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  1. #1
    I eat cheese oolalaa's Avatar
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    Default Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    Worthy is overrated. I have seen him pretty high up on some peoples SF lists. But the question is, how overrated?

    He was a good/very good scorer, a fantastic athlete who was as devastating on the fast break as he was hitting mid range jumpers. But, he was an average defender, an average playmaker and an average rebounder.

    Couldn't the Lakers have won 4 championships between 83' and 88' with Dominique instead of Worthy? or Alex English? Was he really better than Adrian Dantley? or Bernard King? or Kiki Vandeweghe? or even Mark Aguirre?

    Worthy was a fantastic complimentary player, an unbelievable 3rd option to have and a good 2nd option. He was perfect for those mid 80s Laker teams and had some big playoff games.

    But come on people. WHAT IF THE SAN DIEGO CLIPPERS HAD DRAFTED HIM?!


    Edit:

    Some clarification:

    Most people consider Worthy to be 'greater' than (you know, higher on all time lists) other small forwards from that era such as nique, english, dantley, king etc.

    Now i am asking, is that because he was the better player or because he was fortunate to land on the perfect team?

    I try to judge players in a vacuum. I try to put their team accomplishments into perspective. It can be very hard sometimes
    Last edited by oolalaa; 12-22-2011 at 10:05 AM.

  2. #2
    I Insist JohnnySic's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    He was a very good player but putting him into the all-time 50 greatest is indeed overrating him. He was not better than Dominique Wilkins, Bernard King, and others...

  3. #3
    7-time NBA All-Star
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    I don't see how someone would come to the conclusion that Kiki or Alex English were better than Worthy. Or Aguirre for that matter. Bernard King during his short prime? Yes. Haven't seen much of Dantley on the Jazz, but he wasn't as good as Worthy when he was a Piston, and he had a chance to win as a guy who wasn't the best player on a loaded team. Maybe they should've won in '88, but he wasn't as good in that role on a contender as Worthy, and Detroit got better after he left.

    Worthy was a beast in transition, a reliable mid-range shooter, almost unstoppable in the post, a very good passer out of the post and he almost always raised his game in the playoffs.

    There were series when you could argue he was the Lakers MVP. Take the '87 WCF for example when he averaged 30 and was their most consistent player in the series.

  4. #4
    Titles are overrated Kblaze8855's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    He was a better than average defensive player id so if only for his mobility at his size and the effort he would put in for the right matchups.

    And I wouldnt call him overrated at all. Too many people are barely aware of his impact on those teams. He was the halfcourt down the stretch go to guy by the late 80s. He never had numbers and Magic personally gift wrapped him like 12 points a game but some credit must be given for his ability to run the floor and his hands and finishing ability.

    He was as held back by the talent he played with as he was made to look good I believe. He only played like 1-2 healthy months as a franchise player.

    But he showed me all I needed to see. Im not gonna call him overrated for buying into his team and playing a role to win. I dont buy for a second that if you put him on his spot and feed like like Nique, Dantley, and King types got that he wouldnt do numbers.

    But it just wasnt gonna happen. And he was fine with it.

  5. #5
    TheBluest
    Fan in the Stands (unregistered)

    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    Who overrates James Worthy?

    ^^^^^^

    That's a better question

    Do ISH posters raise these kinds of mind numbing questions because they are trying to show how much they know about the league past/present?
    Last edited by TheBluest; 12-21-2011 at 03:32 PM.

  6. #6
    Local High School Star DirtySanchez's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    How is Big Game James overrated in the first place?

    Nobody calls him the GOAT forward. Nobody says he is better then such and such.

    Really nobody says anything except he was a great player who won rings with Magic.

    I see no reason for this thread.

  7. #7
    Local High School Star Kensta's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    I watched him play and I think he is overrated. I also think he may the only Top 50 GPOAT that wasn't a first ballot HOFer.

  8. #8
    Chasing Legends Kobe 4 The Win's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    Worhty was an amazing talent that fit in perfectly with his team. If he would have been drafted elswhere he would have had more individual success but less team success. Look how few shots it took him to get his points. The dude had a bum knee otherwise he would have been able toplay longer a s well. Worthy isn't overrated in the least.

    Dennis Rodman who is on of the all-time great defenders said that Worhty was the one play he couldn't guard. He said "I'd be trying to figure out if I should go over the screen or under the screen and boom, he'd be at the rim."

  9. #9
    I eat cheese oolalaa's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    Quote Originally Posted by DirtySanchez
    How is Big Game James overrated in the first place?

    Nobody calls him the GOAT forward. Nobody says he is better then such and such.

    Really nobody says anything except he was a great player who won rings with Magic.

    I see no reason for this thread.
    Since when does a thread have to have a reason for it's existence? I simply wanted to start a small discussion on James Worthy. I'm not settled on what i think of him yet...

  10. #10
    Titles are overrated Kblaze8855's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    I watched him play and I think he is overrated. I also think he may the only Top 50 GPOAT that wasn't a first ballot HOFer.
    Nah he wasnt.

    Not that it matters. The HOF voting is often a joke. Nique didnt get in on the first try. Bing, Monroe, Cowens, Gervin, Sam Jones, Nate thurmond, and others didnt make it first ballot. some of those guys I just mentioned took 10-15 years. Monroe got in in the 90s and he retired in the late 70s or maybe 1980 or 81 at the latest.

  11. #11
    Cali Love
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    No, if anything he's one of the most underrated players OAT.

    Since ISH loves games 7's and triple double's so much
    36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 Assists - game 7, '88 finals against the Pistons

  12. #12
    I eat cheese oolalaa's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    Quote Originally Posted by TheBluest
    Who overrates James Worthy?

    ^^^^^^

    That's a better question

    Do ISH poster raise these kinds of mind numbing questions because they are trying to show how much they know about the league past/present?

  13. #13
    a LAKER & a DODGER fan Lakerlove420's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    I feel that there is more under-rating(hating)
    than over-rating Worthy. He is right where he should be.
    In the top 50 All Time, number retired by Lakers,
    and in my top 5 favorite players all time.

    Versions of this thread come out all the time..sleeping
    Why the hate for Worthy? The guy was not a scrub.
    Why you try to make him out to be a Luke Walton type?



    Fact: Worthy >>> Pierce
    Fact: haters gonna hate.

  14. #14
    I eat cheese oolalaa's Avatar
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    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lakerlove420
    I feel that there is more under-rating(hating)
    than over-rating Worthy. He is right where he should be.
    In the top 50 All Time, number retired by Lakers,
    and in my top 5 favorite players all time.

    Versions of this thread come out all the time..sleeping
    Why the hate for Worthy? The guy was not a scrub.
    Why you try to make him out to be a Luke Walton type?



    Fact: Worthy >>> Pierce
    Fact: haters gonna hate.
    Why/how is he better than pierce?

  15. #15
    TheBluest
    Fan in the Stands (unregistered)

    Default Re: Is James Worthy one of the most overrated players of all time?

    Quote Originally Posted by Lakerlove420
    I feel that there is more under-rating(hating)
    than over-rating Worthy. He is right where he should be.
    In the top 50 All Time, number retired by Lakers,
    and in my top 5 favorite players all time.

    Versions of this thread come out all the time..sleeping
    Why the hate for Worthy? The guy was not a scrub.
    Why you try to make him out to be a Luke Walton type?



    Fact: Worthy >>> Pierce
    Fact: haters gonna hate.

    Not sure I'd go that far Pierce is legendary in his own right but I don't see how a fan of the game can pose such a question if they haven't formed an opinion of said player?

    Just because he cracks top 50 All-Time doesn't mean he's overrated. I mean look at how many great players aren't on the list to this day...It's obvious the list needs to be redone....

    such as adding

    Payton/Miller/Rodman/Wilkins/Ray Allen/Webber/Dirk/Mourning/Garnett/Wade/Lebron/Tim Duncan/Durant/Pierce/Kobe etc etc. when the list was made he deserved to be considered and make the list

    I would like posters who make these kinds of threads to first define what makes players overrated, otherwise threads like these makes no sense.
    Last edited by TheBluest; 12-21-2011 at 04:24 PM.

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