One of the most popular teams in NBA history was the 1980’s showtime Los Angeles Lakers. The main catalyst for that team was point guard Magic Johnson, who would look to push the pace and find open teammates running the floor for easy baskets. When the game slowed down and the team needed to function in an organized offensive setting, the Lakers funneled their offense through the most prolific scorer of all time, center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He would go to work in the post, using his patented sky hook shot.
However, perhaps the unsung hero of the Lakers’ dynastic run was small forward James Worthy. Los Angeles had already won NBA titles without him, but his presence allowed them to extend their run of dominance a little longer than it might have lasted otherwise. Abdul-Jabbar was already 35 years old when the team drafted Worthy, so infusing the roster with another player who was talented enough to take over a game really helped them.
James Worthy may not be as well known as some of his iconic teammates, but “Big Game James” certainly showed up when Los Angeles needed him most.
James Worthy – Childhood
James Ager Worthy’s story begins far away from the bright lights of Los Angeles. He was born in Gastonia, North Carolina on February 27, 1961, to parents Ervin and Gladys Worthy. Ervin worked as a Baptist minister, and both of James’ parents believed that prioritizing faith and hard work would be the keys to a successful life.
Young James understood those lessons well, but it didn’t seem like his future would involve basketball in a prominent way. He played the game as a child, but it did not resonate with him too much. However, as he grew taller and got a little older, he realized that the sport could be the best mechanism to get him a great education. His parents were firm believers in the value of a college education, but they unfortunately did not have ample financial means to get their son there. As a result, Worthy started to focus on basketball a lot more in order to improve his chance of getting an athletic scholarship one day.
James Worthy – High School
James Worthy’s efforts to become the best basketball player he could be would not go unnoticed. He was already receiving local media attention for his production in the area, and that flurry of interest would only continue when he started to attend Ashbrook High School.
Fans, evaluators, teammates and coaches would look up to Worthy, literally. He would reach his full adult height of 6’9” by the time he was in the middle of high school. He was also endearing because despite the plethora of notice he drew, he remained humble and did not seek out praise or credit.
He would play for coach Larry Rhodes during his career at Ashbrook, which was notable because it laid the groundwork for the rest of his life. The coach had well established connections to the University of North Carolina, and the head coach there, Dean Smith. This relationship would allow Worthy to practice at Chapel Hill during the summer, and attend basketball camps there to further develop his skill set.
Worthy would go on to have a sparkling career in high school. He was named an All-American, and recorded incredible statistical averages of 21 points per game and 12 rebounds per game as a senior at Ashbrook. The program would also experience team success, playing deep into state postseason tournaments.
James Worthy – College
Given his proximity and exposure, James Worthy’s college decision really wasn’t going to be very difficult for him. Naturally, he received offers from all over the country due to the amount of skill he possessed as a 6’9” forward. However, he was a North Carolina person through and through, and committed to playing for the Tar Heels after graduating from Ashbrook.
Dean Smith had an excellent relationship with Worthy and his parents. The legendary coach would promise Ervin and Gladys Worthy that James would attend all of his classes, and go to church unless they gave him permission to skip the latter. That promise meant a lot to the family, who had dreamt of this moment since the day James was born.
Worthy joined an experienced Tar Heel roster during the 1979-1980 season. Smith’s rotation mostly consisted of juniors and seniors, but the Gastonia native’s game was so advanced that the coach had no choice but to play him significantly. As a freshman, Worthy averaged over 12 points per game, to go along with seven rebounds and nearly two assists.
Unfortunately, his season was cut short due to a freak accident injury suffered down the stretch of the year. Worthy slipped on a wet spot on the court and broke his ankle. It was a devastating turn of events from him, and there were a lot of questions about whether he would ever be able to return to his initial form. He would have a metal rod and screws inserted into his injured ankle, which would make anyone question their athletic future.
Although it was a setback on the court, Worthy admitted that he became more socially adept during this period since he would not always be around the basketball team as he rehabilitated. Fortunately, the forward was all systems go for his sophomore year, and showed no ill effects from his injury. The coaching staff was amazed at how agile and quick he still was upon his return.
The construct of the roster drastically changed in Worthy’s sophomore year, as he and freshman Sam Perkins played prominent roles for the Tar Heels that season. They were the number two seed in the West region, and made a surprising run to the NCAA title game, considering how young they were. North Carolina ended up losing to an Isiah Thomas led Indiana Hoosiers team, but had nothing to be ashamed of considering that they were a year ahead of schedule.
It would set the scene for a magical and memorable 1981-1982 season. The program kept bringing impact freshmen into the fold year after year, and in 1981, Michael Jordan was added to the roster. While the Tar Heels didn’t have a traditional center, their height and length with Worthy, Jordan and Perkins proved to be too much for most of the country to handle.
North Carolina only lost two games all season on their way to the NCAA Tournament. However, once they got there, they were tested every step of the way. They won each of their first four round games by a combined margin of 22 points. It probably wasn’t as easy as they thought it would be, but at least they were battle tested for the NCAA title game against the Georgetown Hoyas.
It turned out to be a fantastic game, as future NBA stars would do battle for college’s ultimate prize. James Worthy really earned his Big Game James nickname in this game, scoring 28 points on 13-17 shooting. Jordan would end up winning the title for the Tar Heels with a game winning shot from the corner. It was a thrilling ending to a great college career for Worthy.
James Worthy – Los Angeles Lakers
The fact that the Los Angeles Lakers were even in a position to select a player like James Worthy is a remarkable story. They made what seemed to be a minor trade in 1980 by acquiring Butch Lee from the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Don Ford. Also included in the deal was a 1982 first round draft pick from the Cavaliers.
At that time, pick protections were not as common as they are now, so the Lakers stood to get whatever pick Cleveland received in 1982. As it turned out, the Cavaliers had the NBA’s worst record that year, finishing 15-67, and had nothing to show for it since Los Angeles had their pick, which ended up being first overall.
Worthy would go straight from playing with the likes of Michael Jordan to suiting up next to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. It might have been an intimidating landing spot for many young players, but Worthy was ready for the challenge. His teammates appreciated how even keel he was, never getting too depressed after a loss, or too excited after a victory.
To illustrate how deep the Lakers were in 1982-1983, they elected to bring Worthy off of the bench for every game but one as a rookie. Playing 25 minutes a game, he still had ample opportunity to show what he could do, and averaged over 13 points a game in his first season. He had some terrible luck however, breaking his leg in the regular season finale that year.
He would have to miss the entire postseason, and his presence could have helped the Lakers in the 1983 Finals. Los Angeles was swept by the Philadelphia 76ers, who had too much firepower with Moses Malone now on the team. All was not lost though, as Worthy set a Laker rookie record shooting nearly 58 percent from the field.
As he did at North Carolina, Worthy absorbed the difficulty of a physical setback and came back better than ever. He appeared in all 82 games for the Lakers in the 1983-1984 campaign, and helped power Los Angeles back to the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics. Boston would end up winning the classic series in seven games, but the moment did not prove to be too big for Worthy. He averaged just over 22 points per game in his first NBA Finals.
That level of confidence, albeit quiet, was a staple of his career. He would always talk about playing his best when his best is needed, and taking pride in the fact that professionals should play best when the stakes are the highest.
The Lakers would be right back in the NBA Finals again in 1985, against Larry Bird and the very same Boston Celtics. Los Angeles would end up winning the series in six games, thanks in large part to the 33 points and 28 points he scored in the last two games. James Worthy has said that this championship, which ended up being his first, was the most satisfying of his career. It was even sweeter to clinch it in Boston Garden.
These performances were commonplace for the rest of the decade, as Los Angeles won again in 1987 and 1988. Thanks to Worthy’s effective play he was named the Finals MVP of the 1988 series, which was a seven game battle against the Detroit Pistons. In Game 7, Worthy would arguably have the finest game of his career. He scored 36 points, pulled down 16 rebounds, and dished out 10 assists when the pressure was at its absolute highest.
He would remain a dangerous scoring option into the 1990’s, as the Lakers once again made the NBA Finals against Worthy’s old college teammate, Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls got the best of an aging Lakers team in 1991 to start a dynasty of their own.
James Worthy would play until the 1993-1994 season, as the team would look to find its new identity after the end of the glory days.
James Worthy – Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
The three time NBA champion was enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2003 class. Even though he had seven consecutive appearances in the All-Star game, and played on the highest level of basketball, it was nice to see Worthy get some specific individual recognition during his induction.
Did James Worthy win an NCAA championship?
James Worthy is an NCAA Champion, as he was part of the 1982 University of North Carolina team that won it all. He was part of a legendary roster of players that included the likes of Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins.
All three players would go on to have lengthy and notable NBA careers. There was no guarantee that Worthy would ever experience college championship glory. He badly injured his ankle as a freshman in Chapel Hill, which required serious medical attention. Fortunately, he was able to come back stronger than ever, and his resilience paid off in a big way.
What was James Worthy known for?
James Worthy is known as one of the greatest winners in basketball history. He won at the college basketball level with the University of North Carolina. Worthy would also win titles at the professional level with the Los Angeles Lakers. He wasn’t just at the right place at the right time, as his contributions often pushed his teams over the top.
His nickname was “Big Game James” for his ability to step up when the lights shined the brightest. He would always feel that players should be able to elevate their performance in high stakes moments, because that’s what their legacy would be defined by.
How many MVP does James Worthy have?
Although he was part of some of the best teams in NBA history, and contributed to their success in a major way, James Worthy did not take home any NBA MVP awards for his production in the regular season. He was also not the type of player who would openly campaign for more attention or votes, either.
However, James Worthy was known for playing well in big games, and his efforts were recognized during the 1987-1988 NBA Finals. He was named Finals MVP, leading the Los Angeles Lakers to a championship on the back of a 36 point Game 7 masterpiece.
