![]() ![]() “I was tough to handle with a power forward body and with small forward quickness,” Worthy said. The Hall of Famer’s willingness to adapt to whatever the Lakers needed from him - scoring, rebounding, defense - was an essential ingredient in Showtime’s historic success throughout the ’80s. Worthy, who was a power forward in college, transitioned to small forward in the NBA. They didn’t need me, so I think Jerry West was looking for the right attitude, a guy that understood his role and was patient. Jamaal Wilkes was still starting at small forward. ![]() … They had just won two championships: ’80 and ’82. “They needed somebody who would fit in,” Worthy told The Athletic. Had Sampson declared, Worthy, coming off a national championship and playing alongside a budding superstar in freshman Michael Jordan, likely would have stayed in college and instead declared for the 1983 NBA Draft.īut Worthy knew that general manager Jerry West was looking for someone with Worthy’s skill set, character and mentality, even if Wilkins and Cummings were the more impactful players at the time - at least in Worthy’s opinion. Sampson’s decision allowed James Worthy, who was in the discussion with Sampson, Dominique Wilkins and Terry Cummings for the draft’s top prospect, to leave North Carolina after his junior season and declare for the draft. 1 pick after acquiring Cleveland’s first-round pick in a 1980 trade and then winning a coin flip with the Clippers. The Lakers, who had just defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Finals, had the No. The Lakers tried to buy the draft pick off the Clippers, but they wouldn’t accept the Lakers’ offer of $6 million (the Clippers wanted $10 million and a player). But Sampson wanted to play for the Lakers, not the then-San Diego Clippers, and decided to stay at Virginia for his senior season because the deadline to declare was before the coin flip. 1 pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, was projected to go No. ![]()
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