“It forced me to get married” – Magic Johnson’s and Showtime Lakers’ ‘DEATH WISH’ lifestyle pushed Michael Jordan’s former teammate to get hitched

Former NBA star James Worthy discusses the less glamorous aspects of the "Showtime Lakers" during his appearance on 'All The Smoke.'


“It forced me to get married” – Magic Johnson’s and Showtime Lakers’ ‘DEATH WISH’ lifestyle pushed Michael Jordan’s former teammate to get hitched

Magic Johnson and James Worthy (Credits: ESPN)

Former Los Angeles Lakers star and present-day commentator/host James Worthy is known for his successful 12-year-long NBA career with the team. Worthy who secured three NBA championship titles with the team reveals the dark side of the showtime Lakers on his appearance  on ‘All The Smoke.’

The former 6’9 forward said, “Man, it was sh*tball crazy in the 80s, man. It was just crazy. You know, the hotels, the lifestyle. I am really glad there wasn’t social media back then. It was fun, but it was dangerous. It was just freefall, “For a country boy like me, who only had two girlfriends, it forced me to get married. Because I was out here for a couple of years alone, and it was a death wish. I couldn’t handle it.”

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The seven-time all-star shed light on the extravagant lifestyle he witnessed in Los Angeles. The former star struggled to sort out his 20s and the lifestyle made it hard for him to stay faithful to his high school sweetheart as there were regular visits to strip clubs.

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James Worthy in his appearance on ‘All The Smoke.’ said that with the glamour and extravagant lifestyle the city of LA provides, young athletes who are now part of the league should be mentored to prevent them going into these side of things.

Worthy said, “It is the athlete on one side that you see, who was a bada*s in public. But when you sit in a hotel room by yourself, and your real sh*t comes, you got a winning formula that keeps you going here. When you get back over here, you realize you hate that over here. So it always comes out, in some kind of way,” Worthy added. “So, you really got to have a great mentor, someone to listen to.”

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James Worthy on getting bullied by Michael Jordan

Former NBA star James Worthy and Michael Jordan both attended the University of North Carolina, with Worthy recalling Jordan’s competitive drive and “assassin mentality” upon his arrival, and how Jordan soon succeeded Worthy as the top player on the roster.

James Worthy and Michael Jordan
James Worthy and Michael Jordan (Credits: ESPN)

James Worthy in a media interaction mentioned that, “I was better than Michael, for about three weeks. He was an assassin. He bullied me. He sought out the best in everything.” Before Jordan arrived at UNC, Worthy was one of the best averaging 14.2 points per game including 8.4 rebounds and 8 assists.

James Worthy had a successful NBA career with the Los Angeles Lakers, but it was not on the same level as Michael Jordan’s historic accomplishments in the league. During their college years, as teammates at UNC, they played a pivotal role in leading their team to a national championship, solidifying their status as some of the best players of their era.

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