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Jerome James

Drafted #36 in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Kings
Height: 7'0" (213 cm)
Weight: 315 lbs (143 kg)
Position: C
High School: Pentecostal Christian Academy (Florida)
Hometown: Tampa, FL
College: Florida A&M
Current Team: Florida A&M
Win - Loss: 5 - 22

Articles

NBA Scouting Reports, Atlantic Division (Part Two)

Jonathan Givony
Jonathan Givony
Matt Williams
Matt Williams
Jan 27, 2009, 01:31 am
Overview: A burly center that has failed to show anything resembling the one good playoff series that landed him the full mid-level exception from Isiah Thomas. Has tremendous size and strength for a pure five. Displays very little in the way of athleticism any more due to poor conditioning. Used to be a bit quicker and more explosive. Doesn’t offer much on the offensive end, but is a big body that can finish. Provides almost all of his value as a rebounder and shot blocker. Was a similar player on the collegiate level. Ruled ineligible as a freshman at Florida A&M, but dominated the next three years with his defense. Improved his offensive skills over his four year career, but didn’t score very efficiently. Spent some time overseas after failing to impress as a rookie. Parlayed a good playoff series in Seattle into a huge contract. Hasn’t lived up to expectations to say the least. Recent injury history will set him back even further. Will be a bargaining chip when his deal is set to expire after he inevitably exercises his option for the 2010 season. Won’t see the floor in Mike D’Antoni’s system, and will likely be out of the league once his contract is up.

Offense: A generally below average offensive player that was a fifth option type even in his prime. Gets essentially all of his touches right at the rim. Takes up space underneath. Will take an occasional ill-advised jump shot, appearing rushed and often pushing the ball at the rim without a lot of flow. Will try to do a little too much with his jumper, facing up or trying to make an off balance turnaround. Has no trouble gaining position on the block. Will turn over either shoulder to score, but has little in the way of touch. Shows some decent post moves, but lacks the coordination to use them effectively. Uses some fakes and up and under moves to try and clear space. Doesn’t have great hands. Will get stripped on the way up by smaller players. Incredibly turnover prone on a per-possession basis. Pulls down a decent amount of offensive rebounds. Sets great screens. Not an efficient option on the offensive end even in his miniscule role.

Defense: Lacks the conditioning to be a factor now, but was more than capable of defending the post against most centers when he was in shape in 2004/2005. Used his strength extremely well on the block, forcing his man to catch the ball surprising far away from the rim. Used to be able to keep up with his man’s offensive moves, but lacks the lateral quickness at this point to do so. Never gets backed down, but can’t stop quicker players from turning the corner when they make a move on him. Shows decent anticipation when contesting shots on the ball. Commits fouls at an incredibly high rate due to his physically aggressive style of play. Consistently a league leader in fouls per-minute back when he played. Will block some shots when his man can’t beat him to the rim, but isn’t a major factor from the weakside due to his lack of quickness. Rebounds the ball at a poor rate, lacking the athleticism to rebound outside of his area. Can be a huge liability when he gets switched onto a smaller player on the pick and roll. Would have been a much better defender if he were somehow able to stay in shape.