SION JAMES: A GRADUATE STUDENT'S VOYAGE TO VALIDATION AND VICTORY

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Sion James entered the transfer portal with one goal in mind: compete under the brightest lights in college basketball.

In other words, he wanted to be a part of front-cover basketball. On Saturday night, as he cut down the net in Charlotte, there was no doubt he made the right choice.

The graduate-transfer guard played a pivotal role in Duke’s 73-62 win over Louisville in the ACC Championship, finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, and 33 minutes of two-way basketball. The performance was a reflection of everything he envisioned when he committed to the Blue Devils.

Entering the transfer portal and winning a championship in the same season is no small feat, especially as a graduate student balancing both academics and basketball. James, who earned a degree in Legal Studies in Business from Tulane’s Freeman School of Business, understood the challenge but embraced the opportunity.

“Being a graduate student is hard enough,” James said. “Going somewhere and succeeding right away as a graduate student is hard. I’m thankful that I have the guys around here to do it with and thankful I’ve been able to be successful so far.”

James had plenty of interest when he left Tulane, where he started 107 games and amassed over 1,000 career points. In fact, James was 247 Sports’ 61st ranked player in their 2024 transfer portal rankings. But when it came time to make a decision, there was no hesitation.

“It was always going to be Duke,” James said.

He didn’t need to weigh his options or take countless visits. The Blue Devils offered the combination of high-stake hoops and championship expectations he wanted.

“A lot of the history and the culture is recognized,” James said. “We’re not just playing for the guys in the locker room. We really are playing for the guys that we’re with, but you’re also playing for our history of guys who have gone before you.”

That history, and the chance to be part of something bigger than himself, drew him in.

At Duke, James didn’t have to be the leading scorer or the face of the program. His role was to elevate those around him and provide the kind of veteran presence championship teams need.

“My job is to make everyone look good,” James said.

Throughout the season, James consistently delivered. He posted back-to-back double-digit scoring performances in his first two games off the bench. 

With James in the starting lineup, Duke transformed into a juggernaut. The Blue Devils won 26 of their next 27 games, with the lone loss coming to Clemson in Littlejohn Coliseum. He capped off his lone regular season in Durham with a 16-point outing against archrival North Carolina.

Against Louisville, he stepped up with the kind of plays only a veteran could make.

With Duke clinging to a slim 49-47 lead midway through the second half, James made perhaps the biggest shot of his season. He buried a clutch three-pointer to extend a 7-0 run, forcing Louisville to burn a timeout. The sea of navy blue erupted as the ball snapped through the net.

Now, he’s an ACC champion. And as far as James is concerned, he couldn’t have picked a better place to be.

But Duke isn’t done yet.

The Blue Devils have their eyes on an even bigger prize: a national championship. If they can string together six more wins, James’ decision won’t just be validated. It will be immortalized.

There’s more page-one basketball to be played. And if Duke keeps winning, James will be right at the heart of it.