Former Tulane Green Wave Guard Ranks as Top 100 Transfer Approaching Season
The transfer portal is here to stay, love it or hate it, and it is something that big-time programs love, especially while they are pilfering the cupboards of mid-major programs like the Tulane Green Wave.
It is something that head coach Ron Hunter has grown accustomed to in his time at the helm of mid-major programs, now approaching his sixth season at the reigns for the Green Wave.
Tulane saw another star leave in the portal last year after spending the first four years of his collegiate career with the program, but deciding to spend his fifth year of eligibility with the Duke Blue Devils, guard Sion James.
James was an iron man for Tulane, putting up career numbers of 9.5 points, 3.0 assists, and 4.6 rebounds across 34.3 minutes in 114 games with the program, seemingly never leaving the court.
While James is not as highly touted as some other names that have transferred ahead of the coming year, he can still be a valuable asset for the Blue Devils.
In a recent article for CBS Sports, Isaac Trotter laid down how he ranks the top 101 transfers ahead of the 2024-25 season, placing the guard 76th.
"James is an elite role player who Jon Scheyer smartly added to this rotation. James is a warrior who rarely came off the floor at Tulane. He's not some high-volume sharpshooter, but 39% on 81 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers will play. He makes defenses pay for leaving him open. But it's all the little things that make James a stud. He's an excellent defender who is absolutely chiseled. He can hound shooters, big wings or lead guards while providing a little secondary rim protection, too. James might not start but he's going to carve out a major role for Duke."
Duke is a nationally known power that is always a threat to contend for the National Championship, and adding a role player like James to the mix makes the program that much scarier.
The guard's defensive ability could prove highly beneficial late in close games, serving as a Herb Jones-like guard that the Alabama Crimson Tide benefitted from not too long ago.
While the Blue Devils continue to improve their roster with incoming transfers, the Green Wave now have to prepare for life after James, with coach Hunter having to fit pieces together to cover the minutes that James would eat on a consistent basis.
Love it or hate it, the transfer portal is here to stay, with teams like Duke all the better for it, and teams like Tulane losing their stars every time they turn around.
