Sanning: It's time for Josiah-Jordan James to take off
Josiah-Jordan James needs to get going, and the sooner, the better.
Let me preface my comments by stating this: I am fully aware that Tennessee freshman guard James' struggles do not squarely rest on his shoulders.
The Charleston, South Carolina native has been dealing with nagging injuries that have routinely plagued him throughout the season, most recently keeping him out for a stretch that spanned multiple games.
He's had his moments, but James has struggled to make the consistent impact that many thought he would immediately have prior to this season.
With just four games remaining on Tennessee's schedule, it's time for that to change.
Quickly, too.
The Vols have struggled to find a consistent playmaker since Lamonte Turner was lost for the season, and Santiago Vescovi's occasional struggle with turnovers haven't made fortunes any easier.
When asked to describe James' season, Rick Barnes could only think of one word: tough.
"At this time of the year, we have the confidence obviously that we think he can still fight through that because it's not like we're doing as much as we were in practice," Barnes said. "It's just a matter of the mindset, but it's been a tough year for him."
Through 23 games played, James is averaging 7.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists while shooting 37 percent from the field.
Not bad for a freshman, but there is one problem with that logic: this is no ordinary freshman.
James was a five-star recruit coming out of high school for a reason. He averaged nearly 30 points per game during his senior season and has three state championship rings in his trophy case to show for it.
Not only that, his 6-foot-6, 208-pound frame makes it extremely difficult for opposing defenders to stay in front of him at his position. When James puts this advantage to use, he'll be as unstoppable in college as he was in high school.
For now, Barnes and his staff are taking a "slow and steady wins the race" approach with his development, which could prove dividends given James' upward trajectory to start the season.
"We've seen him grow in some areas, and then we've seen him take some steps backwards, but we know what he can be," Barnes said. "The biggest thing he's going to have to do now is get himself back to playing as hard as he possibly can and get lost in the game that way."
There's no doubt that James and Vescovi will be given the keys to Tennessee's offense following the inevitable departures of Turner and fellow senior Jordan Bowden following this season, but the only question that remains is: who's offense will it be?
Both are capable of setting up their teammates, but there is a reason that James was highly-recruited by other powerhouse schools such as Duke and Michigan State.
He has all the requisite skills to be one of the SEC's best floor generals, and the sooner that he realizes that, the better off Tennessee will be both short and long-term.
Whether that comes this season or next, Barnes feels that once James settles in, he'll be just fine.
"I think once he understands that consistently, he'll figure it out."
