An athletic, well-rounded player who could score as well as defend, West was an "original" Timberwolf, being drafted by the team in its first year of existence.

West was a highly touted recruit by Villanova's head coach Rollie Massimino after their 1985 NCAA Championship run.

At Villanova University, West proved to be a smart player, gifted shooter with driving ability and a great leaping talent.

In 1995, he broke Tony Campbell's team-record 4,888 points to become the Timberwolves' all-time leading scorer (a distinction now held by Kevin Garnett).

By the mid-1990s, injuries had begun to take their toll on West, and he was traded to the Vancouver Grizzlies in exchange for Anthony Peeler near the end of the 1997–98 season.

West provided a veteran presence for the struggling young Grizzlies, but he saw very limited playing time, and he finally retired from the NBA in 2001.

West's final NBA game was on December 20, 2000, in a 118–104 win over the Washington Wizards where he recorded just 1 assist and 1 block in 6 minutes of playing time.