Hoops Habit
Fansided

NBA Draft: 30 greatest draft picks in league history

By Josh Cornelissen

Larry Bird, Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Tom Herde/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
Larry Bird, Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson, Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Tom Herde/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
7 of 31
Next
James Worthy, Los Angeles Lakers
James Worthy, Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) /

Small Forward. North Carolina Tar Heels, 1982 (No. 1). James Worthy. 25. player. 20.

Greatest NBA Draft picks in league history: James Worthy, Los Angeles Lakers

If a player such as Elgin Baylor has his career recognition suppressed by lack of titles, James Worthy is a former Laker who perhaps experiences the opposite reaction. After starring at the University of North Carolina to the tune of two Final Fours, one title and a selection as a First-Team All-American, Worthy was the No. 1 pick in the 1982 NBA Draft.

That pick belonged to the Cleveland Cavaliers, but had been traded to the Lakers in 1979 in return for Don Ford. A coin flip ensured the Lakers, as defending champions, would get to pick No. 1 overall — the only time in NBA history that has happened.

Worthy fit right in on a Lakers team absolutely loaded with championship talent, from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Kurt Rambis, to Magic Johnson and Michael Cooper. He won three titles with the Lakers, never as more than the second option, but always an important part of the starting lineup.

The 6-foot-9 forward never donned another jersey, playing 12 years in Los Angeles. He made seven All-Star teams and twice as a Third-Team All-NBA choice. His 81.2 career win shares are the fewest of anyone in this top-30, but his three titles are tied for sixth.

Worthy was an important part of the Lakers exorcising their Boston demons and enjoyed a long and fruitful career with the team, a remarkable return on a pick that wasn’t theirs to begin with.