Worthy: 3-time NBA champion asserts he was once better than Michael Jordan: "For about three weeks"

Three-time NBA champion and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer James Worthy had many fond memories of Michael Jordan when they were teammates for one season at the University of North Carolina.

Together, they helped the Tar Heels win the 1982 NCAA championship, beating Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas, 63-62, with Jordan ending up hitting the game-winning shot in the closing seconds of the contest.

From there, Michael Jordan’s legacy continued, eventually ending his career as the greatest of all time, punctuated by six NBA titles, both coming by way of two separate “three-peats” in the 1990s.

In a recent article in The Sun U.S. edition, Worthy, who was the resident UNC star during their championship season, was quoted as sharing that he knew that there was something special with the then-freshman Jordan, who he said did not take long to showcase what he was capable of.

‘Big Game James’ said on the ACC Digital Network:

"I was better than Michael Jordan; for about three weeks."

He added:

"First three weeks of practice, and I saw some things in him; I mean, he dunked on Sam Perkins one time, and I still don't know how he did it…Michael was an incredible freshman."

Watch Michael Jordan’s game-winning jumper over Georgetown at the 1982 NCAA finals below:

After winning the 1982 NCAA Championship, Worthy left North Carolina, making himself available for the NBA Draft.

He was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, where he spent all his 12 years in the NBA, winning three titles with the team (1985, 1987, and 1988) and earning seven NBA All-Star selections.

Worthy and Michael Jordan would have their battles in the NBA, foremost of which in the 1991 NBA Finals, where ‘His Airness’ and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Lakers, 4-1, to earn their first-ever NBA title.

“It’s like you have a beautiful wife, and you take it for granted” - Kenny "The Jet" Smith says he never thought Michael Jordan would be the greatest

Retired NBA player and now Inside the NBA panelist Kenny Smith knew Michael Jordan had a special skill set but never thought the latter would end up becoming the greatest who ever played the game.

The two were teammates at the University of North Carolina for two seasons (1983 and 1984). During those years, ‘The Jet’ saw firsthand how Jordan worked on his game and grew as a player because of it.

Little did he know then that he was witnessing the making of a basketball GOAT. Smith shared in an appearance on All the Smoke podcast last year:

"I knew he would be great. I never thought he'd be the greatest when I first saw him. Then when I saw him, even in practice, like, you don't like, I guess.”

He added:

"It's like you have a beautiful wife and you take it for granted because she's there. Every day you see it, you see it every moment. You see every moment, you know, the beautiful person you're around."

Watch the episode below:

Following his years in North Carolina, Michael Jordan jumped to the NBA where he was selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 draft. He moved on to become rookie of the year.

In 13 seasons in the Windy City, he won six NBA titles by way of two separate “three-peats, where he was adjudged NBA finals MVP every time, and five NBA MVP awards.

Michael Jordan was a 14-time All-Star, three-time All-Star Game MVP, a 10-time All-NBA First Team member, and a one-time defensive player of the year, among others.

Apart from the championships and individual awards, he inspired generations of players who consider him as the basketball GOAT.