Jerome James facts for kids
James with the New York Knicks in 2007
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| 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 | |
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| 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 was born in Tampa, Florida. James played college basketball for the Florida A&M Rattlers. He was a top player in college, leading the country in blocks per game in 1998.
After college, James was chosen by the Sacramento Kings in the 1998 NBA draft. He played for several teams during his career. These included the Kings, Seattle SuperSonics, and New York Knicks. He also played for teams outside the NBA, like the famous Harlem Globetrotters.
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Early Life and College Basketball
Jerome James grew up in Tampa, Florida. He was one of ten children in his family. 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.
A friend of his mother saw James playing basketball. She told Ron Brown, the coach for the Florida A&M University Rattlers basketball team. Coach Brown saw James play and offered him a scholarship. James joined Florida A&M from 1995 to 1998. He once said that meeting NBA star Shaquille O'Neal inspired him to play professionally.
During his college career, 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. He was also named an All-MEAC player twice. James decided to enter the 1998 NBA draft after his junior year.
Professional Basketball Career
Starting Out: Globetrotters and Kings
The Sacramento Kings picked Jerome James in the second round of the 1998 NBA draft. This was the 36th pick overall. Because of a player lockout in the NBA, James first played for the Harlem Globetrotters. He toured Europe with them in late 1998.
When the NBA lockout ended in 1999, James joined the Kings. He played 16 games for them. The Kings later released him in October 2000.
Playing Overseas
For the 2000–01 season, James played in Europe. He joined KK Budućnost in the YUBA League. His team won the league championship in 2001. After that, he played for ASVEL Basket in France.
Time with the Seattle SuperSonics
In September 2001, James returned to the NBA. He signed with the Seattle SuperSonics. In his first season with them, he played 56 games. He averaged 5.3 points and 4.1 rebounds. He also led the team in blocks.
James played well for the SuperSonics. During the 2005 NBA playoffs, he had some of his best games. He averaged 12.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks in 11 playoff games.
Playing for the New York Knicks
After his strong playoff performance in 2005, James signed a contract with the New York Knicks. He joined the team for five years. However, he faced challenges with injuries and staying in shape.
In his first season with the Knicks, he played less. He often missed games due to injuries. When he did play, his minutes were limited. He was even suspended once for not being ready for practice.
James played only a few games in later seasons with the Knicks. For example, in the 2007–08 NBA season, he played just two games. He scored his only basket and two free throws of that season in one game. In the next season, he played two more games but then suffered a serious Achilles tendon injury.
In February 2009, the Knicks traded James to the Chicago Bulls. He never played for the Bulls because of his injury. The Bulls later released him.
Playing in Puerto Rico
Jerome James returned to professional basketball in 2012. He signed with the Caciques de Humacao team in Puerto Rico. He played 7 games there, averaging 9.1 points and 7.4 rebounds.
He returned to Puerto Rico in 2015. He played for the Atenienses de Manatí team for a short time before being released.
NBA Career Statistics
Here are Jerome James's statistics from his time in the NBA. These tables show how he performed in regular season games and playoff games.
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
Regular Season Games
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–99 | Sacramento | 16 | 0 | 2.6 | .375 | .000 | .500 | 1.1 | .1 | .1 | .4 | 1.5 |
| 2001–02 | Seattle | 56 | 40 | 16.9 | .491 | .000 | .500 | 4.1 | .4 | .4 | 1.5 | 5.3 |
| 2002–03 | Seattle | 51 | 16 | 15.0 | .478 | .000 | .587 | 4.2 | .5 | .2 | 1.6 | 5.4 |
| 2003–04 | Seattle | 65 | 24 | 15.2 | .498 | .000 | .660 | 3.5 | .5 | .3 | .9 | 5.0 |
| 2004–05 | Seattle | 80 | 80 | 16.6 | .509 | .000 | .723 | 3.0 | .2 | .3 | 1.4 | 4.9 |
| 2005–06 | New York | 45 | 9 | 9.0 | .463 | .000 | .625 | 2.0 | .3 | .1 | .5 | 3.0 |
| 2006–07 | New York | 41 | 11 | 6.7 | .418 | .000 | .556 | 1.6 | .1 | .1 | .4 | 1.9 |
| 2007–08 | New York | 2 | 0 | 2.5 | 1.000 | .000 | 1.000 | 1.5 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 2.0 |
| 2008–09 | New York | 2 | 0 | 5.0 | .375 | .000 | .000 | 1.5 | .0 | .5 | .5 | 3.0 |
| Career | 358 | 180 | 13.3 | .485 | .000 | .617 | 3.1 | .3 | .3 | 1.1 | 4.3 | |
Playoff Games
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Sacramento | 1 | 0 | 4.0 | .500 | .000 | .750 | 2.0 | .0 | .0 | .0 | 5.0 |
| 2002 | Seattle | 5 | 1 | 14.0 | .391 | .000 | .000 | 2.4 | .8 | .0 | 1.0 | 3.6 |
| 2005 | Seattle | 11 | 11 | 26.8 | .514 | .000 | .767 | 6.8 | .5 | .5 | 1.8 | 12.5 |
| Career | 17 | 12 | 21.7 | .493 | .000 | .722 | 5.2 | .5 | .4 | 1.5 | 9.4 | |
Personal Life
Jerome James has a son named Dallas James. Dallas also plays basketball. He played for South Carolina State from 2020 to 2024. He then transferred to Indiana University for the 2024–25 season.
See also
In Spanish: Jerome James para niños
