Former first-team All-American and two-time All-Star David West can now add NBA champion to his decorated basketball resumé.
However, the path to success wasn't all sunshine and roses for the veteran power forward, who spent 13 seasons with three different teams before joining the Golden State Warriors and finally getting the chance to hold the Larry O'Brien Trophy in his arms.
Before being drafted as the 18th overall pick in the 2003 draft by the New Orleans Hornets and even before becoming a standout big man in Xavier, West wasn't really a top prospect on most of the college scouts' radars coming out of Garner Magnet High School in North Carolina.
Following the Golden State Warriors' win in Game 5 of the NBA Finals, West couldn't help but look back at his humble beginnings. From ESPN's Marc Spears:
Warriors big man David West was super emotional saying he came from being the 88th ranked high school player in North Carolina to NBA champ.
— Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) June 13, 2017
A lot has definitely changed for the better for West since being ranked as merely the 88th best basketball player in the state of North Carolina, which is widely known for being a breeding ground for NBA-worthy talent. Now, the 36-year-old can lay claim to having climbed up to the summit of the NBA mountain, and no amount of ring-chasing backtalk can take that away from him.
There are many feel-good stories to be had from championship-winning teams. West's rise to ultimate prominence, even near the twilight of his career and having little yet significant contribution in Golden State's powerhouse roster, is one story that today's aspiring professional basketball players should definitely look up to nonetheless.
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