James Worthy had to pay $5000 to the police before he was allowed to play an NBA game

Nithin Joseph | 21/08/2022
James Worthy had to pay $5000 to the police before he was allowed to play an NBA game

Everyone is late to work once in a while. Even Laker legend James Worthy was late to a game after being arrested for soliciting a prostitute!

The 1980s was an era dominated by two of the greatest players of all time. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were the two most polarizing players at the time.

That’s not to say there weren’t any other great players. The likes of Kevin McHale, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Julius Erving were the ones to watch. However, there were none quite like James Worthy.

The North Carolina University product, aptly dubbed Big Game James was a force to be reckoned with. He was a key piece of the Showtime Lakers, winning three championships with career averages of 17 points, five rebounds, and three assists per game!

Also Read: “Scottie Pippen for sure, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Hakeem Olajuwon”: Michael Jordan picks his team

Worthy certainly was an important asset for the Lakers, but he wasn’t always there for the big games. In fact, he nearly missed a game after being arrested for solicitation.

James Worthy had to bail himself out so that he could get to a game after being arrested for soliciting a prostitute

In the year 1990, the LA Lakers had a huge game against the Hakeem Olajuwon-led Rockets in Houston. A game where their star players would come in clutch.

The Lakers would leave the game victorious 108-103, but they were missing their big game player James Worthy for one quarter. The superstar forward was late to the game for a shocking reason.

Big Game James was arrested for soliciting a prostitute a few hours before the game. He was then subsequently forced to bail himself out for $5000, allowing him to join the game in the second quarter!

It most definitely was a low point in Worthy’s career. Luckily, it was a low point that he managed to bounce back from.

Also Read: “Forget Michael Jordan, James Worthy was the REAL problem!” : Patrick Ewing wanted no part of Lakers legend while playing UNC during his time at Georgetown

Post Edited By: Tonoy Sengupta
James Worthy

About the author

Nithin Joseph

Nithin is a content writer at The SportsRush. Like his favorite athlete Kobe Bryant, the company has helped Nithin elevate his writing skills to a whole new level, especially as an NBA content writer. With over 1500 articles to his name, Nithin's love for the sport knows no bounds. And, as he continues to watch the sport on a daily basis, he hopes his fascination with the NBA, especially the Miami Heat will inspire more and more readers to give the sport a chance. Perhaps, one day making basketball in India as big as it is in the United States.

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