Lakers Players

James Worthy

James Ager Worthy (b. February 27, 1961 in Gastonia, North Carolina) is an American former college and professional basketball player. Standing 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in), he played small forward.

Worthy was a stand-out basketball player for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, winning the 1982 NCAA championship (freshman Michael Jordan was also on this championship team and made the final shot to win the game, but it was Worthy's steal that sealed the deal) before being drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Lakers. As a Laker, he contributed to 3 NBA championships in 1985, 1987, and 1988. He was best known for his one-handed statue-of-liberty slam dunk. Although lesser known than his Hall of Fame teammates, Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Magic Johnson, his teammates have regarded him as an important part of the Lakers' success. As the recipient of Magic's dazzling passes, he was a great finisher due his ability to glide seemingly effortlessly through the air to the basket. He was a member of the 1983 NBA all-rookie team (unanimous choice). His 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assist in Game 7 of the 1988 NBA Finals earned him Most Valuable Player. He began wearing eye goggles after suffering a severe eye injury during the 1984-1985 season.

Nicknamed by longtime Lakers color commentator Chick Hearn] as "Big Game James", Worthy played in 926 NBA games, had a career field goal percentage of .521, and averaged 17.6 points per game (21.1 points per playoff game). He was a first-ballot inductee into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003. His jersey (#42) was retired by the Los Angeles Lakers after his retirement.

As of the 2005-2006 NBA season, Worthy works as a color commentator for Laker game telecasts and highlights on KCAL and KCBS television stations in Los Angeles. He also has been senior vice president of RP & Associates, a marketing company in Hermosa Beach, California, since February of 2005.

In 1990, Worthy was arrested in Houston and charged with solicitation of prostitution. He was in the city with the Lakers for a game against the Houston Rockets. According the police, prior to the game, Worthy called a local Houston escort service and requested that two women be sent to meet him in his hotel room. Unbeknownst to Worthy, police had already shut down the escort service, and they instead sent two undercover vice squad officers to the hotel to meet him.

Worthy was jailed and was unable to post bail and be released in time to make it to the arena by the start of that evening's game. Sam Perkins started the game in Worthy's place. Worthy did play later in the game, having arrived shortly after the game had begun. However, his absence from the starting lineup served to ensure maximum publicity for the embarrassing arrest, as journalists covering the game sought out and reported the reason that he did not start.

A month later, Worthy pleaded no contest to both charges. He was sentenced to one year of probation, fined $1,000 USD and ordered to perform 40 hours of community service.

Worthy was married at the time of the incident. He and his wife, Angela, did make an attempt to salvage their marriage, but the damage ultimately proved too great and they divorced in 1995.

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