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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, commercial spokesman, and devoted father.
Worthy was born February 27, 1961, in Gastonia, North Carolina, the son of a minister and a registered
nurse. He was voted an All-American at Ashbrook High School, having led his team to three consecutive
championships.
Destined for a career in basketball, the 6’9" athlete with the deep voice and lanky stride, received a full
scholarship to the University of North Carolina. Under the tutelage of famed coach, Dean Smith, Worthy
played with such dream teammates as Michael Jordan and Sam Perkins, 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. With the Lakers for 12 consecutive years, Worthy earned the
name "Big Game James" for his dazzling performance in championship playoffs. He averaged 21.1 points and
5.2 rebounds in 143 playoff contests.
On December 10, 1995, Worthy became only the sixth player in Laker history to have his jersey retired. His
#42 joined the jerseys of teammates Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and
Magic Johnson on the wall of The Great Western Forum. It was the fourth such ceremony for Worthy,
whose jerseys were retired in junior high (#32), high school (#52) and college (#52).
Worthy was most recently inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, topping a long list of
noteworthy statistics:
* Seven-time NBA All-Star
* Member of three NBA Championship teams; 1985, 1987, 1988
* NBA Finals Most Valuable Player; 1988
* NBA All-rookie team; 1983
* All-NBA Team; 1989-1990, 1990-1991
* Career record of 16,320 points
* College Player of the Year; 1982
* MVP of NCAA Championships; 1982
* Rated by NBA one of the 50 all-time best pro players
Worthy’s trademark goggles, along with a championship uniform, were inducted into the Smithsonian
Institute early in 1996. In addition, Worthy launched the Smithsonian’s National Sports Oral History
Project--a career retrospective providing insight into historical changes in the sport.
Since retiring from the game on November 10, 1994, Worthy commenced a second career as owner and
president of Big Game James, Inc., a sports marketing firm specializing in retired athletes. Big Game James,
Inc. has successfully put the spotlight on many sports legends by linking them with companies such as IBM,
Sears, Niketown, and McDonnell Douglas for promotions, endorsements, and public appearances.
By building on his background of commercial endorsements and public appearances, Worthy’s schedule is
now devoted to appearances on the corporate and collegiate lecture circuits, commercial and animation
voiceovers, and most notably, sports broadcasting. He currently hosts FOX Sports News twice nightly, five
evenings per week, on the critically acclaimed 24-hour FOX Sports Network.
Worthy still competes, however, golf is now his "big game". He plays as often as possible in numerous charity,
celebrity and pro-am events worldwide including his own "Legends of Sports" tournament which honors the
sportsworld’s greatest talents. Worthy has also maintained his commitment to helping youngsters achieve
their greatest potential, most notably through his active involvement in charitable organizations such as Big
Brothers of L.A., Special Olympics, and the Boys and Girls Club. Proceeds from his 1997 golf tournament
benefited the American Diabetes Association, and on November 12 of this year, he will be inducted into the
Boys and Girls Club Hall of Fame.
When asked what he considers to be the most admirable trait in a person, Worthy answers, "That one take
responsibility for honoring his commitments." That philosophy guides his role as father to two young
daughters, Sable and Sierra. When asked, "If you could choose what to come back as in a second life, what
would it be?" "Myself," is the answer from a confident man, destined for success in every pursuit.
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