Indiana Basketball Fills Final Scholarship With Transfer Dallas James

Dallas James, a 7-foot, 200-pound center from South Carolina State, will join coach Mike Woodson and the Indiana Hoosiers for his fifth year of college basketball.

South Carolina State Bulldogs center Dallas James (42) against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at United Supermarkets Arena. / Michael C. Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – With the addition of Dallas James, Indiana basketball has filled all 13 scholarships for the 2024-25 season.

James is a 7-foot, 200-pound center who spent the last four seasons at South Carolina State, a Division I program in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC). He joins Indiana with one year of eligibility.

“Dallas is an incredibly intelligent young man that will provide us with some depth across our front line," Indiana coach Mike Woodson said in a news release. "He is a tall kid with long arms that can contest and alter shots at the rim. He comes from an NBA background with his father spending a decade in the league and we are excited to bring the James family to Bloomington.”

Welcome to Hoosier Nation, Dallas James!! ✍️ pic.twitter.com/jGBaRYc8Hb

— Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) July 30, 2024

As a senior in 2023-24, James averaged 0.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 0.7 blocks per game. He shot 52.6% (10-for-16) from the field, 16.7% (1-for-6) from the free throw line and did not attempt a 3-point shot.

James played just 7.2 minutes per game last season, but he was in the starting lineup in 14 of his 26 games played. He played a season-high 24 minutes against Delaware State but did not attempt a shot, and he played over 10 minutes in just seven games. In nine of his starts, James played less than 10 minutes.

James averaged a career-high 2.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game during the 2022-23 season. He started 19 games and played in 23 that year but still logged just 9.4 minutes per game. 

Across four seasons, James’ career-high of 13 points came against St. Andrews. Against Carver College, he grabbed a career-high eight rebounds. He played a total of 70 games and made 34 starts for South Carolina State while shooting 56.2% from the field and 51.5% from the free throw line.

James played for three coaches in four seasons – Murray Garvin, Tony Madlock and Erik Martin – and in that time the team went 35-77. Originally from Artesia, Calif., he graduated from South Carolina State with a 4.0 GPA with a major in electrical engineering technology. His father, Jerome, played 11 years in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings, the Seattle Supersonics, and the New York Knicks.

James will provide depth for an Indiana frontcourt led by Arizona transfer Oumar Ballo and returning power forward Malik Reneau. The Hoosiers also added Bellarmine transfer Langdon Hatton, and Woodson has discussed playing Illinois transfer Luke Goode and Mackenzie Mgbako at power forward in certain situations. 

Here’s a look at Indiana’s 2024-25 roster after the addition of James.

• Oumar Ballo, one year of eligibility
• Trey Galloway, one year of eligibility
• Luke Goode, one year of eligibility
• Langdon Hatton, one year of eligibility
• Anthony Leal, one year of eligibility
• Dallas James, one year of eligibility
• Malik Reneau, two years of eligibility
• Kanaan Carlyle, three years of eligibility
• Gabe Cupps, three years of eligibility
• Mackenzie Mgbako, three years of eligibility
• Myles Rice, three years of eligibility
• Jakai Newton, four years of eligibility
• Bryson Tucker, four years of eligibility