James Worthy

James Worthy defines the term “most valuable player” –- not just in his career as a superstar athlete but as an entrepreneur, sports broadcast analyst and commercial spokesman.

Under the tutelage of famed coach Dean Smith, Worthy teamed with Michael Jordan at University of North Carolina (UNC) and was named to virtually every All-American team following his junior year as a Tar Heel. After being named MVP of the Final Four in 1982, he was the #1 overall pick in the 1982 draft, joining the reigning NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers while continuing his college education, ultimately graduating with a BA degree from UNC.

While with the Lakers for 12 consecutive years, Worthy earned the nickname “Big Game James” for his dazzling performance in championship playoffs. On December 10, 1995, he became only the sixth player in Laker history to have his jersey retired. His #42 joined the jerseys of teammates, Gail Goodrich, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson.

Worthy was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, topping a long list of noteworthy statistics:

• Seven-time NBA All Star
• Member of three NBA Championship teams NBA Finals
• NBA Finals Most Valuable Player; 1988
• College Player of the Year; 1982
• MVP OF NCAA Championships; 1982
• Rated by NBA, one of the 50 all time best pro players
• Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame

Worthy’s trademark goggles, along with a championship uniform, were inducted into the Smithsonian Institute in early 1996. In addition, Worthy launched the Smithsonian’s National Sports Oral History Project, a career retrospective providing insight into historical changes in the sport. He was also named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Since retiring from the game in 1994, Worthy’s schedule has been devoted to appearances on the corporate and collegiate lecture circuits, commercial and animation voiceovers, and sports broadcasting with Spectrum Sports Network. Worthy has also maintained his commitment to helping youngsters achieve their greatest potential, most notably through his active involvement with The Boys and Girls Club of America.