Draft Prospect: Damion James

[Libri]

Damion James

http://www.draftexpress.com/headshots/damionjames.jpg

Height: 6' 7"
Weight: 225 lbs
Birthday: 10/07/1987 (22 Years Old)
Current: PF
NBA: PF
Possible: SF/PF

DraftExpress (http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Damion-James-1074/)
NBADraft.net (http://www.nbadraft.net/players/damion-james)
ESPN (http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=31581)

[AFBlue]

I could definitely see the Spurs pulling the trigger on this guy in the first round. While he's not a high-upside "home run" type prospect that some would like the see the Spurs target with a likely higher-than-normal draft spot, everything about this guy screams Spurs role player.

First and foremost, he's a high energy guy. He'll chase after loose balls, cut hard to rim and rebound with tenacity. Even though he's primarily used as a PF, he displays some range and consistency on his jumpshot (over 40% from 3). Though he's never going to be a triple-threat type of player, he could be a very solid set shooter in the Spurs offense.

Defensively he has the athleticism and length to guard perimeter players. He's also big and strong enough to handle some post players on the NBA level.

James is a pretty classic "tweener" and will probably never be anything more than a role player at the NBA level. But, I don't think I would be shocked or disappointed if the Spurs called his name on draft night.

[mountainballer]

Damion James is a decent fall back option. I think (and hope) that there will be a more intriguing and more talented player still on the board at #20 (Monroe, Udoh, Anderson, Henry), but if not, I wouldn't be disappointed if they go with James, who definitely should still be on the board when we pick.

Spurs had him in for work outs last year and for sure the Spurs keep an eye on him in Austin.
reportedly last draft the Spurs had Sam Young on top of their wish list. (none expected Blair to fall that far).
so, if the Spurs saw a role for Young, they will see a very similar role for James, who can be compared to Young in several aspects.

[tothrowed]

ive been watchin texas games all year james is not a good 3 point shooter

[Chieflion]

He doesn't look like he has the size to play the 4. He ain't DeJuan Blair.

[Bukefal]

This is the guy I want to see getting drafted by the Spurs.

Ive said the same last year on here in his thread for the 2009 draft. He is very athletic, great rebounder. Just needs to improve his scoring and defence, but I think the Spurs is still the right team for him.

[benefactor]

He has an NBA body no doubt, but he needs to work on shooting and his handle, because he won't be able to play the 4 in the NBA.
Indeed. He is a lot like James Gist in that aspect. In his defense, his shooting has improved from last year...but I agree that his handles are still up in the air as far as being a SF in the NBA is concerned. Like Malik Hairston, he is fine attacking straight ahead, but if he starts to move laterally he can get in trouble.

James has a lot of stuff to like though. He plays with a ton of effort and rebounds like a mad man. He's a little bit of a mixture of a young Richard Jefferson and Lamar Odom...albeit a poor mans version of both at this point. I think his pre-draft workouts are going to say a lot about where he is drafted. All in all, I think if he continues to rebound like he has and can knock down a mid range jumper with some consistency he will be valuable as a role player at the next level. I wouldn't be mad if the Spurs took him with their first, as I think he has enough upside in enough areas to take a chance on.

[AFBlue]

New writeup on DX about James. This is just exerpts from the article with some bolded statements that I thought were significant. To read the complete writeup, click on the link below.

http://www.draftexpress.com/article/NCAA-Weekly-Performers-3310-3407/


22-years old and a fairly known commodity at this point, James is having a pretty similar season statistically to last year, particularly when you adjust for the much faster pace (75 possessions compared to 68) Texas is now playing at. Continuing to see nearly all of his minutes at the power forward position (he’s more likely to slide to the 5 than he is to the 3), the main difference lies in his efficiency, as he’s improved his 2-point and especially his 3-point percentages considerably, and is also getting to the free throw line quite a bit more, which makes a big difference in his overall output.

James’ biggest strength clearly revolves around how hard he plays, a part of his game we don’t seem to have emphasized strongly enough in previous reports, and a skill in its own right...

Offensively, James appears to have improved his ability to operate off the dribble this season. While he’s still not the most skilled guy you’ll find, he has no problem operating comfortably off the bounce in the half-court or particularly in transition, showing off his aggressive nature as usual. It’s good to see the senior show some new parts to his game, especially the ability to beat his defender with his left hand. He’s getting to the free throw line like he never has at any point in his career (8.1 free throws per-40 minutes pace adjusted, up from 6.1 last year), and his improved ball-handling skills have a lot to do with that.

With that said, James is obviously more effective facing up from the elbow than he is starting from the 3-point line, as his advanced ball-handling skills are nothing special...

James’ aggressiveness looking for his own shot does come at a price, though, as his assist rate (the percent of possessions that end in an assist) has dropped in each of his four years at Texas, now settling in at a paltry 0.06...

Despite being knocked for most of his career for not being a very good defender, it was difficult to find much evidence of that from the tape we took in. Sporting a terrific 7-1 wingspan, a chiseled frame and standing nearly 6-8 in shoes, James has all the physical tools needed to be an excellent defender, especially when you consider his terrific toughness and aggressiveness...

James is a playmaker on the defensive end, getting in the passing lanes on a regular basis, blocking shots at a good rate, and doing a great job on the defensive glass. His lateral quickness on the perimeter may not be stellar, but it looks more than adequate for the NBA level. In fact, he seemed to do a better job guarding the perimeter from the film we saw than in the post, where his lack of size can get exposed at times...

It may not be easy to immediately identify a clear-cut role for James, as he’s a bit of a jack of all trades master of none, and is clearly stuck between the small forward and power forward positions at this point. With that said, NBA teams are always in need of tough, aggressive players who are productive and can contribute in a variety of ways, which is why James will be coveted on draft day.

So James is a mostly known commodity, but it's interesting to see he has seen some development in his dribble drive and defensive game. The obvious downside is that he's played the majority of his game as a PF and will need to continue refining his perimeter game to make himself a viable combo forward option on the NBA level...that means probably a year in Austin.

Still, he remains a solid role player prospect.

[mountainballer]

Longhorns are out and James definitely didn't help his stock in this game. his poor shooting (4-14, 1-7 from 3) was probably the major factor for the loss. and he couldn't stop Aminu, who also dominated the boards.
most mocks have him picked in the mid first round, but I think he will drop to 2nd round. like for example Sam Young last year.

[mountainballer]

looking at the mocks it doesn't look as if the poor games at the end of this season hurt the stock of James that much. many mocks even see him climb up. mostly he is ranked 15-20.

it definitely seems as if it was a wise decision to pull out last year. (he likely would have fallen to the 2nd round back then). overall he has improved significantly. and there are a few reasons, why he could be the Spurs choice, considering the teams needs and situation. especially if the Spurs get torched by Dirk (and/or) Butler in the PO. James still doesn't look like a perfect fit with a slower paced team, but if athleticism, defensive potential (ability to defend from SG to perimeter PF) and toughness are the top criteria, he should be at least considered.

[AFBlue]

James is being tabbed by ESPNs initial first round mock as going to the Spurs at #20. I still think he brings alot of the same things to the table as Pondexter (athleticism, motor) but with less projectability long-term to full time SF.

Still, if he can prove to consistently hit the spot-up three pointer, he could fit in nicely with the Spurs.

EDIT: Don't think he's the best fit for what was is on the board in Ford's mock, and my revised comparison is Mbah a Moute.

[pad300]

I would not draft him; he is a 4 to the core. I do not think he will be able to transition to playing the 3 in the NBA and I doubt his ability to play at the 4 in the NBA outside of a small ball lineup...

[coyotes_geek]

I would not draft him; he is a 4 to the core. I do not think he will be able to transition to playing the 3 in the NBA and I doubt his ability to play at the 4 in the NBA outside of a small ball lineup...

Pretty much where I'm at as well. The SF/PF tweeners scare me. Especially if they're not great outside shooters. James is a great athlete, but at the NBA level athleticism only gets you so far. I think the Spurs are going to have the same flag against him that they will have against Pondexter.

[pad300]

Pretty much where I'm at as well. The SF/PF tweeners scare me. Especially if they're not great outside shooters. James is a great athlete, but at the NBA level athleticism only gets you so far. I think the Spurs are going to have the same flag against him that they will have against Pondexter.

An SF/PF tweener I can live with. If Pop's going to play small ball lineups(and history says he is), may as well have a decent option for the PF spot (with Duncan playing C). James however, isn't a tweener. He's a PF and not even a perimeter PF. He's a paint guy... He's going to have Blair's problems (players can just shoot over him for one), without having the same knack for rebounding, and 260 lbs of mass to bang on the block...

[mountainballer]

hm. James is 2'' smaller than Bonner, but he has a significantly longer wingspan (+4'' over Bonner) and is in another world as an athlete.
what he can do well, is shooting the 3 and play tenacious defense. (he fouls a lot though). on defense he is definitely quick enough to defend SFs. so he definitely would qualify as a small ball PF, or even a floor stretcher PF. not that the Spurs didn't have a niche for such a player, especially if the let Bonner go.

I still don't like this pick much though. but I can see the logic.

[Mr. Body]

Looks like a bust of a pick. Please, no.

[coyotes_geek]

An SF/PF tweener I can live with. If Pop's going to play small ball lineups(and history says he is), may as well have a decent option for the PF spot (with Duncan playing C). James however, isn't a tweener. He's a PF and not even a perimeter PF. He's a paint guy... He's going to have Blair's problems (players can just shoot over him for one), without having the same knack for rebounding, and 260 lbs of mass to bang on the block...

There does need to be a distinction between tweeners because there are two types. You've got the guys whose game is bigger than their body and the guys whose body is bigger than their game. If you're drafting a tweener you want the latter. Damion has the game of a PF but the body of an NBA SF. That's the wrong kind of tweener and if you look at draft history there's a very high percentage of those guys who don't pan out.

Now if you find me a guy who has the game of a SF in the body of a PF I'll draft that guy all day long. Typically I don't call those guys tweeners though, I just call them really good.

[BronxCowboy]

Well, the shooting drills seemed to back up what you guys are saying in this thread. He didn't shoot very well; may not have enough of a perimeter game to ever play the 3. Trouble is, if he had shot well, he may have played himself out of Spurs range. I never know what to hope for.

[Dro210]

I love Damion James as a player, and love how hard he works... I think he could have a role here, just don't think it's enough to draft him at 20. Too many other players. I think he can be great on defense with his size, length, and work ethic. He's a guy that could potentially guard Dirk, Lebron (maybe), Odom, Melo types, and do it well.... If only he had a shot.

Like some have said, I wouldn't be disappointed to get him, but I wouldn't be overly excited about it either.

[ChumpDumper]

Looks like a bust of a pick. Please, no.I like him better already.

[duncan228]

NBA mock draft: Take 4 (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ys-mockdraft061510)
By By Mike McGraw, The Sports Xchange

20. San Antonio Spurs – Damion James, SF, Texas: The Spurs should know his game well, since James spent four years playing just up the highway in Austin. He might have the stigma of being the rare college senior picked in the first round, but James can bring defense, rebounding and a steady effort. Nothing wrong with that.

[Ed Helicopter Jones]

The Spurs already have a young power forward who's undersized for the NBA. I think Texans get high on UT players because they see them on TV all the time, but there are a lot better prospects out there at 20 I think. Spurs need to pass on James. Despite the reports saying otherwise, I don't really see James being a first round pick.

[DesignatedT]

undersized power forward. no thanks. although they're are worse options.

[AFBlue]

Chad Ford of ESPN has consistently placed James with the Spurs at #20 in his mocks. I don't believe it's because he has any inside information about a promise. Instead I think he sees a mature, hard worker in that draft range and decides he's a Spurs-type player.

Here is the more in-depth look at James' situational statistics from DX...


Damion James looks solid, but unspectacular across the board. At 1.0 PPP overall and drawing fouls on 10.2% of his shots, James is a solid offensive player, but considering his lack of ball handling ability, he’ll need to improve on his 42.9% shooting on unguarded jumpers if he wants to see consistent minutes at the three on the next level. The hustle numbers are there (1.25 finishing PPP, 2 Pos from offensive rebounds, 2.3 Pos from cuts), but James is a questionable one-on-one player (0.672) and may need to be more than serviceable in spot-up situations to be successful in the long-term.

As it states above, he needs to show better ability to convert spot-up jumpers because his suspect handle likely limits him to that type of role. The DX article covering his workout seems to suggest he can do it...


James’ jumper was going in at an outstanding rate the day we saw him, both in pull-up and catch-and-shoot situations. He showed very good release speed on spot-up opportunities, and clearly has a good understanding of floor spacing, constantly moving without the ball to places where his teammates can find him for an open look.

It goes on to praise his maturity, work ethic and understanding of the game of course. Those are admirable qualities and his measurables are solid (6'8, 227lb, 7'1 wingspan, good timing in lane agility drills, etc.). But, I just don't see how he is anything more than a role player at the next level.

Personally, I'd prefer if the Spurs went with a higher upside player, but if the ones they like are off the board and they're looking for role players to stay relevant in the short term, I could definitely see James as the pick.

By the way, all of the quotes are visible from his DX player page, highlighted in the first post of this thread.

[tdunk21]

latest mock

pick #20 : damion james

is he any better?

[mookie2001]

i would not give up on james, the spurs have had some bad drafts but i wouldnt draft the guy

pros- he plays hard, he can rebound, jump for rebounds, follow up shots, follow his own shot, great athlete, very strong, he has a nice two powersteps to the basket, he can shoot well enough, defense is ok

cons- he cant dribble or pass, and he is a horrible decision maker with the ball, over and over again. if you want him to play the 4, he isnt that undersized but the man has no post game whatsoever and i dont think he would be able to stay out of foul trouble guarding the scoring wings in the NBA and OF COURSE Cannot shoot freethrows to save his familys life

at best he may be a vin baker, tim thomas, joe smith, brandon bass (his twin), paul milsap, even boozer type player

or he could never even get playing time if he cant think with the ball in his hands

[Thompson]

Hey mookie, what's your opinion on Dexter Pittman with the Spurs' 2nd rounder? He's still a little overweight, but supposedly he and DeJuan Blair are tight (maybe could provide encouragement, etc).

[Uriel]

I'm becoming increasingly convinced the Spurs are going to draft Damion James. ESPN, Draft Express, and Yahoo! Sports all have us taking him at 20. I know they're just mocks, but if 3 of the more prominent ones on the internet all agree on one person, it just might be too much to just dismiss as a coincidence.

[AFBlue]

I'm becoming increasingly convinced the Spurs are going to draft Damion James. ESPN, Draft Express, and Yahoo! Sports all have us taking him at 20. I know they're just mocks, but if 3 of the more prominent ones on the internet all agree on one person, it just might be too much to just dismiss as a coincidence.

Probably just a coincidence, given projected team needs and where they're drafting. They haven't even had him in for a workout, according to the main draft discussion thread.

Not saying it couldn't happen, but I wouldn't let mocks carry too much weight with how you think this draft will turn out.

[duncan228]

Mock Draft: Turner Should Go No. 2—To Philly Or Elsewhere (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=tsn-mockdraftturnershoul)
SportingNews

Draft day is nearing and, in the coming days, NBA execs around the league will hunker down in their war rooms and start hashing out who’s going where. Here’s how things are shaping up:

20. San Antonio. Damion James, SF, Texas. The Spurs would like to move up to get a solid wing player like Paul George or Xavier Henry but, failing that, James would help fill their small-forward need.

[RuffnReadyOzStyle]

I'm becoming increasingly convinced the Spurs are going to draft Damion James. ESPN, Draft Express, and Yahoo! Sports all have us taking him at 20. I know they're just mocks, but if 3 of the more prominent ones on the internet all agree on one person, it just might be too much to just dismiss as a coincidence.

For most other teams that would ring true. but we are talking about CIA Pop here - the Spurs NEVER do what the media expects them to. I doubt this year will be any different... although maybe they buck the trend and do exactly what people think they will! Who knows? :rollin

[benefactor]

The Spurs aren't taking James. At first I thought he'd be a nice fall back but upon further review he doesn't make much sense.

[SenorSpur]

Perhaps the Spurs aren't moving up for a big after all. Could it be they're moving up to grab the best wing player they can get?

[K-State Spur]

= better version of luke walton. or stronger version of jared dudley minus the range.

[bigdog]

He's a hustle machine, great rebounder, and a good defender. If he improves his range and jumpshot a little more I wouldn't mind James at all.

[timvp]

I'm trying to convince myself that James could be useful as long as the Spurs tell him to just play D, rebound and shoot corner threes. I wouldn't want him trying to do anything else on the basketball court. He's just too dumb.

At 20, I'd understand the pick ... but he's the type of player that can do more harm than good, especially in tight situations.

[Sissiborgo]

He is strong but he would have to play SF in the nba! So that would be something that could be trouble beacuse he has no ball dribbling skills and is not a good shooter!

[Cant_Be_Faded]

James would be a horrible pick at number 20. If he's available mid-to late 2nd round then maybe.

[SenorSpur]

I can see him going to Boston @ #19, as some mocks have predicted.