Next Step For Jordan-James Is The Next Step for Vols
It took the Tennessee Volunteers a little while to get to begin their season, but they are now off to a 2-0 start with quality wins over Colorado and Cincinnati. Two games into the young season, the Vols have shown a balanced offense, a deep bench, and outstanding defense. Much has been made about the combination of returning stars for the Vols, paired with highly-touted recruits arriving on campus. The sample size has been small, but it appears the hype was warranted so far. In the mix of All-SEC players returning, new five-star players, graduate transfers, and players available after sitting out, one name seems to have slipped through the cracks. The five-star prospect Tennessee signed in the 2019 class, Josiah Jordan-James.
Jordan-James has been looked over by many fans and much of the media this offseason. The Vols landed Keon Johnson and Jaden Springer, while Victor Bailey Jr. became eligible after sitting out a season. The Vols also returned fellow sophomore Santiago Vescovi, who arrived in Knoxville midway through last season and played well for the Vols. The new arrivals came with much fanfare, and Vescovi arrived back in Knoxville sporting a new hair style to match his new, more muscular frame. It has been evident in two games Vescovi has made strides on his defense, his physicality, and his confidence on the floor. All of this has left Jordan-James a bit under the radar. Despite arriving with the same hype last season that Johnson and Springer are enjoying now, and playing in more games and more minutes than Vescovi last season, Jordan-James seems to be the forgotten man on the Tennessee roster. How did such a talented, productive player end up in that situation?
First, it is no secret that Jordan-James didn’t live up to the expectations that he had last season. He was hampered before his freshman campaign began with injuries, missing nearly all of camp. He tried to work himself into playing shape while adjusting to playing SEC basketball and starting for the Vols. While Jordan-James physically looked ready to go, it was the time missed working with his teammates, his experience in the offense, that he truly missed. Jordan-James was hampered down the stretch by illness and injury, and he gritted his way through the 2019-2020 season. As much as these impacted Jordan-James struggling to live up to expectations, so did arriving as a five-star. Most basketball fans immediately associate a five-star rating with a scoring threat, but in truth, that was never what Jordan-James was. Josiah Jordan-James was a huge point guard that handled the ball well. He played good defense, rebounded well, and looked to facilitate for others. In terms of offense, he was unselfish to a fault, looking too hard at times to get others involved, passing up his own shot. This was exactly the player the Vols saw last season.
Tennessee was an undersized team in the front court last season, just as they are again this year. Jordan-James is a huge guard that gives the Vols a size advantage on the floor. He is an excellent rebounder, consistently one of the best Rick Barnes had at his disposal last season. He also used his size, strength, and wingspan to become a quality defender on the wing for the Vols. These skills have carried over to his sophomore campaign, with Jordan-James earning his minutes by filling up the stat sheet, contributing in many ways other than scoring. However, that is the area that the Vols need Jordan-James to elevate his game the most.
Tennessee looks to have found their primary point guard in Santiago Vescovi, but they are still looking for someone to run the point when Vescovi is on the bench, or to be a secondary ball handler with Vescovi on the floor. Jordan-James is the ideal candidate for this role. He has a full season of experience, has excellent passing skills, is comfortable handling the ball, and is often on the floor with Vescovi as the shooting guard for Tennessee. Jordan-James has also put in the offseason work to improve his game and his body going into his sophomore year. Everything points to him being the ideal candidate, yet when the Vols turn to him to run the offense, it seems to stagnate. Jordan-James seems to have everything in place to fill a need for the Vols and propel them to the next level, except for one facet: Scoring.
Now, Jordan-James has started this season off with a pair of 8 point efforts. Considering how many guys the Vols are playing in the backcourt, how balanced the Tennessee offense has been, and how little Jordan-James scored in many contests last season, this is already an improvement. That said, it is the confidence and comfort scoring that Jordan-James seems to still be missing. At times last season, Jordan-James looked like he was afraid to shoot the ball. He would defer to others despite having excellent looks, and when he did shoot, he looked to be pressing, particular from deep. There always seemed to be a hesitation, a second guess that kept him from firing good looks. That Jordan-James hesitated and Vescovi confidently took those shots without hesitating is what separated them. The late deferrals and dishes by Jordan-James on drives often led to turnovers instead of points. Josiah Jordan-James is a 6’6” 215 pound guard that can handle the ball and drive the lane. If he can find the aggression and confidence to finish drives as dunks at the rim instead of layups or finger rolls, attacking over players he is nearly always bigger, stronger, and faster than, his ability to run the offense changes. The offense stagnates around him because he passes up too many shots and does not score confidently or consistently from the floor. If Jordan-James can find the ability to consistently drive the lane and finish at the hoop for points, the way defenses handle him will change entirely. The opportunities for him to create with his passing will open up, and the Vols will have two point guards able to effectively run the offense without it stalling. Jordan-James has all the tools, work ethic, and intelligence that is required to take this next step in his development. He is so valuable for the Vols all over the floor, if he can find his comfort and confidence as a scorer, even just off of drives, he could have All-SEC potential.
Confidence in scoring is the next step in the development of Josiah Jordan-James, and if he can find that, he will propel his team to the next level. The Vols would have two proven point guards able to run the offense, an opportunity to play a pair of ball handlers of equal threat on the floor together, and the chance leave an excellent defender and rebounder on the floor. A Jordan-James comfortable with trying to score without hesitation when presented with the opportunity makes the Vols still more versatile, deep, and dangerous. It feels like the kind of step someone on the roster needs to make for the Vols to reach their title aspirations.
