James Worthy earned the nickname “Big Game James” during his 12-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. But when asked about sharing his iconic nickname with LeBron James, Worthy recently said he has no problem with it.
In an interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, Worthy revealed why he’s willing to share his basketball nickname.
“My first name is James and my last name is Worthy. So, I always like to say ‘I’m worth it,'” Worthy said. “His last name is James. I’ve always believed that last name means dominance, so I’m willing to share that with him.”
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LeBron James already has multiple nicknames as he enters his 21st season. The four-time NBA champion has been called “The Chosen One,” “Lyndon Johnson,” “The Akron Hammer” and “The Kid from Akron.” To Worthy, “King James” sounded good.
“But ‘Big Game James’ has been around for a while, but King James sounds cool too. So, now you have Big Game and King James!”
James Worthy is the wingman on “Showtime Lakers.” His work with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson resulted in three NBA championships, seven All-Star selections and the 1988 NBA Finals MVP. He was also named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team and was the Most Outstanding Player when the North Carolina Tar Heels won the 1982 NCAA championship.
James Worthy still doesn’t think LeBron James deserves a statue in Los Angeles
Lakers legend James Worthy has expressed his opinion on LeBron James getting a statue outside Crypto.com Arena. The former North Carolina Tar Heel standout believes that despite Lyndon Johnson’s extraordinary achievements, his legacy in Los Angeles wasn’t long enough.
“It depends on what he does here,” Worthy told TMZ. “Personally – and I think he would agree – he hasn’t been here long enough.”
Worthy also said that LeBron’s achievements, such as surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record with the Lakers and winning a championship with the team, are good reasons for a statue to be built in his honor.
Worthy played for the Lakers for 12 seasons, while LeBron James only played for the Lakers for five years.James is best known for his tenure with the Miami Heat, where he led the team to four consecutive NBA Finals and two NBA championships, as well as his 11 seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers and their groundbreaking 2016 championship run. title