March Madness: Ranking the top five Tennessee basketball Vols by importance in 2022 NCAA Tournament
Scouting Report. Guard. Pick Analysis. Junior. Josiah-Jordan James. 1. player. 534
6’6″ 214 pounds
Once a five-star recruit out of South Carolina, Josiah-Jordan James had trouble living up to those expectations his first two years with Tennessee basketball, largely because he played multiple roles and battled injuries. However, staying in the program has down wonders for him, and he’s the Vols’ X-factor in March Madness.
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The graduate of Porter-Gaud School in Charleston, S.C., was initially a combo guard, but he’s now developed into more of a point forward. After Olivier Nkamhoua went out, Rick Barnes often turned to him to play the four when going small.
It’s been working, and it’s the perfect formula for the NCAA Tournament. James is averaging just under 10 points a game, but he leads the team in rebounds and blocked shots with just under six and over one a game. He averages one and a half steals and over one and a half assists too.
Simply put, he does all the little things defensively and under the basket to make this unit go. Nobody else has more of a combination of experience and talent, so that makes him the leader of this group as well, which will be a big deal for the NCAA Tournament.
Next. Vols' road to the Final Four. dark
In reality, James’ shooting will dictate how well the Vols do. When he’s on from three, they’re unbeatable. He went 9-of-17 from beyond the arc in the SEC Tournament, which was why they won it. If that continues, Barnes’ team will make a deep March Madness run, as James will consistently anchor this team’s elite defense no matter what.