Sanning: When needed most, James provides spark that Tennessee envisioned
Tennessee had high expectations for Josiah-Jordan James upon his arrival.
The former five-star prospect out of Charleston, South Carolina made waves during his senior season at Porter-Gaud, averaging 29.1 points, 12.4 rebounds and 5.3 blocks per game.
Until this point, that version of James had yet to manifest itself on Rocky Top.
It wasn't all his fault, though.
Having dealt with nagging injuries all season on top of Lamonte Turner's abrupt departure, the freshman guard was able to dig deep into his bag of tricks during the second half of Tuesday night's matchup with Kentucky in Lexington,
And the Vols needed every bit of it, too.
Logging all 16 of his point over the course of the final 20 minutes, James was calm, collected and in total control, just like Rick Barnes and his staff envisioned when he committed to Tennessee last spring.
"I do think that he feels the best he’s felt probably since July, and he’s dealt with some serious things where he’s tried to play through it," Barnes said. "I mean, he’s just, he’s got that look that he’s settled in and he knows what he needs to do and now he just needs to continue to build on it.”
James dealt with a strained groin that kept him our for three consecutive games, and his presence was sorely missed on both ends.
Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing in at 208 pounds, he's an absolute matchup nightmare on both ends for opposing guards. Whether its by using his size to bother his opponent on the defense or utilizing his length on offense, James can be a force on both ends when he's engaged.
That's not to say he has a problem with motivation or anything of the like.
He just simply hasn't been healthy, and in a sport that requires constant movement, that can quickly become a problem.
Just ask LeBron James, whose Iron Man-esque body is beginning to show slight signs of wear-and-tear in the past few seasons. Or you could consult his buddy Dwyane Wade, who became the king of post-injury diets to relieve stress on his body.
James isn't that far up there in age, but the same principles still apply.
Tennessee has one of the best nutrition and strength/conditioning programs in the country, and that still didn't stop him from tweaking his groin.
With just one game remaining in the regular season and the Vols needing a strong finish to secure a third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, UT will need more contributions like this from James to get the job done.
He may just be a freshman, but he's already proven to be on of Tennessee's most important pieces.
James' versatility is unmatched on the roster with the exception of senior guard Jordan Bowden, who is entering the final stretch of his collegiate career in the coming weeks.
As that quickly becomes a reality, the Vols will be leaning on James and fellow freshman guard Santiago Vescovi for years to come.
And the more No. 5 utilizes his God-given gifts, the better off Tennessee will be.
