James Worthy with a jumpshot??

[Admin]

That statement got me to thinking about Marvin Williams and how he compares to James Worthy, if at all.

Worthy was listed at 6'9 225 lbs in his playing days and was the 1st overall pick, from UNC.

Williams is listed at 6'8 230 lbs and will be the 1st or 2nd overall pick, from UNC.

As a freshman Worthy broke his ankle and didnt play much. His sophomore year he averaged 14.2 points and 8.4 rebounds that season while shooting .500 from the floor. Worthy was a starter and put up those numbers.

As a freshman Williams averaged 11.3 points and 6.6 rebounds that season while shooting .506 from the floor. Williams came off the bench and put up those numbers.

Now, here is where it gets really interesting. Check out this little tidbit that I didnt know about which I think is VERY fitting considering he may primarily be Al's backup.

The Lakers had won the NBA championship in 1982, and they had one of the league's top small forwards in Jamaal Wilkes. But astute trading had given Los Angeles the top pick in the draft. During the 1979-80 season the Lakers sent Don Ford and a 1980 first-round pick (which became Chad Kinch) to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Butch Lee and the Cavs' first-round pick in 1982. When that pick turned out to be the No. 1 overall selection, the Lakers claimed Worthy, who had decided to pass up his senior year at North Carolina. Worthy became only the second overall No. 1 draft choice the Lakers have had since moving to California in 1960. The first, of course, had been Magic in 1979.

Wilkes was still at the top of his game when Worthy arrived. Wilkes averaged 21.1 points in 1981-82 (16th in the league) and played more minutes for the Lakers than everyone but Johnson and Norm Nixon. On most NBA teams Worthy would have been the immediate star; on the Lakers, he had to serve an apprenticeship.

Magic would recall that the way Worthy handled himself that first year showed immediately that he had the brains to go along with his physical gifts.

"Even though he was the No. 1 pick in the draft, he had made up his own mind that he was gonna learn from Wilkes, and he accepted his role," Johnson told the Los Angeles Daily News after Worthy retired. "That told me he was a team player, and a winner too. Most rookies would be complaining and griping, but he never did that."

Worthy nevertheless put together a respectable rookie campaign. He played in 77 games before fracturing his left tibia and missing the 1983 playoffs. His field goal percentage of .579 topped all other NBA first-year players and remains a Lakers club record for rookies. He averaged 13.4 points and 5.2 rebounds and was unanimously selected to the All-Rookie Team.

In his best season, Worthy averaged 21 ppg and 6 rpg from the SF spot. Would we be happy drafting Marvin at #2 if that was the best season we ever get from him? If Worthy had been on a team without a Magic, Kareem, Scott, etc. would he have put up bigger numbers or did he need the protection? I think he probably would have put up abou the same rebound numbers, but probably closer to 25 ppg.

Anyways, I just think this is pretty interesting. I dont know that he is as athletic as Worthy was because I just havent seen that from him yet, but it may be there and we may not have gotten the chance to see it from him because he wasnt asked to do things like Worthy used to do on the break.

[hotboyj]

I really don't like the comparisions to players of a long time ago. You don't know how in today's game some of the greats would be. Back then Oscar Robertson averaged like 50 ppg, so did Wilt Chamberlin. Shaq might have averaged 60 ppg back then who knows. The game is alot more physical right now, and at 225 he won't be a beast down low against hardly anyone.

Smoove is at least 230 and he can barely do anything in the post. What do you expect a guy who is shorter, not as big, and not as athletic to do?

[tmac13]

Worthy played in the 80's and 90's..The Big O and Wilt played in the 50's and 60's.....

[Lascar78]

To answer your question, if a college james worthy was in this draft I would take him in a heartbeat. Worthy was not just a product of Kareem and Magic, he was a player who allowed himself to fit into a team without needing to be the star. There's a reason he went #1.

I think the comparison to Worthy is a little overblown, but I would take Worthy without thinking about it twice.