Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

[magnax1]

FIrst off neither Dantley or Wilkins could had adjusted to going from 1 option to 3 option from game to game and still be just as effective.

That's not a skill that is relevant in most situations. Most 25 ppg scorers are not (and really should not usually be) second or third options. All that really points out is how fortunate James Worthy was to be on such a stacked team.

Second both needed the ball to score james could post, mid game, run the lane, and finish, can you picture Dantley trying to run the break and finish like Worthy ? It would be funny

Worthy was the better scorer on the break, but otherwise Dantley was quite a bit better at most everything else. For the most part, it's the same with Wilkins.

[vert48]

Worthy's first step was ridiculous. He is underrated.

[Big#50]

It's just too hard to compare him with these guys they were 1st and 2nd options on there teams . Sometimes James would be the 4th option. It wasnt because of lack of talent. It was just any given day another player would be the go to player on that laker team Magic just moved the ball around so much

Worthy was a good passer from the post. These players were way better playmakers. Better defenders too. Has nothing to do with being a first option/second option. They made teammates better. Worthy had Magic. That will always be a knock on him. We will never know what he would do carrying a team on his shoulders.

[Kovach]

but he was also extremely fortunate that he played with Magic so that he could put up efficient numbers that I'm not really certain he's capable of under most circumstances.

Why? Nobody in the NBA could guard him, that is pretty much a well established fact.

[Niquesports]

That's not a skill that is relevant in most situations. Most 25 ppg scorers are not (and really should not usually be) second or third options. All that really points out is how fortunate James Worthy was to be on such a stacked team.


Worthy was the better scorer on the break, but otherwise Dantley was quite a bit better at most everything else. For the most part, it's the same with Wilkins.

It's not a skill to be a effective player which ever role you play ?? No wonder we never agree. That why Isiah ran Dantley out of Detroit he was messing up there team chemistry pounding the ball trying to back his man in.Wilkins was a scorer and a one demintional one at that. He could only beat his man off the dribble. Had no real mid game no post game, wasn't really a good off ball scorer . We all know Dantley was horrible as a off ball scorer. No body on the lakers avg. 25 ppg. One year they had 11 players avg double digets and cooper avg 9 ppg.I wonder why when the Lakers wanted Magic they trade Dantley instead of Jammal Wilks? This is getting funny

[wakencdukest]

Why? Nobody in the NBA could guard him, that is pretty much a well established fact.

Exactly. Worthy was a matchup nightmare, he played bigger than any small forward in the league, and was quicker than any power forward in the league. Ask Rodman how hard he was to guard. No way he was overrated. I don't remember many power forwards in the league that could really guard him. He was fortunate to be on a stacked team, but that doesn't mean he was not a damn beast. I'd take him over Dantley, King, English, Wilkins any day of the week.

[bizil]

I don't think James in overrated at all. He just happened to be on the arguably the most stacked offensive juggernaut of all time. Worthy was clearly a Batman level scorer who had the kind of mindset. It's just a shame his health problems began to catch up with him when it was time for him to assume that mantle.

[97 bulls]

I apologize for bumping an old thread but I have completely forgotten about it.


I don't need any, I drew my conclusion from the fact that he is a freakin human being. Perhaps you have forgotten what a major deal HIV was at the time.

If you truly believe healthy and motivated Worthy wouldn't be able to compensate for that you are either delusional or have never seen him play. You are aware we are talking about the guy who was the ultimate matchup nightmare, right? You are aware that NOBODY in the bloody league could guard him at the time, right? Teams used to throw every single SF and PF on their roster at him, and he would still score close to 20, by half-time. Countless of times he would score 12-15 in the first quarter alone and then simply pass the ball to his teammates for remainder of the game. He could score at will, literally, and no defender could ever do anything about it. The guy used to make a mockery out of the infamous Bad Boys defense almost every single time they matched up for crying out loud. The notion that a healthy Worthy wouldn't be at least a 25ppg player on a less talented team is just absurd.


When your knees give up they give up, who cares if it happens by the age of 30 or 4-5 years later? Doesn't make him any less of a player. By the age of 30 he did more than enough to warrant himself a place among the 50 greatest.

To those so certain Nique was a superior player, have you ever seen a game between those 2? Worthy actually was able to contain Nique to some extent, on the other hand Nique attempting to guard Worthy was, to put it lightly, comical. Same goes for English and Aguirre.

As for his low ppg, why does everyone seem to forget that besides Magic and Kareem, Worthy had to "compete" for points with yet another 20 ppg player on that team? He was even the teams top scorer in one of Worthy's prime years if I'm not mistaken. He used to play a shooting guard, look him up.

As for his low rpg, kind of hard to grab boards when your job is to be on the opponents half court the moment your team gets into possession, dont you think?

To the thread starter, he is anything but overrated. He wasn't even the 3rd option for most of his career. He was the 1st-2nd option on the repeat team and was clearly the best player on the team during the '89 playoffs, and if the Lakers managed to win that year it is very likely you'd be looking at the guy with 2 consecutive final MVP's.

I must say this is true. I cant penalize a player for playing his role to perfection. In another situation, Worthy is easily a 25/7 guy.

And while I dont think hes overrated, hes not underrated. You haave swayed me Kovach

[Kovach]

Exactly. Worthy was a matchup nightmare, he played bigger than any small forward in the league, and was quicker than any power forward in the league. Ask Rodman how hard he was to guard. No way he was overrated. I don't remember many power forwards in the league that could really guard him.

I remember the Suns trying with Chambers, Gilliam and Majerle...I remember the Mavs trying with Perkins, Aquirre and Schrempf...I remember the Sonics trying with McKey, Ellis and McDaniel...and I am talking about the first quarter alone. Was pretty comical to watch.

[Kovach]

I must say this is true. I cant penalize a player for playing his role to perfection. In another situation, Worthy is easily a 25/7 guy.

And while I dont think hes overrated, hes not underrated. You have swayed me Kovach

Here is a little treat for Worthy fans, 1st part of my little pet project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWD7ptyKYc0

27 mins of James embarrassing his defenders. Currently working on a huge expansion of that video, should be finished within a couple of weeks I hope.

[Kobe 4 The Win]

Here is a little treat for Worthy fans, 1st part of my little pet project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWD7ptyKYc0

27 mins of James embarrassing his defenders. Currently working on a huge expansion of that video, should be finished within a couple of weeks I hope.

Thanks for posting the evidence.

[Niquesports]

Here is a little treat for Worthy fans, 1st part of my little pet project: www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWD7ptyKYc0

27 mins of James embarrassing his defenders. Currently working on a huge expansion of that video, should be finished within a couple of weeks I hope.

[aceman]

I don't think James in overrated at all. He just happened to be on the arguably the most stacked offensive juggernaut of all time. Worthy was clearly a Batman level scorer who had the kind of mindset. It's just a shame his health problems began to catch up with him when it was time for him to assume that mantle.

a batman but was he also an alpha dog??

[BoutPractice]

Great video.
Worthy just had a knack for scoring near the basket. He knows all the little tricks and executes them to perfection in a way that makes his scoring look effortless.

Once again, I can't stress how much SF/PF tweeners would gain by studying his game. Stop pounding the ball like a scoring guard and develop a post game...