Interesting points from Jerry West

From a Kevin Arnovitz interview with Jerry West:

Q: Guarding three positions, playing three positions -- did you ever imagine there would be this kind of emphasis on versatility. Nobody really considered those things when you played. A guy was a point guard or a power forward or a center and that was it,

West: The league is changing and we don’t have many back-to-the-basket players. We now have a game that requires skill and versatility. A lot of that is about being able to think. It makes all the difference in the world to have a player in there with a high basketball IQ who can make the right decision.

Q: What’s caused that evolution, a game where a power forward is often a guy who’s 6-foot-7 hanging out in the corner?

West: The advent of so much dribbling has created a different kind of player, and it starts at a very early age. We have so many gifted ball handlers. Everything is pick-and-roll. Unless he’s a catch-and-shoot guy, a player is going to put it on the floor and attack. Kevin Durant is a wonderful ball handler. And anytime we get a Derrick Rose or a Chris Paul or someone who can do those kind of things, kids are going to emulate that.