Tennessee lands 5-star Josiah James, the state of SC’s top basketball prospect
During the recruiting process, it was evident Josiah James wanted to make his own path.
The Porter-Gaud guard reinforced that Wednesday when he committed to Tennessee over powerhouse Duke and in-state school Clemson in a ceremony at his school.
Clemson was the overwhelming favorite in 247Sports’ Crystal Ball predictions with 93 percent of the predictions made for James picking the Tigers, where he visited over the weekend.
James could have picked Duke, whose roster is filled with five-star prospects each year. Zion Williamson, the state’s top player for the class of 2018, picked the Blue Devils earlier this year.
But James felt comfortable with Tennessee coach Rick Barnes and the program. The Vols were the first to offer him following an AAU game in Spartanburg the summer before his freshman season.
“You can definitely go there and build your own legacy,” James said. “It is not that he hasn’t had great players in the past, and they still have great players. This was a different route. People wanted me to take the blue-blood route or in-state route.”
James wasn’t one to be dramatic, and that was true during his announcement. He had just one hat, an orange Vols cap, in the bag when he announced his decision.
While James’ decision might have stunned many, his father Kurt James said it typified the person his son is. Josiah James stayed at Porter-Gaud instead of transferring to a bigger, more high-profile school. He also remained loyal to the Charleston-based TMP AAU program when teams from Nike, Under Armour and Adidas circuit came calling for him.
“Josiah’s a different kid. ... He wants to pave his own way,” Kurt James said. “I’m not saying as far as basketball, but as a person. He has been loyal to Porter-Gaud, TMP and people that have been loyal to him. He just felt that relationship with coach Barnes and that coach Barnes can help him reach his full potential.”
James took his official visit to Tennessee earlier this month, and the entire Vols team was there to greet him and his parents at the hotel. He also attended a Tennessee football game and played a pickup game with players on the team.
“There was no other option for me,” James said. “Tennessee was home for me. … I just fell in love with the school, and coach Barnes is a hall of fame coach, and the level of care he has for his players and their success on and off the court is unmatched by any coach.”
James told Barnes of his decision on Monday and was going to talk with Clemson coach Brad Brownell sometime Wednesday. According to 247Sports, James is the third highest commitment all-time for Tennessee. Only Tobias Harris and Scotty Hopson were ranked higher.
James joins York Prep’s DJ Burns on Tennessee’s roster. Burns was one of the top recruits in South Carolina for the class of 2019, then reclassified as a 2018 prospect and enrolled at Tennessee in the summer.
247Sports and Rivals ranked James as a five-star prospect and 14th overall in the country. He is ranked No. 20 by ESPN. James will play point guard for Tennessee but has the ability to play shooting guard as well.
“He is a guy who can play one through three on both sides of the floor. He has an unbelievable body and feel for the game and a lot of upside. He has everything you want in a high school prospect,” Rivals national recruiting analyst Corey Evans said of James earlier this year.
James played for Team USA basketball on the U18 National team that went 6-0 and won the gold medal in the FIBA Americas U18 championship. He will take part in the USA Basketball Junior National team camp in October.
James averaged 10 points and seven assists last season in helping Porter-Gaud to its third straight SCISA 3A title.
This story was originally published September 19, 2018 at 2:22 PM.