Mark West (@mwest41) is the Vice President of Player Programs and is also an assistant coach for the Phoenix Suns of the NBA. His roles focus on the business of basketball, player relations and development and community representation. As a player, he competed for 17 seasons in the NBA, six with the Suns, helping them reach the 1993 NBA Finals. He currently ranks third in NBA History in field goal percentage.

Here, West argues that it is essential for basketball players to focus on being complete basketball players before focusing on one position. By developing all the necessary skills to be a basketball player and rounding out your skill set, you set yourself up for long term success in the sport rather than being defined and limited by specific skills tailored to a position. West also shares that this is a changing trend in pro basketball; players were previously limited because they only developed one particular skill set, but there are more well-rounded players in todays NBA because it increases the likelihood of success.

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