Jerome James
Encyclopedia
Jerome Keith James is an American
professional basketball
player. James played at Florida A&M University
, and was selected by the Sacramento Kings
in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft
. Over the course of his career, he has played for the Kings, Seattle SuperSonics
and New York Knicks
. He has also played for the Harlem Globetrotters
.
during the 2005 NBA playoffs
, averaging 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 11 games against the Kings and San Antonio Spurs
.
After the 2004–05 season, James signed a 5-year, $30 million free-agent contract with the Knicks on the strength of an outstanding performance in the 2 playoff series in which he tripled his regular-season statistics. He arrived at his first training camp out of shape and in his first season he only averaged 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9 minutes per game. James missed much of the season due to injury and when he was not injured, he frequently played insignificant minutes. James was suspended on January 2, 2006 for not being prepared to practice.
James is often cited as one of many questionable signings done by Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas
. Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld wrote "James was universally panned as the worst free-agent signing of the summer (and in the pantheon of all-time worst.)" He is also sometimes cited as an example of the "contract year phenomenon", where an athlete with impending free agency plays at a higher level than he ever has before, only to return to his normal level of play once he signs a new long-term contract. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated wrote "James was a chronic underachiever who cashed in on a brief moment of excellence". He also wrote that the Knicks signing James "was a mistake before he ever took the court at Madison Square Garden
. The day the Knicks announced his signing, they were universally panned by executives, experts, journalists -- really anyone with a voice box."
In the 2007–08 NBA season he played in only two games (January 18 and January 21) for a total of five minutes, while earning a salary of $5.8 million. James made his only field goal
shot and two free throw
s of the season at Washington. He played another 2 games the following season, scoring 6 points, but suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon injury.
On February 19, 2009, James was traded by the Knicks along with Tim Thomas
and Anthony Roberson
to the Chicago Bulls
in exchange for Larry Hughes
. James never played any minutes for the Chicago Bulls because of injury. He was waived by the Bulls shortly before the 2009-2010 playoffs.
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 16 || 0 || 2.6 || .375 || .000 || .500 || 1.1 || .1 || .1 || .4 || 1.5
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Seattle
| 56 || 40 || 16.9 || .491 || .000 || .500 || 4.1 || .4 || .4 || 1.5 || 5.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Seattle
| 51 || 16 || 15.0 || .478 || .000 || .587 || 4.2 || .5 || .2 || 1.6 || 5.4
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Seattle
| 65 || 24 || 15.2 || .498 || .000 || .660 || 3.5 || .5 || .3 || .9 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Seattle
| 80 || 80 || 16.6 || .509 || .000 || .723 || 3.0 || .2 || .3 || 1.4 || 4.9
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | New York
| 45 || 9 || 9.0 || .463 || .000 || .625 || 2.0 || .3 || .1 || .5 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | New York
| 41 || 11 || 6.7 || .418 || .000 || .556 || 1.6 || .1 || .2 || .4 || 1.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New York
| 2 || 0 || 2.5 || 1.000 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.5 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
| align="left" | New York
| 2 || 0 || 5.0 || .375 || .000 || .000 || 1.5 || .0 || .5 || .5 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 358 || 180 || 13.3 || .485 || .000 || .617 || 3.1 || .3 || .3 || 1.0 || 4.3
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Sacramento
| 1 || 0 || 4.0 || .500 || .000 || .750 || 2.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Seattle
| 5 || 1 || 14.0 || .391 || .000 || .000 || 2.4 || .8 || .0 || 1.0 || 3.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Seattle
| 11 || 11 || 26.8 || .514 || .000 || .767 || 6.8 || .5 || .6 || 1.8 || 12.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 17 || 12 || 21.7 || .493 || .000 || .722 || 5.2 || .5 || .3 || 1.5 || 9.4
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player. James played at Florida A&M University
Florida A&M University
Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, commonly known as Florida A&M or FAMU, is a historically black university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States, the state capital, and is one of eleven member institutions of the State University System of Florida...
, and was selected by the Sacramento Kings
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
in the second round of the 1998 NBA Draft
1998 NBA Draft
The 1998 NBA Draft took place on June 24, 1998 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. This draft helped turn around three struggling franchises: the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings, and the Toronto Raptors....
. Over the course of his career, he has played for the Kings, Seattle SuperSonics
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
and New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
. He has also played for the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
.
NBA career
James has averaged 4.3 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in 358 career games (180 games started). James played well for the Seattle SuperSonicsSeattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
during the 2005 NBA playoffs
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
, averaging 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 11 games against the Kings and San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
.
After the 2004–05 season, James signed a 5-year, $30 million free-agent contract with the Knicks on the strength of an outstanding performance in the 2 playoff series in which he tripled his regular-season statistics. He arrived at his first training camp out of shape and in his first season he only averaged 3.1 points and 2.1 rebounds in 9 minutes per game. James missed much of the season due to injury and when he was not injured, he frequently played insignificant minutes. James was suspended on January 2, 2006 for not being prepared to practice.
James is often cited as one of many questionable signings done by Knicks general manager Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas
Isiah Lord Thomas III , nicknamed "Zeke",is the men's basketball coach for the FIU Golden Panthers, and a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association from 1981 until 1994. He led the "Bad Boys" to the NBA...
. Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld wrote "James was universally panned as the worst free-agent signing of the summer (and in the pantheon of all-time worst.)" He is also sometimes cited as an example of the "contract year phenomenon", where an athlete with impending free agency plays at a higher level than he ever has before, only to return to his normal level of play once he signs a new long-term contract. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated wrote "James was a chronic underachiever who cashed in on a brief moment of excellence". He also wrote that the Knicks signing James "was a mistake before he ever took the court at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
. The day the Knicks announced his signing, they were universally panned by executives, experts, journalists -- really anyone with a voice box."
In the 2007–08 NBA season he played in only two games (January 18 and January 21) for a total of five minutes, while earning a salary of $5.8 million. James made his only field goal
Field goal (basketball)
In basketball, the term field goal refers to a basket scored on any shot or tap other than a free throw, worth two or three points depending on the distance of the attempt from the basket. "Field Goal" is the official terminology used by the National Basketball Association in their rule book,...
shot and two free throw
Free throw
In basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s of the season at Washington. He played another 2 games the following season, scoring 6 points, but suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon injury.
On February 19, 2009, James was traded by the Knicks along with Tim Thomas
Tim Thomas (basketball)
Timothy Mark "Tim" Thomas is an American professional basketball player, in the small forward position.-High school / College:...
and Anthony Roberson
Anthony Roberson
Anthony Roberson is an American professional basketball player who has played for four National Basketball Association teams and four foreign teams in his six-year pro career...
to the Chicago Bulls
Chicago Bulls
The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in exchange for Larry Hughes
Larry Hughes
Larry Darnell Hughes is an American professional basketball player who most recently played for the Charlotte Bobcats. He is a and shooting guard. Hughes attended Saint Louis University and was the eight pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, selected by the Philadelphia 76ers...
. James never played any minutes for the Chicago Bulls because of injury. He was waived by the Bulls shortly before the 2009-2010 playoffs.
Regular season
|-| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 16 || 0 || 2.6 || .375 || .000 || .500 || 1.1 || .1 || .1 || .4 || 1.5
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" | Seattle
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
| 56 || 40 || 16.9 || .491 || .000 || .500 || 4.1 || .4 || .4 || 1.5 || 5.3
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" | Seattle
| 51 || 16 || 15.0 || .478 || .000 || .587 || 4.2 || .5 || .2 || 1.6 || 5.4
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" | Seattle
| 65 || 24 || 15.2 || .498 || .000 || .660 || 3.5 || .5 || .3 || .9 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Seattle
| 80 || 80 || 16.6 || .509 || .000 || .723 || 3.0 || .2 || .3 || 1.4 || 4.9
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | New York
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
| 45 || 9 || 9.0 || .463 || .000 || .625 || 2.0 || .3 || .1 || .5 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | New York
| 41 || 11 || 6.7 || .418 || .000 || .556 || 1.6 || .1 || .2 || .4 || 1.9
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | New York
| 2 || 0 || 2.5 || 1.000 || .000 || 1.000 || 1.5 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 2.0
|-
| align="left" | 2008–09
2008–09 NBA season
The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | New York
| 2 || 0 || 5.0 || .375 || .000 || .000 || 1.5 || .0 || .5 || .5 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 358 || 180 || 13.3 || .485 || .000 || .617 || 3.1 || .3 || .3 || 1.0 || 4.3
Playoffs
|-| align="left" | 1998–99
1999 NBA Playoffs
The 1999 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1998-99 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs by defeating the eighth-seeded Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to one...
| align="left" | Sacramento
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings are a professional basketball team based in Sacramento, California, United States. They are currently members of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association...
| 1 || 0 || 4.0 || .500 || .000 || .750 || 2.0 || .0 || .0 || .0 || 5.0
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
2002 NBA Playoffs
The 2002 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2001–02 season. This would be the final postseason that held a best-of-5 first-round series; next year's postseason would see those series expanded to a best-of-7 format...
| align="left" | Seattle
Seattle SuperSonics
The Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
| 5 || 1 || 14.0 || .391 || .000 || .000 || 2.4 || .8 || .0 || 1.0 || 3.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
2005 NBA Playoffs
The 2005 NBA Playoffs was the postseason of the National Basketball Association's 2004–05 season.The San Antonio Spurs, the number two ranked team in the Western Conference, won the 2005 NBA Playoffs by defeating the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, 4-3 in the NBA Finals...
| align="left" | Seattle
| 11 || 11 || 26.8 || .514 || .000 || .767 || 6.8 || .5 || .6 || 1.8 || 12.5
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 17 || 12 || 21.7 || .493 || .000 || .722 || 5.2 || .5 || .3 || 1.5 || 9.4