James Worthy

Basketball
Inducted: 1997
  • Born in Gastonia, NC, 1961
  • Unusually mobile forward at 6 ft. 9 in. 
  • Led University of North Carolina to 1982 NCAA title
  • Named MVP in 1982 ACC Tournament, Eastern Regional, and Final Four
  • Selected first-team All-ACC in 1982; second-team All-ACC in 1981
  • Honored as second-team AP All-American in 1982; first-team UPI All-American in 1982
  • Won 1982 McKelvin Award as ACC’s top athlete
  • Scored 1,219 points at UNC from 1980–1982, averaging 14.5 per game
    First pick in 1982 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers
  • Played 12 seasons for Lakers before retiring in 1994
  • Helped Lakers to 1985, 1987 and 1988 NBA titles
  • Named to seven NBA all-star games
  • Named one of top 50 players of NBA’s first half-century
  • Scored 16,320 points in pros, averaging 17.7 per game