James Worthy Biography
James Ager Worthy was born on February 27, 1961, he is an American former professional basketball player who is currently a commentator, television host, and analyst.
He was raised in Gastonia, North Carolina, where his father was a Baptist minister. The Worthy family believed in hard work and hard study and it was expected that their children would go to college.
However, on a minister’s salary that was not so easy to accomplish. Worthy saw his parents struggling to pay college tuition for his brothers and decided to get a scholarship to help out.
By ninth grade Worthy was making local headlines. In tenth grade colleges were after him. By his senior year he had played on five All American teams, earned Conference Player of the Year, and amassed an incredible average of 21.5 points per game.
Age
The former American basketball player James Ager Worthy was born in Gastonia, North Carolina on February 27, 1961 is currently 62 years old as of 2023.
James Worthy Height and Weight
He has an estimated height of 2.06 m and weighs 102 kg as of 2023.
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James Worthy Net Worth
Worthy has earned his net worth from his annual salary in 1985 until 1993 which amounted to about $9,950,000. He has an estimated net worth of around $10 million which he earned from his career.
James Worthy Education
After graduating high school, Worthy attended the University of North Carolina (UNC). An immediate standout, his freshman year was cut short near mid-season by a broken ankle.
As a sophomore, he was a key member of that school’s 1981 NCAA runner-up team, starring alongside Al Wood and Sam Perkins. He completed his degree later, via summer school. He is one of eight UNC players to have their numbers retired.
Family
He is the youngest son of Ervin and Gladys Worthy, he was raised in Gastonia, North Carolina, where his father was a Baptist minister.
James Worthy Wife
He was married to Angela Wilder from 1984 to 1996 they have two daughters, Sable and Sierra Worthy.
James Worthy Career
He is a professional basketball player, professional speaker and a broadcaster.
As a junior power forward, Worthy was the leading scorer of a Tar Heels NCAA championship team that featured one of the greatest collections of talent in collegiate basketball history, including future NBA stars Sam Perkins and freshman Michael Jordan.
In the wake of this success Worthy elected to forgo his senior year and enter the NBA draft. In 1982 The Los Angeles Lakers had received the Cleveland Cavaliers first round draft in a 1979 exachange for Don Ford, The Cavaliers finished with the NBA’s worst record in the 1981–82 season, leaving a coin toss to decide whether they or the worst record runner-up San Diego Clippers would get the number one pick in the upcoming draft.
The Lakers won the flip, the first and only time for a reigning league champion and they chose Worthy.
1985
In 1985 the Lakers returned to face Boston in the NBA championships. After losing the first game by 40 points, the usually quiet Worthy spoke up.
In the finals against Boston he nudged even higher, to 23.7. For the first time in his professional career Worthy’s scoring average topped 20 ppg in the 1986 regular season. He also made the first of seven consecutive appearances in the NBA All-Star Game. By 1988 Worthy was a superstar.
During home games the stadium shook as the crowds chanted his name. Sports journalists across the country wrote that Worthy was indeed worthy of praise, fame, even basketball history.
His scoring average again topped 20 ppg, helping the Lakers coast to another championship appearance. This time their opponents were the Detroit Pistons.
The series came down to the wire in the seventh game. Worthy, again proving his grace under pressure, pulled off the best game of his career. He scored an astounding 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists.
1990
The Lakers lost the NBA championship to the Pistons in 1989 and did not make it past the semi-finals in 1990. They returned to the finals in 1991, but lost to the Chicago Bulls.
As the Lakers fell, Worthy’s play also declined. In 1991 he posted the best scoring average of his career with 21.4 ppg, yet his field goal percentage dropped for the first time in eight seasons.
The following year Worthy had surgery on his knee and sat out most of the season. When he came back in 1993 he had record low averages in every category.
He was suffering tendonitis and knee pain. Worthy decided to retire a week into his thirteenth season with the Lakers, he was 33.n September of 2003 Worthy was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.