Jerome James facts for kids
James with the New York Knicks in 2007
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 17, 1975 Tampa, Florida, U.S. |
| High school | Pentecostal Church of God Christian Academy (Winter Haven, Florida) |
| Listed height | 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) |
| Listed weight | 285 lb (129 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Florida A&M (1995–1998) |
| NBA Draft | 1998 / Round: 2 / Pick: 36th overall |
| Selected by the Sacramento Kings | |
| Pro career | 1998–2015 |
| Career history | |
| 1998 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| 1999 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2000–2001 | KK Budućnost |
| 2001 | ASVEL Villeurbanne |
| 2001–2005 | Seattle SuperSonics |
| 2005–2009 | New York Knicks |
| 2012 | Caciques de Humacao |
| 2015 | Atenienses de Manatí |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 1,540 (4.3 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 1,099 (3.1 rpg) |
| Blocks | 384 (1.1 bpg) |
Jerome Keith James (born November 17, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. He played as a center. James was born in Tampa, Florida. He played college basketball at Florida A&M for three seasons.
In his junior year (1997–98), James was the national leader in blocks per game. After college, the Sacramento Kings picked him in the 1998 NBA draft. During his career, he played for teams like the Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, and New York Knicks. He also played for teams outside the NBA, including the famous Harlem Globetrotters.
Contents
Early Life and College Basketball
Jerome James grew up in Tampa, Florida, in a large family with ten children. His father worked at the Port of Tampa, and his mother was a school teacher. After finishing high school in 1993, James worked driving delivery trucks. He also worked part-time at a local farm. These jobs taught him the value of hard work.
One day, a friend of his mother saw James playing basketball. She called Ron Brown, the coach for the Florida A&M University Rattlers basketball team. Coach Brown saw James play and quickly offered him a scholarship.
James spent the 1994–95 season practicing with the team but not playing in games. He then played for Florida A&M from 1995 to 1998. James once said that watching Shaquille O'Neal practice inspired him to become a professional player. In college, James played 81 games. He averaged 16.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.48 blocks per game. In his junior year (1997–98), he led all college players in blocks per game. James was also chosen for the All-MEAC team twice. He left college early for the 1998 NBA draft.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Harlem Globetrotters and Sacramento Kings (1998–2000)
The Sacramento Kings chose Jerome James in the second round of the 1998 NBA draft. He was the 36th player picked overall. Because of an NBA lockout (a time when players and teams couldn't agree on rules), James played for the Harlem Globetrotters. He went on a nine-country tour in Europe with them in 1998.
When the NBA lockout ended in 1999, James joined the Kings. He played 16 games for them as a reserve player. He averaged 1.5 points and 1.1 rebounds. James did not play at all in the 1999–2000 season due to a knee injury. The Kings later released him in October 2000.
Playing in Europe (2000–2001)
For the 2000–01 season, James played in Europe. He joined KK Budućnost in the YUBA League. He played 10 games, averaging 12.1 points and 6.7 rebounds. His team won the league championship in 2001.
After that, James signed with ASVEL Basket in France. He played with ASVEL in their league playoffs. There, he averaged 9.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game.
Time with the Seattle SuperSonics (2001–2005)
On September 5, 2001, James came back to the NBA. He signed with the Seattle SuperSonics. In the 2001–02 season, James played 56 games and started in 40 of them. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds. He also led the team in blocks with 86.
James played well for the SuperSonics, especially during the 2005 NBA playoffs. In 11 playoff games, he averaged 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks. This was much better than his regular season numbers.
Years with the New York Knicks (2005–2009)
After his strong performance in the 2005 playoffs, James signed a big contract with the New York Knicks. It was a 5-year deal worth $30 million. However, he arrived at his first training camp not in the best shape.
In his first season with the Knicks, he averaged only 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9 minutes per game. James missed many games due to injuries. When he was healthy, he often played only a few minutes. On January 2, 2006, he was suspended for not being ready for practice.
James played only two games in the 2007–08 NBA season. He played for a total of five minutes. He earned $5.8 million that season. In the 2008–09 season, he played two more games and scored 6 points. However, he suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury that ended his season.
On February 19, 2009, the Knicks traded James. He went to the Chicago Bulls along with two other players. James never played any games for the Bulls because of his injury. The Bulls later released him before the 2010 playoffs.
Playing in Puerto Rico (2012–2015)
Jerome James returned to professional basketball in 2012. He signed with the Caciques de Humacao team in Puerto Rico's BSN league. In 7 games, he averaged 9.1 points and 7.4 rebounds. He made 43% of his shots.
James went back to Puerto Rico in 2015. He signed with Atenienses de Manatí. He was released by the team on March 18. However, he stayed with the club for three more games until another player, Ekene Ibekwe, arrived.
Personal Life
Jerome James has a son named Dallas James. Dallas also plays basketball. He played for South Carolina State for four seasons, from 2020 to 2024. He then moved to Indiana University for the 2024–25 season.
Images for kids
-
James with the New York Knicks in 2007
See also
In Spanish: Jerome James para niños
