Latest news with #JamesWorthy
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Just wish I could have been a part of that" - Dominique Wilkins recalls almost getting drafted by the Showtime Lakers
"Just wish I could have been a part of that" - Dominique Wilkins recalls almost getting drafted by the Showtime Lakers originally appeared on Basketball Network. Dominique Wilkins and James Worthy were among the top prospects in the 1982 NBA Draft. Wilkins was the slam-dunking phenom from the University of Georgia, while Worthy was the fast-breaking forward from the University of North Carolina. Worthy ended up becoming the No.1 overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers while Wilkins was drafted two picks later. But during his recent appearance on the "Jaxxson Podcast", Wilkins revealed that the Lakers had a plan to get both him and Worthy to Los Angeles. "That was close, it was. Actually, what was told to me that they were trying to get both Worthy and myself, and it worked out for both franchises cuz Worthy was a wonderful player I have a lot of respect for, and we both came out of North Carolina at the same time. But yeah, they almost had us both. Can you imagine that?" said Dominique. Wilkins and Worthy on the same team with Magic Johnson? Worthy ended up playing alongside Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for a Los Angeles Lakers team dubbed "Showtime" because of their flashy style. Wilkins, known as 'The Human Highlight Film', for obvious reasons, would have been a perfect fit for that team because just imagine Magic running the break with Worthy on one side and Wilkins on the opposite side. But fate had other plans. "Like I said, Worthy was a super player, so he could play both forwards, the power forward and the small forward. I didn't want nothing with power forwards. I'm a small forward, but it just came down to what your team needed, and Worthy worked out great for the Lakers and went on to win multiple championships. He was a major piece of that. And just wish I could have been a part of that early on, so much success early, that was the Lakers," he added. The Showtime Lakers won five NBA championships during the 80s, with Worthy winning Finals MVP honors during their last rodeo in 1988. Wilkins never won an NBA championship but still ended up in the Hall of Fame alongside Worthy and the other Showtime Lakers greats. Nique did not want to play in Utah As to what actually happened on Draft night, Wilkins was selected by the Utah Jazz, but he ended up playing for the Atlanta Hawks, who also picked 10th overall in the Draft, taking Keith Edmonson. Nique explained the draft day trade. "I didn't want to play in Utah at that time," continued Wilkins. "I was drafted by the Jazz. I said, "I'm not going to Utah." Then they said you gonna play power forward and Adrian Dantley small forward. And I said 'Well, you might as well trade me today because I'm not playing power forward.' And it came pretty quickly that this trade was going to happen. So they traded Freeman Williams and John Drew and a million dollars, at that time that was a ton of money, because the Utah franchise was struggling, so that really helped pay some of the salaries." Wilkins averaged 26.4 points per game in 11 seasons in Atlanta, won two dunk contests, earned nine All-Star appearances, and 7 All-NBA selections. He played four more years for four different teams before calling it a career. He ended up in Springfield, too, and save for the championships and NBA 50 snub, everything worked out well for Dominique despite not playing for the story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"The Bulls proved they weren't a one-man team" - James Worthy emphasized the Chicago Bulls' depth beyond MJ
"The Bulls proved they weren't a one-man team" - James Worthy emphasized the Chicago Bulls' depth beyond MJ originally appeared on Basketball Network. Most believe the Chicago Bulls heavily relied on Michael Jordan in the 90s. Given MJ's talent, it was understandable. However, it took more than one man to help a team win games and championships. Advertisement When the Bulls made it to the 1991 NBA Finals, some knew it was because the team had the right mix of players. Jordan was his usual explosive self but needed support from guys like Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant. For Los Angeles Lakers forward James Worthy, this had already been proven early in the 1990-91 regular season. "The Bulls proved they weren't a one-man team back in December," Worthy said via the New York Times. "If they were, they wouldn't have gotten this far." Worthy's comments came after the Bulls leveled the 1991 NBA Finals against the Lakers, 107-86. Jordan had his usual numbers (33 points and 13 assists). However, the win was a result of Chicago's team effort. Bulls defense was key to Game 2 win Chicago was under pressure to win Game 2 after losing Game 1 to the Lakers in Chicago. Jordan was expected to lead the team but early foul trouble hounded the 6'6" guard. Advertisement With MJ's defense on Magic Johnson hardly effective, Phil Jackson turned to Scottie Pippen to contain the Lakers guard. That ploy worked with Johnson, who admitted that Pip did a good job on him in that game. "Pippen did a great job on me," Johnson quipped. "They were trying wear me out or take the ball out of my hands, take your pick. Scottie is more physical than Michael so the matchup was a little different." Related: Pippen once missed a layup to prevent MJ from getting a triple-double in the 1997 Finals: "I didn't want him to tie me" Bulls' defensive switch delivered 1991 title Pippen admitted that the Game 2 defensive switch changed the complexion of that series. Scottie admitted he matched up better against Magic. He had the size and length, which is why he was a more effective defender than Jordan at the time. Advertisement "We knew that Magic was a little too big, a little too strong. And that, you know, MJ was not going to be as effective on him as we needed him to be to win the series," Pippen admitted when he spoke on Stacey Kings "Gimme The Hot Sauce" podcast. Although Magic was still able to get away with decent averages of 18.6 points, 12.4 assists and 8.0 rebounds in that series, the effort was lacking. Vlade Divac and Sam Perkins helped out, but their contributions were not consistent. Worthy also struggled in that series due to an ankle injury. Although he tried to back up Johnson, it was evident that Big Game James was not his usual self. Things only worsened when the top pick of the 1982 Draft could not play in Game 5 because of his injury, according to Lakers center Mychal Thompson, that gave the Bulls a huge edge. Advertisement "James goes down for the series ...and we were done without him," Thompson pointed out. Without a doubt, a healthy Worthy could have swayed the series differently. Aside from his offense, James was supposed to be the one to guard Jordan. Lakers coach Mike Dunleavy felt the 1988 NBA Finals MVP was perfect since he was familiar with MJ's game and would not be intimidated by him. Dunleavy had a point although it would be hard to imagine Jordan not getting away with his numbers. Moreover, there were other players like Pippen, Horace Grant and John Paxson to worry about. Hence, it was not just about one man but an entire team that LA had to worry about. Related: Michael Jordan shows off his $115 million luxurious superyacht in Croatia This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"Magic, at 6'9", had a hard time guarding little quick guards" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reveals how the Lakers always had Magic Johnson's back
"Magic, at 6'9", had a hard time guarding little quick guards" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reveals how the Lakers always had Magic Johnson's back originally appeared on Basketball Network. When discussing the iconic Showtime Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s, the most common sentiment revolves around their selfless, pass-first point guard, Magic Johnson. It is often assumed that despite having elite scoring ability, the three-time MVP constantly prioritized setting up his teammates, helping them reach their peak form. Advertisement But as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar once pointed out, this dynamic wasn't just about Magic elevating others; instead, it was a two-way street wherein the rest of the players went above and beyond to protect Magic's legacy as arguably the greatest PG. Kareem on how the Lakers helped their superstar point guard Throughout Magic's time orchestrating the Lakers' offense, he evidently made the game easy for several teammates: such as Kareem being able to average over 21 points per game until the age of 38, James Worthy earned his first All-NBA selection, Michael Cooper registered a scoring average in double digits twice and Byron Scott attained his career-scoring high of 21.7 points per game. While it's easy to assume Magic was the engine powering the others, The Cap was quick to dispel this notion. On Michael Cooper's podcast, the six-time MVP emphasized that the other Lakers embraced Magic's style and made sure to consistently score points to make his playmaking count. Ultimately, that is what made Johnson's passing such an elite weapon. Advertisement Furthermore, Kareem also shed light on how others also worked twice as hard on the defensive end to make up for Johnson's shortcomings, only so that the latter doesn't turn into a liability on the backend. "His job is to get… He saw his purpose was to allow us to score (points) and facilitate that. He wanted us to shine because if we shone, he shone. So, it was back and forth. You know, Magic, at 6'9", had a hard time guarding little quick guards. He had to play the point, so we had to help him on that issue, but it never ended up being a problem,"Abdul-Jabbar explained to Cooper. "We just made the adjustments we needed to make to complement each other and just took it from there… Yeah at 6'9", there was nobody who was going to push him out of the way… he could've played Power Forward if he wanted to," Kareem added. Related: Tracy McGrady believes he was never put in the situation to win a ring: "Replace me with Kobe with Shaq... You don't think I can carry the Lakers to a championship?" Players on great teams need to fill in each other's voids This is how dynasties are built - by players filling in each other's gaps and fully embracing one another's strengths. The Lakers understood that Magic's supreme skill was his vision and passing, and they leaned into it. In return, they did the dirty work, played defense, and elevated their games offensively so that Magic's strengths could translate into team victories. Advertisement That being said, perhaps that mutual understanding and unspoken sacrifice is precisely what made the Purple and Gold the greatest team of the 1980s - no egos, no imposition, just trust, hustle and chemistry. That is exactly what modern-day teams also need to do if they don't just want to attain a championship and be a one-season wonder; instead, they should be focused on building a dynasty like the Showtime Lakers. Related: Magic explains why winning a gold medal at the 1992 Olympics means more than NBA or NCAA titles: "I finally got the chance to play with Michael and Larry" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991
"I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense" - James Worthy proved his defensive skills when he slowed down Chris Mullin in 1991 originally appeared on Basketball Network. Throughout his career, Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy was best known for his offensive prowess. However, that didn't mean that the North Carolina product was useless on defense. Advertisement "Big Game James" displayed that in the 1991 Western Conference semifinals between the Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He was assigned to guard Chris Mullin, a move that proved successful. "I'm no Rodman, but in 20-odd years of playing basketball, I've learned to play some fundamental defense," the top pick of the 1982 Draft said via UPI. The Lakers made the defensive adjustments after "Mully" dropped a game-high 41 points in Game 2 of that series. Then-coach Mike Dunleavy took Magic Johnson off the Warriors star and replaced him with Worthy. Overlooking Worthy's defense At the time, Worthy was one of the Lakers' top offensive weapons. He was a great finisher in the fast break and had a decent mid-range shot. Best of all, he was not afraid to take clutch shots when needed. Advertisement Because of his athleticism, long arms, quickness and basketball IQ, the 6'9" Worthy did his share to help the Lakers on the defensive end. His size proved to be a problem for players like Mullin. The St. John's product admitted James gave him problems. "He gets in your stuff off the dribble and he's still big enough to get into your shot when you step back. He and Dennis (Rodman) are the two quickest guys in the league," the lefty sharpshooter quipped. With Worthy on him, Mullin's point production dwindled in the games that followed. After that 41-point explosion, the 6'7" forward managed to score only nine points in Game 4. Chris did unload 26 in Game 5, but the effort went for naught as the Lakers closed out the series 124-119. Related: "Shaq, I'm from the Balkans, you cannot haze me so hard, I've seen everything" - Goran Dragic recalls how he survived Shaquille O'Neal's rookie treatment Worthy's career turning point The Lakers would next face and defeat the Portland Trail Blazers (4-2) to set up a finals clash with the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls. LA drew first blood by taking Game 1, 93-91. Advertisement However, that win came at a price. Worth reinjured his left ankle and played through the pain the rest of the way. According to Dunleavy, "Big Game James'" injury was costly. The Lakers coach felt the Lakers had a good chance to win the title, especially with James' familiarity with Jordan. "The worst part was James Worthy getting injured," Dunleavy said. "We felt really good about our chances there. James played with Michael at North Carolina and was not intimidated by him at all. And he was our guy to defend him." Despite not being 100%, Worthy still led the Lakers in scoring with 19.3 points per game. But against Jordan (31.2 points per game) and Scottie Pippen (20.8 points per game), the effort went for naught. Advertisement Worthy's high ankle injury was only the beginning. In the latter part of the 1991-92 season, James underwent knee surgery, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. These injuries took a lot of the UNC product's quickness and leaping ability. He played the next two seasons but decided to call it a career in the 1994-95 preseason. It was quite a run for "Big Game James," who played a crucial role in three Lakers championships. His two-way impact made him invaluable — a big reason why the franchise retired his No. 42 jersey. On top of that, his stellar career earned him a spot on both the NBA's 50th and 75th-anniversary teams — honors that felt like the perfect nod to a player who always delivered when it mattered most. Related: "God, if you let me get through this, I won't play no more" - Larry Bird describes the moment that made him retire for good This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Reuters
28-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Report: UNC, Georgetown to begin home-and-home series in '25
May 28 - North Carolina and Georgetown basketball will play a home-and-home series beginning in the 2025-26 season, CBS Sports reported Wednesday. The first game is expected to be played in Chapel Hill, N.C., and scheduled sometime in December, per the report. North Carolina finished 24-14 in the 2024-25 season and was a controversial selection to the NCAA Tournament, where the Tar Heels defeated San Diego State in the First Four and lost to Ole Miss in the first round. Georgetown was 18-16 and played two games in the College Basketball Crown postseason tournament. The Hoyas lost to Nebraska in the second round. The Tar Heels and Hoyas have met seven times, with North Carolina holding a 4-3 edge. The teams played in the 1982 NCAA Tournament championship game, with legendary coaches John Thompson and Dean Smith squaring off. North Carolina, behind Final Four Most Outstanding Player James Worthy, won 63-62 in New Orleans. --Field Level Media
