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Position: center Height: 7-1 Weight: 272 College: Florida A&M Born: November 17, 1975, Tampa, FL Opening day (2002) age: 26 Drafted: 1998, second round, pick 36, Sacramento NBA exerience: Two years (one with Sonics) Hand: Right Acquired: Signed as a free agent on September 5, 2001 Nicknames: Romey Rome, Freight Train, JJ, Big J, Big Snacks Contract status: Signed through 2004-05 Season |
2001-2002 in Review: After impressing the Seattle Supersonics during practices for their summer-league team during June and July 2001, Jerome James did not participate in summer-league games as the team attempted to hide their find. In early September, James and the Sonics came to terms on a one-year deal at the minimum with a player option for a second season, and he entered training camp looking to solidify himself in the Seattle rotation. With a strong pre-season performance, James did that, and on opening night he delivered a strong performance against his previous team, the Sacramento Kings. Injuries gave James a chance to play heavily early in the season, but he failed to take advantage, struggling with turnovers and poor shooting before he too was injured, suffering a sprained ankle in late November that would keep him out through the new year. Upon his return, James found minutes tough to come by, but an Art Long slump got him back into the starting lineup in early February as James' play picked up. Shortly thereafter, an injury to Vin Baker made James the team's primary interior scorer, and he thrived in the new role, posting career highs of 18 points and 12 rebounds -- his first and only double-double -- against Toronto on February 24 in the midst of an 11-2 Seattle run that solidified the Sonics as a playoff team. Through the rest of the season, James continued to start but suffered from wild inconsistency brought on in large part by foul trouble. His strong games were key as the Sonics took back-to-back games against San Antonio and Portland to close the month of March, but come playoff time, James was essentially a non-factor against Tim Duncan and the Spurs. He totaled just 18 points and 12 boards in the five-game series, dropping from the rotation for the deciding game five. James finished the season with averages of 5.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game in about 17 minutes of action.
Previous NBA Career: James, who did not play basketball in high school, starred in college at Florida A&M after sitting out his first year academically ineligible. He was named first-team all-league for his junior and senior seasons, and led the NBA in blocked shots (barely beating out current Sonic teammate Calvin Booth) during his senior season. The Sacramento Kings made James the 36th pick of the 1998 Draft, and he spent the lockout-shortened 1999 season with the team, playing sparingly. During training camp next fall, James suffered a knee injury and spent the entire season rehabbing the injury. While unable to play regularly, James gained a substantial amount of weight and came to 2000 training camp with Sacramento out of shape. After he was cut, James spent the entire season playing overseas in Italy and Yugoslavia, where he dominated in limited minutes.
Shooting/Scoring: Inconsistent would be the word that best describes James' offense, just
as it does much of his game. When James is going well, he offers a fairly complete package in the
post. His hook shot can be effective, and James has a decently soft touch in low. He really has it
going when he's able to make face-up jumpers from between 10 and 12 feet. Though these shots
make fans and, undoubtedly, the coaching staff, cringe, they were surprisingly effective at time.
James' range does not extend beyond that distance; unlike most of his Sonic teammates, James
will not be directed to the high post anytime soon. His best offense is, without question, a
rim-rattling dunk. By the end of the season, James had been taught well to attempt to throw down
everything. When he missed, that usually led officials to assume a foul must have been committed
and get James two shots. Otherwise, it brought the KeyArena crowd to its feet. James is an awful
free-throw shooter; the line is simply beyond his range.
Grade: C+
Floor Game: Jerome, don't put the ball on the floor! For a player who touched the ball as
little as James did, his proclivity for turnovers is remarkable. On average, James gave it up about
once per quarter. Meanwhile, he only recorded an assist about once every other game. The less
James handles the ball, and especially dribbles it, the better. By the end of the season, he was
learning -- don't do anything fancy, just throw it down from wherever you are.
James sets a mean
screen, using his 272 pounds to his full advantage, and was effective when the Sonics emphasized
the pick-and-roll offense during their February/March run. He is prone to being called for
moving screens.
Grade: D
Rebounding: At 7-1, James better be throwing his frame around on the glass, and he did.
His reappearance in the rotation during the second half of the season helped shore up the Sonics'
rebounding weakness. He can tend to fade in and out, going long stretches without a rebound.
James is a better offensive rebounder than defensive.
Grade: B+
Defense: With his shot-blocking ability, James brought to the Sonics an aspect they
simply had lacked during the first half of the season. It's no coincidence that as he gained playing
time, the team's defensive numbers improved dramatically. In true starter's minutes, James would
have averaged about three blocks per game. The rest of his defense is not quite as impressive.
Despite dropping back down to his pre-injury weight, if not lighter, James' lack of footspeed made
things difficult for him against smaller, quicker players. In one notable highlight sequence, the
Lakers' Shaquille O'Neal took James out on the perimeter and crossed him over on the way to the
hole for a dunk. In the post, James is no better than adequate. His main defensive problem is foul
trouble -- on average, James 'fouled out' ever 33 minutes. Part of this stems from a lack of respect
from the referees, but the main problem is that Jerome simply doesn't know when to keep his hand
out of the cookie jar as a smaller player drives the lane. Many of his fouls go into the stupid
category.
Grade: B-
Intangibles: The weight problem -- though he worked it off -- and a clear fondness for food --
note the nickname, "Big Snacks" -- have led many to worry about whether James would get lazy
and fat if and when he gets a long-term guaranteed contract and doesn't have to worry about his
NBA future every day. A pleasure off the court who's usually got a smile, James is supposedly one
of the Sonics' smartest players, but this doesn't carry over on the court. His basketball IQ . . . shoe
size (his size 22's are the biggest in team history) . . . obvious joke.
Grade: C-
Overall: It was a make or break season for Jerome James' future as an NBA player, and he
made it after a slow start. James did not exercise his option for the second year of his contract and
will be a restricted free agent this summer. Though the market for big men is not as prosperous as
it was last summer, when Booth, amongst others, got his payday, James will certainly be a
multi-millionaire by the time training camp rolls around next fall. The Sonics will, seemingly, play
things somewhat cautious with James after their mistakes on big men in the past. If James gets an
offer for the entire median exception, they will likely thank him for his services and send him on the
way. A more reasonable deal, in the neighborhood of three years and $10 million dollars, should
bring James back to Seattle. Next season, he will face a fight for playing time despite starting
nearly half the team's games last season. With Booth back from ankle surgery, Vin Baker likely to
start if he returns, Vladimir Radmanovic pushing for playing time up-front, and Peja Drobnjak coming
off starting the team's final 12 games, competition amongst big men in training camp will be fierce.
If James returns, he had better report to camp in shape. Odds are that he will play similar minutes
to last season and slightly improve on his averages.
Grade: B-
July 18 Update: After extended courtships with the Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks, amongst others, that made it seem James' Sonic days were over, he and the team surprisingly came to terms on a three-way deal that will keep him in Seattle. Terms were not disclosed, but it is expected that James will receive the Sonics' entire median exception, approximately $4.5 million, for next season. That makes the entire deal approximately $15 million over three years.