West left for Memphis in 2002, but this Lakers team still has his fingerprints all over them. Bryant has matured from a 17-year-old who fought sharing the limelight with O'Neal into the NBA's best player. West saw his potential when drafting teens was a roll of the dice 12 years ago.

"This is a really special player," he said..

So, he said, is Jackson as a coach. That hire drips with irony now: A Finals victory, over the Celtics, would give Jackson 10 titles — one more than Auerbach.

"There's no question this would be one of the most meaningful things of all," said West. "He's done it with not one franchise, but another. It would put him in the stratosphere."

West, of course, is rooting for the Lakers, but said the series is up for grabs.

"It's going to be a completely different challenge for the Lakers," said West. "I don't think these games are going to be high-scoring. Boston just does not allow you to do that. They will be the best defensive team the Lakers have faced. And the Celtics have three players who will challenge them. The Lakers can't double those players in the low post as they did Tim Duncan and place emphasis on other people.

"Boston is really good. But because of Kobe's incredible ability, people will probably say the Lakers are going to win. But that may not be the case. This should be a heckuva series. It's a case of young, athletic versus older, more experience. I think you definitely have to give the Lakers bench a big edge, but Boston is so committed defensively they'll make the Lakers play differently."

West said there have been more compelling and intriguing matchups between the two franchises in past Finals. But he'll be like everybody else in the basketball world come Thursday — a fan watching on the edge of his seat.