By Jerry Mittleman

Rarely does such celebrity reach the NBA Outback. Jerry West is the biggest thing to hit Memphis since Elvis. West’s decision to take over basketball operations of the Memphis Grizzlies isn’t only big news for Memphis, it’s big news for the whole league.

You can count on one hand the people who can build NBA franchises into champions and West did it twice during his 20 year reign as General Manager of the Los Angeles Lakers. I’m already dying to see what he has planned for this year’s draft and free agent signing period, like watching a poker-faced pool shark setting up the table for a run.

West is probably the only figure in the history of American professional sport to become a legend both as a player and general manager. After completing his illustrious playing career, its doubtful if anyone predicted that the taciturn, introverted West would one day become one of the greatest general manager in the league., West parlayed a keen eye for assessing and drafting young talent, a shrewd sense for assembling a team and a surprising knack for convincing dominant players to come play for the Lakers. West was slow to gain recognition. In 1996 he succeeded in signing Shaquille O’Neal away from Orlando and traded for a 17 year old Kobe Bryant. After the two eventually emerged as the greatest one-two punch in the league and the foundation of a new dynasty, it was clear that West had become a giant in his second career as well.

Now that West has concluded that Staples Center was too small to hold both himself and Phil Jackson, he’s apparently decided on a new start, a new city and definitely a new challenge.

If ever a NBA franchise needed direction, it’s the Grizzlies. During their 6 years in Vancouver, before moving to Memphis last summer, the Grizzlies turned mismanagement into an art form. The Grizzlies have a history of lousy draft choices, poor coaching and bad trades, though many admittedly from lack of choice. The good players they’ve had, never developed chemistry on the court. Others, simply wanted out of town as quickly as possible. Steve Francis, a franchise player with Houston, succeeded in his wish to be traded, before ever stepping foot in the Canadian Pacific Northwest.

The Grizzlies succeeded in giving the lovely city of Vancouver a bad name. Players complained about playing in the farthest most point on the NBA map when in reality, they resented playing for a hapless, directionless team in a far-off locale.

To sum it up, the Grizzles made Bryant (Big Country) Reeves, their first ever draft pick and the cornerstone of their franchise. Seven years later, Big Country is back on the farm and the Grizzlies still haven’t won more then 23 games in a season.

Today, at least, the Grizzlies are considered a team with a future. That 23 win season came this year, their first in Memphis. Pau Gasol, won rookie of the year honors, and is thought to have unlimited potential. Rookie Shane Battier and second year man Stromille Swift should have bright NBA careers ahead of them.

This isn’t the first time the Grizzlies have had talented players. Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Mike Bibby and Othella Harrington are former Grizzlies and Michael Dickerson is still on their roster, though sitting out almost all of this season due to injury. But this is the first time that a man of West’s basketball knowledge, experience and organizational skill is in charge.

West used the enticement of the bright lights of Hollywood to help persuade O’Neal, Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. In Memphis, West will have no such advantages. Though less distant then Vancouver, Memphis is hardly on the short-list of desired locations for NBA players. Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley is hoping that West’s stature and history of success, will attract quality players to the banks of the Mississippi.

West’s first big challenge might be coming up soon. With the league’s third worst regular season record, the Grizzlies will have one of the highest picks in this year’s draft and a possible shot at Yao Ming. Chinese officials have already made it clear they want Ming to play in a city with a large Chinese population and this may be the only time the Grizzlies could regret leaving Vancouver for Memphis. West wont be intimidated and will draft Ming if he’s available. I can’t wait to see West trying to convince the Chinese that Ming should near Graceland instead of staying in Shanghai and I wouldn’t bet against him.