The Los Angeles Lakers have hired former player and Hall of Famer James Worthy to work with the coaching staff, the team announced on Monday.

Worthy will work with head coach Byron Scott to help the team’s big men with their development. He is currently with the team in Hawaii for their training camp and will continue to remain close to the players throughout the season.

Despite accepting this new job, Worthy will not leave his position as the team’s analyst for Time Warner Cable SportsNet.

Worthy, 54, spent his entire career in a Lakers uniform, from 1982 to 1994, winning three NBA championships with the organization while earning the Finals MVP in 1988. He is a seven-time All-Star, and the Lakers have also retired his number 42 jersey.

James (Worthy) was one of the best forwards to ever play the game,” Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said. “We feel he will be a valuable addition to the coaching staff and will do an excellent job teaching our group of big men. We are pleased and fortunate to welcome him back to the organization.” (via Lakers.com)

To add to his career achievements, Worthy was also named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. He ranks sixth on the Lakers’ all-time scoring list with 16,320 points and third in all-time steals with 1,041.

Worthy is another intelligent mind that can greatly help Coach Scott. After all, Scott has been looking for experienced veterans to aid this young Lakers team, which is why the franchise also brought back Metta World Peace to the roster.

The team has also hired former player Tracy Murray as a shooting consultant for its training camp with the possibility of keeping him throughout the season.

The Lakers may not have a playoff-bound team, but there are plenty of exciting young guys to watch for in the upcoming season. The rejuvenated roster is far more competitive than last year’s team, as the organization is hoping to bounce back from the abysmal 21-win 2014-2015 season.  

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About the author
Vahan Shakhpazyan
Vahan Shakhpazyan loves the NBA with a passion and has been an avid follower for 18 years. He is a UCR graduate with a BA degree in Creative Writing. The man behind the Facebook page NBA updates.