Bernard James facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bernard James

James with the Mavericks in 2013
Personal information
Born	(1985-02-07) February 7, 1985 (age 40) Savannah, Georgia, U.S.
High school	Windsor Forest (Savannah, Georgia)
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	240 lb (109 kg)
Career information
College	Tallahassee CC (2008–2010) Florida State (2010–2012)
NBA Draft	2012 / Round: 2 / Pick: 33rd overall
Selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers
Pro career	2012–2017
Career history
2012–2014	Dallas Mavericks
2014	→Texas Legends
2014	Texas Legends
2014–2015	Shanghai Sharks
2015	Dallas Mavericks
2015–2016	Shanghai Sharks
2016	Galatasaray
2017	Limoges CSP
2017	Anhui Dragons
Career highlights and awards
ACC All-Defensive team (2012) USBWA Most Courageous Award (2012)

Bernard Ronald James (born February 7, 1985) is an American who used to play professional basketball. He played college basketball for Florida State University. Bernard is famous for being the oldest player ever picked in the National Basketball Association (NBA) draft. He was 27 years and 148 days old when he was drafted!

Bernard James's Early Life

Bernard James had an interesting path to basketball. When he was younger, he decided to leave high school. However, he still loved to read and learn. He would often go to bookstores to read on his own.

Joining the Air Force

After leaving school, Bernard earned his GED certificate. This is like a high school diploma. Soon after, when he was 17, he joined the United States Air Force. He served for six years as a security forces specialist. This means he helped protect military bases. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant.

Bernard was sent to different places around the world. He served in Iraq, Qatar, and Afghanistan. These missions were part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.

From Military to Basketball

Bernard first planned to stay in the military for his whole career. But then, something unexpected happened. He was asked to play on an intramural basketball team at his base. Intramural sports are games played just for fun within a group.

Around this time, Bernard had a sudden growth spurt. He grew 5 inches (about 13 cm) taller! He quickly became very good at military basketball. He even made it onto the Air Force's all-star team. This made him think about playing basketball professionally. When his time in the Air Force ended, he left to chase his dream. He enrolled at Tallahassee Community College to prepare for playing in NCAA Division I.

Bernard James's Professional Basketball Career

Bernard James was picked as the 33rd player in the 2012 NBA draft. The Cleveland Cavaliers chose him. But on the same night, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. This trade also involved other players like Jared Cunningham and Jae Crowder.

Playing for the Dallas Mavericks

On July 25, 2012, Bernard officially signed with the Dallas Mavericks. He played for them for a while. In July 2013, the Mavericks let him go, but they quickly signed him again a week later.

Sometimes, players are sent to a different league to get more playing time. On February 27, 2014, Bernard was sent to the Texas Legends. This team is part of the NBA D-League, which is now called the G-League. It's a league where players can develop their skills. He was called back to the Mavericks the very next day.

On September 3, 2014, Bernard signed with the Mavericks again. However, they let him go on October 25, 2014. A few days later, on November 3, he joined the Texas Legends again. He played two games for them before leaving to play basketball in China.

Playing Overseas

On November 21, 2014, Bernard signed with the Shanghai Sharks in China. He played for them during the 2014–15 CBA season.

On February 11, 2015, Bernard signed a short 10-day contract with the Dallas Mavericks. This was his second time playing for the team. He signed another 10-day contract on February 21. Then, on March 3, he signed for the rest of the season.

On July 31, 2015, Bernard went back to the Shanghai Sharks for the 2015–16 CBA season. After that, on March 12, 2016, he signed with Galatasaray in Turkey. He played there for the rest of the 2015–16 Turkish Basketball Super League season. He left Galatasaray in May 2016.

In January 2017, Bernard signed with a French team called Limoges CSP. He played two games for them before leaving on February 7, 2017. Later that year, he also played for the Anhui Dragons in China.

Bernard James's NBA Statistics

Bernard James played in the NBA for a few seasons. Here are some of his statistics.

Regular Season Games

Playoff Games

See also

In Spanish: Bernard James para niños