NEW ORLEANS — Before Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson came to New Orleans, there was another All-Star power forward that once roamed the halls of the Smoothie King Center.



David West won two NBA titles with the Golden State Warriors and had a few deep playoff runs with the Indiana Pacers, but he became an All-Star during the first eight years of his career as a member of the New Orleans Hornets. He was the first player drafted by the organization after its move to the Big Easy in 2002 and his experience with the Hornets included some of the best moments in franchise history — and some of the worst.



“I’m going to always be grateful for my time in New Orleans,” West said. “I learned so much about myself as a man and so much about the world around me while I was there. It helped me become who I am today.”



West, who retired following the 2017-18 season after 15 years in the NBA, recently spoke with The Athletic about his...