Sion James' Path to Becoming a Staple in the Charlotte Hornets' Rotation

Sion James' rookie season has become underrated.

There are some clear flaws in his game that we will touch on later, but for the most part, James didn't look like your average 33rd overall pick in his maiden NBA voyage. James' per-game stats (5.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on 37/35/83 splits) don't scream 'key rotation piece,' but his advanced impact numbers do.

His +1.1 defensive EPM was the second-best number on the Hornets behind only Moussa Diabate. A piece of EPM's calculation is RAPM, a number that graded James out as a borderline top-50 defender in the NBA last season. His effect on Charlotte's opponent's true-shooting percentage and second-chance opportunities is the key to his individual defensive impact.

Those numbers tell a compelling story about James' defensive prowess, and the film does the same.

Sion was asked to guard opposing stars of all shapes and sizes. His one-on-one defensive possessions against two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander were as staunch as anyone I've seen in a Hornets uniform. And what makes those even more impressive is that James did as good of a job defending bigger, stronger players like Paolo Banchero and Lauri Markkanen too.

The former Duke Blue Devil is a bulldog of a defender who wins with his strength and IQ. James' wingspan isn't notable, and it hinders his ability to be a true event creator on the defensive end, but it doesn't keep him from being a true one-on-one stopper.

In January's win against the Oklahoma City Thunder, James' defensive acumen was on full display in those handful of possessions against SGA. Watch as James expertly uses his core strength and lateral agility to guide the ball handler into uncomfortable areas. Individual defense at the NBA level is an supremely difficult due to the overwhelming talent of offensive players, but James has proven that he is already a force on that end of the floor.

Remember when the Hornets went to Oklahoma City and blitzed the defending champions?

Sion James played some great individual defense on SGA in that game - Im looking forward to his elevation as a defender in year two. pic.twitter.com/66n66eBzNf
— Matt Alquiza (@malquiza8) August 24, 2026

Like all young players though, James has clear areas of improvement heading into year two.

Sion was one of the least efficient scorers in the NBA last season. He only converted on 50% of his shot attempts at the rim (2nd percentile), 20% from the mid-range (2nd percentile on middling volume), and 35% from long range (45th percentile). He can be straight-up ignored by opposing defenses which will make it difficult for James to see the floor in crunch time.

How many times have we seen one-way players get squeezed out of a playoff rotation in the modern NBA? Too many, which is why I think Charlotte's plan to develop James as a lead ball handler in the Summer League did have some merit. He needs to add ancillary skills to become a viable playoff performer.

Despite his inefficiencies as a scorer, James does boast some things to like on offense. He is a true connective passer who consistently makes the right play to extend an advantage created by a teammate. However, when he is the one tasked to either create an advantage or finish one, he struggles.

Becoming a more consistent three-point shooter is the first step for James, as well as becoming a better scorer around the rim. He's a physical driver who can get downhill; it's the end product that still needs work, though. A leap in either or both of those two areas will transform James' short and long-term outlook.

For me, the good outweighs the bad for James. He's already 24-years-old, meaning he's closer to being a finished product than most second-year players, but by all accounts, he is the type of worker that will continue to add to his game every year.

Every great team needs connective offensive players who can lock it down on defense, and the Hornets have theirs in James.

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