parade All-American. This means he was recognized as one of the best high school basketball players in the country.

After Villanova University won the NCAA Championship in 1985, their coach, Rollie Massimino, was very interested in having West join their team.

College Career at Villanova

At Villanova University, West showed he was a smart player. He was a great shooter and could drive to the basket well. He also had amazing leaping ability.

West was a consistent player during his four years in college. He averaged about 15 points per game. He scored a total of 2,037 points between 1986 and 1989. This made him one of the top scorers in Villanova's history. He is still ranked fifth on the team's all-time scoring list.

Key College Seasons

In 1986, he was named to the Big East All-Freshman team. As a sophomore, he was second in scoring on his team. In 1988, West led the Wildcats in scoring with 16 points per game.

That year, he and Mark Plansky led the team on an exciting run in the NCAA tournament. Villanova surprised many by beating strong teams like Illinois and Kentucky. They made it to the Elite 8 before losing to Oklahoma. West was named to the NCAA All-Southeast region team and the All-Big East team that season.

As a senior in 1989, he again led Villanova in scoring. He averaged 18 points per game and was again named to the All-Big East team.

Doug West's Professional Basketball Career

Playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves (1989–1997)

The Minnesota Timberwolves picked Doug West in the second round of the 1989 NBA draft. He was a strong, all-around player who could score and play good defense. Since the Timberwolves were a new team that year, West was one of their "original" players. He was the last player from that first team to stay with the Timberwolves.

West became a regular starter for the Timberwolves during the 1991–92 season. He averaged 14.0 points per game. He also took part in the Gatorade Slam Dunk Championship. That season, he earned the Timberwolves' Defensive Player of the Year award. The next season, he had his best scoring year, averaging 19.3 points per game.

In 1993, the Timberwolves drafted Isaiah Rider, who became the starting shooting guard. West then played more at small forward, and his scoring numbers went down. In 1995, he broke Tony Campbell's team record for points. This made him the Timberwolves' all-time leading scorer for a time. Later, Kevin Garnett would break West's record.

After the team drafted Garnett, West moved to the bench. He started only 16 games that season. He returned to the starting lineup for the 1996–97 season after Rider was traded. This was his last season as a full-time starter.

Playing for the Vancouver Grizzlies (1998–2000)

By the mid-1990s, injuries started to affect West's playing time. Near the end of the 1997–98 season, he was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies. West brought experience to the young Grizzlies team. However, he played very little due to his injuries. He retired from the NBA in 2001.

During his NBA career, West scored a total of 6,477 points. He also had 1,670 rebounds and 1,292 assists. His final NBA game was on December 20, 2000.

Doug West's Coaching Career

After his time in the NBA, Doug West became a coach. He coached at a high school in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania for two years. Then, he was an athletic director at a private girls' school in Wheeling, West Virginia.

West also worked as an assistant coach for the Duquesne University women's basketball team for one season. On October 5, 2007, he became an assistant coach for the Villanova Wildcats. In 2012, West joined the coaching staff for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This team is part of the NBA D-League, which is now called the NBA G League.

On July 9, 2015, West was named the head coach for the men's basketball team at Penn State Altoona. On May 20, 2016, he became the boys' basketball coach at his old high school, Altoona Area High School.

Most recently, on September 5, 2023, Doug West became an assistant coach for the Philadelphia 76ers.

See also

In Spanish: Doug West para niños