"I'm willing to": James Worthy has no hesitation in sharing 'Big Game James' moniker with LeBron James
James Worthy carried the nickname "Big Game James" in his 12 years carving out a Hall of Fame career with the LA Lakers. But when asked about sharing his iconic moniker with LeBron James, Worthy recently showed that he has no issues with it.
In an interview with Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson, Worthy revealed the reason why he was willing to share his basketball nickname.
"My first name is James and last name is Worthy. So, I'm always like to say 'I'm Worthy of," Worthy said. "His last name is James. I always think last name is dominance, so I’m willing to share it with him."
LeBron James has had multiple nicknames as he enters his 21st season. The four-time NBA champion has been known as "The Chosen One," "LBJ," "The Akron Hammer" and "The Kid from Akron." For Worthy, "King James" sounds good to him.
"But 'Big Game James' has been around for a while, but King James sounds pretty cool, too. So, now you have Big Game and King James!”
James Worthy was the wingman of the "Showtime Lakers." His tandem with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson resulted in three NBA championships, seven All-Star appearances and the 1988 NBA Finals MVP. He also made the NBA's 75th Anniversary team and was the Most Outstanding Player as the North Carolina Tar Heels won the 1982 NCAA title.
James Worthy doesn't believe LeBron James deserves a statue in Los Angeles just yet
Lakers legend James Worthy has given his opinion on LeBron James getting a statue outside of Crypto.com Arena. The former North Carolina Tar Heels standout believes that despite the remarkable feats of LBJ, he has not stayed long enough to be immortalized in bronze in Los Angeles.
"It depends on what he does here out," Worthy said to TMZ. "Personally — and I think he'd 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 as a Laker and winning a championship with the team make a compelling case to build him a statue.
While Worthy spent all his 12 seasons as a Laker, LeBron James has suited up for the franchise for just five years. James is known best for his tenure with the Miami Heat, where he brought the team to four straight NBA Finals appearances and two NBA titles, and his 11 seasons and groundbreaking 2016 title with the Cleveland Cavaliers