By CHARLIE PARENT & ADAM ZAGORIA
Former Tulane guard Sion Jams has officially signed with Duke after he announced on X Friday.
The 6-foot-6 Georgia native averaged 14 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists on 51.4% shooting with the Green Wave last season.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Sion James to The Brotherhood,” said head coach Jon Scheyer. “He’s a proven leader with a high IQ and great feel for the game. Bringing Sion to Duke is not just about adding talent, it’s about adding to a culture of competitiveness and winning attitude that he has. His versatility as a defender is a big strength, and his ability to make others better on offense will elevate our team. Sion will have a tremendous impact on and off the court, and I am anxious to get started with him and the rest of our team.”
The graduate transfer scored 20 points six times this past season, including a 28-point double-double versus North Texas in the second round of the American Athletic Conference (AAC) tournament. During his third campaign with the Green Wave in 2022-23, James registered career-highs of 30 points and seven steals in a victory over Memphis, and set the Tulane record for most blocks in an AAC tournament game with six against Wichita State.
He is Duke’s third incoming transfer, along with six incoming freshmen. The Blue Devils added former Purdue forward Mason Gilles and Syracuse forward Maliq Brown out of the portal in April.
They will also bring in the nation’s No. 1 recruiting class, highlighted by potential NBA Draft No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. Flagg is accompanied by five-stars Khaman Maluach, Isaiah Evans, and Kon Kneuppel, as well as Patrick Ngongba II and explosive scorer Darren Harris.
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