DURHAM, N.C. – Duke men’s basketball head coach Jon Scheyer has officially announced that Sion James will join the Blue Devils’ 2024 recruiting class.
James, a 6-6, 220-pound guard from Sugar Hill, Georgia, transfers to Duke after four seasons at Tulane. Throughout his college career, he played 114 games, starting in 107, and averaged over 34 minutes per game. His career stats include 1,084 points (9.5 ppg), 520 rebounds (4.6 rpg), 337 assists (3.0 apg), and 187 steals (1.6 spg).
James showed consistent improvement at Tulane, with his most recent season averaging 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game. He also recorded 23 blocks and shot 51.4% from the field and 38.1% from three-point range.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Sion James to The Brotherhood,” said 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 enhancing our culture of competitiveness and winning attitude. His versatility as a defender and his ability to elevate his teammates on offense will significantly benefit our team. Sion will have a tremendous impact on and off the court, and I look forward to working with him and the rest of our team.”
In the past season, James scored 20 points in six games, including a 28-point double-double against North Texas in the AAC tournament’s second round. In the 2022-23 season, he recorded career-highs of 30 points and seven steals in a win over Memphis and set a Tulane record for most blocks in an AAC tournament game with six against Wichita State.
James is the first player to win the AAC Sportsmanship Award twice, receiving the honor in 2023 and 2024. He also served as the chair of the AAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee twice.
Before Tulane, James was a three-star recruit from Lanier High School, where he was a two-time Region 8A Player of the Year and led his team to consecutive regional titles and a state championship game appearance in 2020.
James joins Duke’s top-ranked recruiting class, which includes four-star transfers Maliq Brown (6-8, F, from Syracuse) and Mason Gillis (6-6, F, from Purdue), along with five-star recruits Cooper Flagg (6-9, F), Isaiah Evans (6-6, G/F), Kon Knueppel (6-6, G/F), Patrick Ngongba II (6-11, C), Khaman Maluach (7-2, C), and four-star recruit Darren Harris (6-6, G/F).