Willie Worsley facts for kids
Worsley in 1966.
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 13, 1945 Bronx, New York, U.S. |
| High school | DeWitt Clinton (Bronx, New York) |
| Listed height | 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) |
| Listed weight | 175 lb (79 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | UTEP (1965–1968) |
| NBA Draft | 1966 / Undrafted |
| Career history | |
| 1968–1969 | New York Nets |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Willie James Worsley was born on November 13, 1945. He is a former American professional basketball player. Willie was one of the key players, a guard, for the Texas Western Miners basketball team. This team became famous for winning the 1966 NCAA championship game against Kentucky. Even though he was only 5 feet 6 inches tall, he later played 24 games for the ABA's New York Nets during the 1968–69 season.
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Early Life and High School Success
Willie Worsley grew up in the Bronx, New York. He played basketball for DeWitt Clinton High School. In 1963, he led his team to win the New York City Championship. This big game was played in a packed Madison Square Garden. Willie was named the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the championship that year. His high school team also had an amazing 38-game winning streak while he was playing.
A famous NBA player, Nate "Tiny" Archibald, was two years younger than Willie. Nate always looked up to Willie at DeWitt Clinton. Later, Nate joined Willie on the basketball court at Texas Western (now UTEP) for the 1967–1968 season.
College Basketball and a Historic Win
Willie Worsley played college basketball for the Texas Western Miners. This team made history in 1966. They won the NCAA championship, which is a huge college basketball tournament. Their victory was special because they were the first team with an all-Black starting lineup to win this championship. This was a very important moment in sports history.
Willie remembered the Kentucky victory for a special reason. His mother, Julia, who worked hard, was at home watching the game on TV. He said, "It was the only time my mother, Julia, got to see me play. She'd never seen me play at all."
Life After Playing Basketball
After his professional basketball career, Willie Worsley became a coach. In the late 1960s, he coached at a children's shelter called Woodycrest. This shelter was in High Bridge, The Bronx, New York City. There, he worked with James Neal to manage the shelter's sports programs.
Later, Willie became a director when the shelter joined with another home in Pomona, New York. After this organization closed, Worsley became the coach for the boys' basketball team at Spring Valley High School. This school is in Rockland County, New York.
While still coaching at Spring Valley High School, Willie Worsley also became the Dean of Students for the Boys Choir of Harlem. This shows his dedication to helping young people.
Willie Worsley in Film
The story of the 1966 championship team was made into a movie in 2006. The film is called Glory Road. In the movie, Willie Worsley was played by actor Sam Jones III.
External Links
- Professional Basketball Stats
- http://www.woodycrestfamily.com/products.html
