Will he be a starter/good bench player in the NBA? It is hard for me to judge as I'm biased in his direction. He is not a creator for himslf or others just like every other Longhorn this season. He is a finisher. He is a very good rebounder especially on offensive end. He moves without the ball. His three point shot is mechanical, but hit a good percentage. James is very aggresive defensively, but needs a little work on skill. He does have a very strong body and could potentially learn to guard the more physical wings.
i think he'll eventually be a rotation player in the NBA The first guy that comes to mind is a poor man's Stacey Augmon. But that's probably the ceiling of what James could be (and probably will never reach)? Augmon was an elite defender.. James is not that, but he has the physical tools..
From a body type and playing style standpoint, he's a bit Gerald Wallace-esque to me. Tweener 3-4 who can be a beast on the boards. Not that he'll be as good as GW, but if he can turn into a lesser version thereof, James will be a solid rotation player in the NBA.
Gerald Wallace is a pretty good comparison, although Damion isn't as explosive. His ball handling and shooting have improved a ton the last couple of years. He now has range out to 18-feet, which means he can play some 3. At 6'7, he's a bit of a tweener, but he is a badass rebounder. James will do fine in the NBA, and did himself a huge favor by coming back this year.
Solid rotation player, energy guy off the bench. He's going to be the kind of player you love having on your team but find really annoying if they're on the other team.
People forget that he has a 7'1 wingspan and a 8'10 standing reach with solid body control around the rim. Would love it if the Rockets pick him up, he could really develop into a monster defensive stopper considering he has above average foot speed. Also, his standing vertical isn't too shabby at 30.5 inches... Since I can't pull the stats at the NBA combine for Gerald Wallace, here is a comparison between James and Millsap...they both tested about the same~ Millsap Height w/o Shoes: 6' 6.25" Height w/shoes: 6' 7.25" Weight: 258 Wingspan: 7' 1.5" Standing Reach: 8' 9.5" Body Fat: 9.7 No Step Vert: 28.5 Max Vert: 32.5 Bench Press: 15 Lane Agility 3/4: 11.67 Court Sprint: 3.30 James Height w/o Shoes: 6' 6.25" Height w/shoes: 6' 7.5" Weight: 224 Wingspan: 7' 0.75" Standing Reach: 8' 10" Body Fat: 8.2 No Step Vert: 30.0 Max Vert: 37.0 Bench Press: 14 Lane Agility 3/4: 11.23 Court Sprint: 3.09 This info is from the NBA combine courtesy of DraftExpress.com
Very interesting comparison. Both players are vicious rebounders and have the ability to finish at the rim. Damion James has been working tirelessly to develop a consistent long-range shot, which will allow him to get more PT once he enters the league. If he can't knock down the three-ball, he's going to be riding the pine. He has the frame of an ideal 3 - he has long arms and a strong upper body. Best case scenario: 2nd or 3rd man off of the bench on a quality team. He'll provide energy, he's a legitimate scoring threat around the basket, and he can man-up stronger wings in the league.
If the rockets draft him, I like him off the bench at the 4. He can come of the bench with Jordan Hill. He can also space the floor at the 4 with Yao.
Im down with drafting James, he is an absolute beast on the boards, Shawn Marion/ Gerald Wallace type. If those dudes can make it work playing 3/4s, I'm pretty sure James can make it work. I think he has the tools that the rockets really need in their rotation next year. He's someone who can play the 3/4 that can can defend and rebound. His game will mesh very well with this team next year. I really see Jordan Hill as more of a center type than a power forward type since it is a very good idea to keep him around the rim. I also think he has some shot blocking ability that he will eventually show us. A James/ Hill/ Lowry/ Budinger bench would really look like a Phoenix Suns lite team.
Yea I would say he reminds me of Shawn Marion, just not as high of a ceiling as Marion had (he was an all star at his peak with the Suns). The thing that sticks out at me for James is how he EXPLODES to grab rebounds
Agree. He won't succeed unless he makes a huge improvement across the board in everything. Even then, he will have a tough time making a rotation. I think he's sort of a smaller version of Mike Harris. Max upside is Keith Bogans.
The Mike Harris comparison is a good one, but Keith Bogans? Keith has a totally different play style and hes a wing at 6'4 (6'5) in shoes. James is a 3/4 at 6'6(6'7). Hopefully he wont be like Mike Harris (a good college player but terrible pro). I'll hope for the best..
He's not exactly like either guy but I see him falling in between them as far as pro success, probably closer to Mike Harris. If he becomes a good 3-point shooter and defends well (like Bogans), James could make it in the NBA. I think it's going to be a long, hard slog for him because his combination of talent + athleticism is definitely nothing special at the NBA level. In my book, he isn't even a special college player after 4 years.
