Is Josiah-Jordan James finally turning the corner?
In 2019, Josiah-Jordan James was a 5-star prospect and the number one recruit coming out of the state of South Carolina. His potential to be a dominant oversized guard was obvious. He looked like he might be the second coming of Scotty Hopson and the Vols were hyped to have him. But then James took […]
In 2019, Josiah-Jordan James was a 5-star prospect and the number one recruit coming out of the state of South Carolina. His potential to be a dominant oversized guard was obvious. He looked like he might be the second coming of Scotty Hopson and the Vols were hyped to have him.
But then James took to the floor in Knoxville and things just haven’t clicked exactly right. In three seasons, he’s averaged just 7.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game. He’s become a reliable team leader as he’s gotten older and is an excellent defender but his overall statistical contribution hasn’t been what Vol fans may have expected when he arrived.
Even for the bulk of the current 2021-22 season, James has not grown his output much at all, averaging 8.1 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest. Though, he has been one of the best defenders in America this year.
No. 2 to be exact…
But the last five games for James have felt a little different. And the last two games in particular have seen James playing on a new level that he rarely has before. Since the LSU game on January 22nd, James has averaged 12.6 points and has shot 38% from three-point range, where he’s been around a 26% shooter from outside in the past. And against South Carolina on Saturday, he dropped in a career-high 20 points, grabbed 6 rebounds, and added 3 blocks and 3 steals. It was almost certainly the best game of his career.
We know Josiah-Jordan can be a great overall player, so this begs the question: Can he finally turn the corner and become the consistent contributor that Tennessee needs him to be?
If James could add 5-10 additional points per game and continue rebounding well and playing his typical lockdown defense, it could be a true game-changer for the Vols. Especially in light of the recent news that big man Olivier Nkamhoua will likely be out for the remainder of the season with an ankle injury.
Offense was a major struggle for UT before losing one of its key contributors, so just a marginal bump in offensive production could be huge at the moment. The Big Orange lost to Texas, Texas Tech, and Alabama by a combined 12 points, an extra 5 to 7 points from James in each of those contests would have changed the eventual outcomes.
The toughest stretch of the Vols' season is coming up and unfortunately, they'll be shorthanded while navigating it. Whether UT gets a 5-seed in the NCAA tournament or a 10-seed could be determined in the next few weeks. And we all know anything can happen in March.
It goes without saying, it's the perfect time for James to find himself and be the guy we've all seen that he can be. If he can put all of the puzzle pieces together, it could be the piece that helps Tennessee make noise this season.
Featured image via Randy Sartin-USA TODAY Sports
