Previous NBA Career: James entered the 1998 NBA Draft after three seasons at Florida A&M where he starred, leading the nation in blocks his senior season. The NBA was not particularly impressed in what was a deep draft, and James lasted until the 36th pick, where he went to Sacramento. After a King makeover brought center Vlade Divac and a contending ballclub, James was a forgotten man, and played just 42 minutes in 16 games. In those extremely limited minutes, he did not impressive offensively, commiting as many turnovers (9) as field goals. He was excellent on the boards, grabbing 17 rebounds for the season. He was cut by the Kings during their 1999 training camp and sat out the season after suffering a knee injury.

Shooting/Scoring: James has some post skills, which are augmented by his fine size. He displays a soft touch near the basket, though he does not have much of a face up game to speak of. James is absolutely no threat whatsoever from beyond about 10 feet and uncomfortable on the perimeter. He is also a poor free throw shooter. Grade: C-

Floor Game: James isn't going to handle the ball much, but when he does, as the numbers indicate, he is a turnover liability. Basically, he shouldn't be putting the ball on the floor except to make a post move. His passing is subpar. Grade: D

Rebounding: James does a good job on the boards, though this is due more to his size and talent then effort or positioning. He is slightly better as an offensive rebounder, though the difference is not significant. Grade: B

Defense: Although James played at a very small university, his leading the NCAA in blocked shots was no fluke. He has a good wingspan, and makes himself 'bigger' when a player enters the lane. He also has very good leaping ability for a big man, and can be a disruptive force in the middle at best. On the other hand, James is a bit too agressive looking for blocks, meaning his man can get free. In the block, James is decent, but should be better considering his size. Grade: B+

Intangibles: James' work ethic and attitude have been question marks since he entered the NBA. Conditioning is also a concern. Grade: D

Overall: You had to know James was going to end up a Sonic, didn't you? It was inevitable because Wally Walker is building a contingent of early to mid-30's draft picks from the 1998 Draft. With Ruben Patterson (31) and Jelani McCoy (33) leaving town, Walker needed James (36) to join Rashard Lewis (32) and Shammond Williams (34). Expect Bruno Sundov (35) to join them soon. In all seriousness, James caught the attention of the Sonics with his fine play in pre-Summer League practices. He opened the eyes of fans with an impressive performance in an open practice in which he displayed great athleticism to go along with his rebounding and blocked shot skills. However, when Summer League play began, James was nowehere to be found, presumably because the Sonics were hiding him from other teams. James became a rumor on internet message boards, until he became a reality when the Sonics signed him to a one year deal at the minimum. James is an age old story -- a player with NBA caliber talent whose work ethic has held him back. That makes him a decent risk at the minimum for a team so desperate for big men. He will battle Predrag Drobnjak and Olumide Oyedeji in training camp for reserve big man minutes. Grade: C-

December 1 Update: James' play thus far can only be construed as a disappointment thus far. Given the chance to earn extra playing time due to a number of injuries, he struggled with inconsistency, poor shooting, and turnovers. Despite barely touching the ball, James turns the ball over more per minute than any other Sonics. His poor hands make any entry pass to him an adventure. How James could be shooting below 40% from the field, with almost all of his shots inside five feet and his size advantage, is beyond the scope of this scouting report. On defense, James has been an extremely effective shot blocker, as would be expected from his track record at Florida A&M. A sprained ankle put James on the injured list in mid-November, and he'll be hard pressed to see meaningful time upon his return.

January 1 Update: James missed the entire month of December with his sprained ankle, but is expected to be activated for the Sonics' 2002 opener against Philadelphia.

February 1 Update: The flashes of James brilliance were a little more regular in January, even if he did not claim the starting job as some expected. He played a key role in the Sonics' defeat of the Sixers on MLK day, and continued to fill the stat sheet with scoring, rebounding, blocks, and turnovers in limited minutes.

March 1 Update: The potential of Jerome James began to be converted in the month of February. Starting 12 of the Sonics' 13 games, James averaged over seven points and five rebounds per game, filling the offensive void left by the injury to Vin Baker. He had a mammoth game against Toronto, setting career highs in both rebounds (12) and points (18) in dominating the Raptors in the middle.

April 1 Update: In his second month as a full-time starter, James continued to be plagued by inconsistency -- especially as a result of foul trouble. However, he continued to be a force both on defense and on the boards, and was a critical part of the Sonics' success.