Sam Worthen

Last updated
Sam Worthen
Personal information
Born (1958-01-17) January 17, 1958 (age 65)
Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)
Listed weight195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school Franklin K. Lane
(Brooklyn, New York)
College
NBA draft 1980 / Round: 2 / Pick: 26th overall
Selected by the Chicago Bulls
Playing career1980–1988
Position Shooting guard
Number31
Coaching career1982–2005
Career history
As player:
1980–1981 Chicago Bulls
1981 Utah Jazz
1981–1982 Rochester Zeniths
1982–1983 Albany Patroons
1983–1985 Puerto Rico Coquis
1985 Springfield Fame
1985–1986 Maine Windjammers
1986Springfield Fame
1986–1987 Charleston Gunners
1988 New Haven Skyhawks
As coach:
1982–1983Albany Patroons
1987 Miami Tropics
1990 New York Whitecaps
1994–1995 Harrisburg Hammerheads
1997 Long Island Surf
1999 Brooklyn Kings
2001 Brujos de Guayama
2004–2005 Gallitos de Isabela
Career highlights and awards
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at NBA.com
Stats   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg at Basketball-Reference.com

Samuel Lee Worthen (born January 17, 1958) is an American former NBA player who currently is touring as the coach of the Washington Generals, the team that perennially loses to the Harlem Globetrotters. He was well known for his play at the Rucker Park Tournament. [1]

Sam Worthen was an All-American point guard at Marquette University from 1978 to 1980 under coach Hank Raymonds. He led the Warriors in assists during his junior year and scoring and assists in his senior year. Worthen led The Warriors to a win over 10th ranked on the road against Notre Dame in 1980. [2] Worthen was named to Basketball Weekly's second team after his junior and senior seasons. He was also named to Sports Page magazine's first team, United States Basketball Writers Association first team, UPI, third team and top newcomers of 1979, Playboy magazine pre-season basketball edition. [3]

In 1980, he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the second round of the NBA draft and played in the NBA for two seasons. Worthen was with the Bulls in 1980-1981 and the Utah Jazz in 1981–1982. In August, 2003 – 23 years after leaving Marquette for the NBA - Worthen completed his undergraduate degree from Marquette's College of Communication [4]

In late 2008, Worthen was the coach of the Generals, playing the bad guy role during the games. He ran such skits as using a "remote controlled" ball that the Globetrotters couldn't control, putting a piece of hard plastic on top the Globetrotters rim so they couldn't score and simply adding 30 or so points to the Generals' score by manipulating the scoreboard. At the end of games, he would lose a bet and was forced to wear a pink tutu and a tiara, and carry a shiny magic wand off the court.

Worthen started coaching in 1985 as a player/coach of the United States Basketball League's Springfield Fame guiding them to the league title.

Worthen and the New Haven Skyhawks won the 1988 USBL Championship. He has been the head coach of the Albany Patroons (CBA), Miami Tropics (USBL; 1987 Champions), New York Whitecaps (USBL), Harrisburg Hammerheads (CBA), Fort Wayne Fury (CBA), Long Island Surf (USBL), Brooklyn Kings (USBL), and Baltimore Bayrunners (IBL). Sam also was player coach of the Harlem Wizards show team for 15 years

Worthen was an assistant for three years 2004 through 2007 with the Iona College men's basketball program. [4] He also was the assistant coach of the Fayetteville Patriots of the National Basketball Development League (NBDL).

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References

  1. ↑ "Elite 24: Rucker Park legends". 17 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Sam Worthen and Marquette versus Notre Dame". YouTube . Archived from the original on 2021-12-14.
  3. ↑ "Amsterdam News Worthen Keeps Promise". 2 July 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Iona Athletics".
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