When David West left the NBA’s New Orleans Hornets to join the Pacers, his wife of 10 years started a charity event in Indianapolis inspired by one in the Big Easy. In just its second year, the Lesley West Prom Dress Drive & Giveaway will expand to the floor of Bankers Life Fieldhouse on April 16 and hand out close to 1,000 gowns.
Why a prom giveaway?
Prom is one of my favorite high-school memories. I went to five my senior year: four with best friends and one with a boyfriend, all different schools. And the fact there are so many young ladies now who can’t go because of the price is unimaginable to me.
Five proms—wow. What was your favorite gown?
A sleeveless lime-green dress from Cache with a fishtail train. I always wanted to have what nobody else would have, and this dress came in black, white, and lime green.
Did David take you to prom?
No, we met in college. He came to a step-show my sorority put on and was waiting for me after the show.
Seeing the Pacers playing well must be thrilling.
It’s exciting to see David excited about their success. Being on a winning team in the NBA is a great feeling. The Bankers Life atmosphere is fun; there’s a lot of energy. And I bleed blue and gold, but I love the Lakers.
The Lakers? Scandalous!
I was less than 10 years old when I fell in love with the Lakers. My dad and I would stay up watching their games together.
This article appeared in the April 2014 issue.
