NBA players retiring and jumping into business? That’s almost tradition now. From launching tequila brands to diving into tech investments, the hustle rarely stops at the buzzer. But what if—just imagine—you could get a real, behind-the-scenes look into Michael Jordan’s iconic 1982 NCAA championship run… from someone who was right there with him? Enter James Worthy. The Hall of Famer who helped clinch that title is finally pulling back the curtain—and letting us in on a side of his story, along with a bunch of other untold chapters.

James Worthy gave the Lakers 12 rock-solid seasons, and in return, he gave fans highlight after highlight. The man averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3 assists across 926 regular-season games, made 7 All-Star appearances, won 3 NBA championships, and even snagged a Finals MVP. Oh—and if that wasn’t enough? He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. Since retiring in 1994–95, he’s stayed close to the game as a broadcaster, commentator, and analyst for networks like CBS and Fox Sports. But now, after 31 years of playing it cool behind the mic, he’s finally ready to spill the juice NBA fans have been dying to sip.

On the LakeShow Podcast, Worthy revealed, “After about 31 years of trying, I am finally in the midst of writing a book and I think the title is going to be ‘To Be Worthy’.” And no, it’s not just another basketball memoir. While it will touch on his legendary career—like playing with MJ and being coached by Dean Smith at UNC and dominating with the Showtime Lakers—it’s also deeply personal. “I really talk about overcoming some things,” Worthy said. “You know, dealing with some trauma from a kid and how it kind of fast forward into your adult life… not being afraid to deal with some of the demons.”

Even though the book is still in progress, Worthy already knows exactly what he wants it to do. “Probably gonna be in ’26,” he said of the potential release. “I got a few chapters and really want to get it right. I want people to read it and say, ‘Hey, I need to just talk and not be afraid, don’t internalize a lot of things.’” He specifically referenced how mental health has become a bigger conversation in sports, pointing to athletes like Kevin Love. “Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] has helped me over the years understand how to tap into that,” Worthy shared. “Because a lot of times you can carry that stuff around, it never gets solved and it affects your relationships. So I just want to be free and help people.”

James Worthy’s love for basketball didn’t come easy. Born in Gastonia, North Carolina, Worthy was the youngest son of Ervin and Gladys Worthy. He picked up a basketball at just four years old, but, as he once admitted in his Hall of Fame speech, “I just hated the sport.” So what changed? His family. With his father working on a Baptist minister’s salary, college wasn’t going to come easy. Watching his parents struggle to pay tuition for his older brothers, Worthy made up his mind to earn a scholarship. “That was the only reason I wanted to play ball,” he said.

By high school, though, basketball was clearly his path. As a senior at Ashbrook High, he racked up accolades: five All-American teams, Conference Player of the Year, and averages of 21.5 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. Offers came pouring in, but Worthy stayed close to home and chose UNC. The reason? His parents. “[UNC Coach Dean Smith] talked to my parents and promised two things; I would go to class and I had to go to church unless I had a letter from my parents,” Worthy shared. “From that point I knew I wanted to play for Coach Smith.” And in 1982, he was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers.

James Worthy was better than Michael Jordan?

Before Michael Jordan became Michael Jordan, there was a brief moment in time when James Worthy had the upper hand—and he’s got the receipts to prove it. Reflecting on their one season together at the University of North Carolina, Worthy laughed about those early days when Jordan was just a raw freshman trying to figure it all out. “I was with Michael — he was a freshman my junior year,” Worthy recalled. “We only had four or five months together really. But I — the story tell about Michael, man, I was better than him for about three weeks. And I enjoyed those three weeks, ’cause I saw somethin’ in that boy that he didn’t have it quite yet.”

Those three weeks might’ve been short, but they were packed with intensity. Worthy remembered how Jordan’s obsession with winning seeped into everything—from backgammon to basketball. “He would seek out the best in everything: chess, backgammon. And if he lost, he was irately made like he just lost a Game 7.” Worthy, the upperclassman and ACC Athlete of the Year, would finish his Tar Heels career leading them in scoring and winning the 1982 national title with 28 points in the final. But it was Jordan who nailed the go-ahead jumper, and kept pushing Worthy after every practice. “Now you gotta go to study hall. I’m tryna get off the floor, here he come. Pushin’ me, ‘Where you goin’ young fella? Where you goin’ — you scared?’ So, he always wanted to play a little one-on-one, so we played a little bit. He was just a bad boy.”

Even back then, it was clear MJ wasn’t going to stay second-best for long. “He came to Carolina with tons of talent but didn’t have the theory and the science down,” Worthy said. “Once he combined that to his game, he was born.” From that foundation at UNC under Dean Smith, Jordan blossomed into a two-time college player of the year and, eventually, the face of the NBA. But no matter how iconic Jordan became, Worthy will always have those legendary three weeks—and the front-row seat to greatness being born.