James Worthy

5 out of 5

Retired NBA Hall of Famer, Entrepreneur & Sports Broadcast Analyst

Los Angeles, CA, USA

James Worthy Biography

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.

Under the tutelage of the famed coach, Dean Smith, Worthy teamed with dream teammate Michael Jordan 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, the Los Angeles Lakers, while continuing his college education and finally graduating with a BA degree from U.N.C. at Chapel Hill.

While with the Lakers for 12 consecutive years, Worthy earned the name “Big Game James” for his dazzling performance in the championship playoffs. On December 10, 1995, he became only the sixth player in Laker history to have his jersey retired. His #42 joined the jerseys of teammates Gail Goodrich, Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, Wilt Chamberlin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Magic Johnson.

Worthy was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2003, topping a long list of noteworthy statistics: Seven-time NBA All-Star, Member of three NBA Championship teams, NBA Finals Most Valuable Player in 1988, College Player of the Year in 1982, MVP of NCAA Championships in 1982, rated by NBA as one of the 50 all-time best pro players, Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame, and NBA’s 75 Players of all time.

Worthy’s trademark goggles, along with a championship uniform, were inducted into the Smithsonian Institute in early 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’s schedule is now devoted to appearances on the corporate and collegiate lecture circuits, and commercial and animation voiceovers. He is most notably known now for sports broadcasting with Spectrum Sports Network.

Worthy has also maintained his commitment to helping youngsters achieve their greatest potential, most notably through his active involvement with The Boys and Girls Club of America.

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Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 03/02/2026.

James Worthy Videos

James Worthy Takes The Suns Apart - YouTube

James Worthy Takes The Suns Apart - YouTube

Ever wondered what would happen if Magic by chance got himself ejected early in the game and PRIME Big Game James had to lead the team? Well..pretty...

James Worthy (31pts/6rebs/8asts/2stls) vs. Kings (1994) - YouTube

James Worthy (31pts/6rebs/8asts/2stls) vs. Kings (1994) - YouTube

James Worthy's last hurrah. The Lakers franchise is on the brink of not making the playoffs for the first time since 1975-76 and should better start...

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James Worthy is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. The estimated speaking fee range to book James Worthy for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. James Worthy generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Zack Kass, Eric Boles, Daymond John, Jelly Roll and Rocky Bleier. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling James Worthy for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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