Former Tulane Guard Named Top 'Under-the-Radar Addition' As Transfer
The Tulane Green Wave men’s basketball team underwent a massive roster overhaul ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Virtually the entire rotation from a disappointing 2023-24 campaign departed, as only 9.6% of the minutes played and 8.4% of the points scored from last year’s team returned. Gregg Glenn III, Asher Woods and Percy Daniels were the only holdovers.
That is a lot of talent and production that head coach Ron Hunter had to replace, as none of the three returnees played double-digit minutes per game.
One of the major pieces the Green Wave had to replace was Sion James.
After four campaigns with the program, he opted to transfer for his last season of college eligibility. He landed the Duke Blue Devils, which has been a perfect match.
James knew that his role would change, going from one of the leading men with Tulane to a complementary piece on a loaded Blue Devils team that has championship aspirations.
Duke didn’t need another player to score 14 points per game, which James did last year with Tulane. They had plenty of scoring with star freshman duo Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel leading the way along with Tyrese Proctor.
What head coach Jon Scheyer needed was someone who could fill the gaps, and do all the small things that separate a good team from a great one, which the Blue Devils look to be.
James has ended up being the perfect addition in that sense, providing everything the program needed to be a legitimate title contender.
That is part of the reason why Jeff Borzell of ESPN selected the former Green Wave star as one of his under-the-radar additions via the transfer portal for a top 25 team this season.
“He did need experience and toughness, however, and James has filled that role perfectly. He's averaging 8.2 points and 3.3 assists, giving Duke a secondary ball handler and playmaker who can get downhill and finish,” wrote Borzell.
Normally when a player hits the transfer portal they are looking for a bigger opportunity, one that will allow them to have the ball in their hands more and produce more statistics.
James could have certainly sought out something of that ilk as an experienced player who filled several roles for Tulane during his time there.
But, he prioritized winning and it shows in his performance with Duke.
Surrounded by elite talent, he has become a more dangerous player, upping his efficiency as he plays off his teammates.
His impact is being felt on a nightly basis as he is top four on the team in minutes, points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks per game, getting the job done on both ends of the court.
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Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.