NEW YORK — Buddy Hield talks a lot. So it’s saying something if even he wondered if rookie Justin James ever stopped talking. It’s not that talking on the court is a bad thing, but apparently, James always has something to say. James doesn’t know he’s a rookie and he’s not supposed to be so vocal. “He has that ‘it’ factor — he’s not shy,” Hield said. “From Day 1 when he first came in, he was not too shy to talk back, shy to voice his opinion. And I was like, ‘This m———– needs to keep his mouth shut,’ but he means well, and that comes from being confident.” James, a second-round draft pick from Wyoming, was not highly touted when the Kings used the 40th pick on him in the NBA Draft in June. Some analysts believed James wasn’t even worthy of being drafted and that the Kings would have been better off pursuing him as a free agent. Just don’t try to convince James he doesn’t belong. Friday’s loss at Brooklyn marked James’ first extended playing time, and he responded with 14 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal. James was needed because the Kings continue to pile up injuries among perimeter players. De’Aaron Fox is out with a sprained ankle, and Bogdan Bogdanovic missed Friday’s game with left hamstring tightness. Trevor Ariza is not with the team for personal reasons. James had played only 15 minutes all season before Friday. He played 33 minutes against the Nets. “He’s one of the most talkative players I’ve been around,” said Kings coach Luke Walton. “But I think that’s helping him. Every practice, he never shuts up, really. I think because of that, he knows the offense, he knows the play calls. There was one play out there he was directing veterans out there where to go. I think he knows what an amazing opportunity this is for him, and he’s doing everything in his power to make it work. He made a nice case for himself (Friday).” And if Hield thinks a player talks a lot, that means he must really talk a lot. Does James talk as much as Hield? “I don’t,” James said. “We’ll see. That’s pretty hard to tell. We’ve both got that contagious (personality). We say what we think. That’s who we are.” Whether on the court or on the bench, James doesn’t know how to keep quiet. He calls out what he sees, cheers for his teammates and is generally the personification of enthusiasm. “It’s just the type of player I am,” James said. “Not just player — the type of person I am. It’s a blessing and a curse sometimes when you need to be quiet. I say what I see. I’ve always been that type of player and I’m just bringing that to this team.” The constant conversation isn’t for show. James said he’s always engaged away from court, too, but his dialogue during competition has a purpose. “I’m a little bit louder on the court because I feel like we have to get stuff done,” James said. “Off the court, I’m a little chill, but I’m a little loud on the court.” It makes it hard for anyone to not know where James is. He might not be seen, but he’ll be heard. That’s a good thing. “You know where he is on the court,” said center Richaun Holmes. “You know when he needs help. You know when he’s coming to help you. You know where he’s going to be because he’s telling you. Especially for a team like us that’s trying to make the playoffs, you have to communicate, and he brings that.” Still, shouldn’t a player who has been out of the rotation most of the season simmer down — especially a rookie? Who is he to be doing all that talking and directing? Certainly, someone has told James to shut up, right? “I’ve never told him, but I’ve got a couple guys that do,” Holmes said. Who might ask James to chill? “Everybody,” James said with a laugh. “(Dewayne Dedmon), T.A., Buddy, probably first 10 (players) all through the lineups, probably all 15.” Clearly, it’s all in fun as all the talking has allowed James to endear himself with his teammates. And even if the veterans really wanted to quiet James, it wouldn’t work. “They allow me to be the person that I am, and they want me to excel the best way I can,” James said. “And the coaching staff has all the trust in me to be the best person I can be, and I’m just taking it in.” Hield believes that James’ having played four years in college has helped his transition to the NBA and allowed him to be more assertive with teammates. James’ confidence is unwavering, even when he’s not playing. “When a rookie comes in, it’s usually like, ‘Shut your mouth. You don’t know what the f— is going on,’” Hield said. “But he’s doing a great job. He’s not shy. He’s competitive, and he’s a fun guy. He just has to keep learning the game and getting better.” Hield said James’ confidence bodes well for his future. Timidity gets players nowhere in the NBA, and that’s a trait James lacks. It’s why he’s always talking. It’s why he went up high to try to dunk on Nets center DeAndre Jordan, too. There’s no lack of swagger in the 22-year-old from Port Saint Lucie, Fla. “You’ve got to be a dog in the league,” Hield said. “You’ve got to fight for what you want. If you don’t, you’ll end up on the bench the rest of your life or out of the league. J.J.’s doing a good job, and he finally got an opportunity and he almost dunked on DeAndre Jordan.” Kings forward Harrison Barnes has the same assessment of James. Letting teammates and coaches know what’s on a player’s mind is a good thing, and James is ahead of the game in that area. “I think he’s got a lot of confidence,” Barnes said. “He plays with a lot of energy, and I think as a young player in this league, guys can be timid, gun-shy. It’s about speaking up. Justin has kind of asserted himself vocally from an early point and I think that’s what allowed him to feel comfortable.” But what becomes of all that confidence on most nights when James does not enter the game — or, if he does, if it’s a limited engagement? James is usually the first player off the bench celebrating. “I like to see my teammates score, for sure,” James said. But it’s not just scoring. James celebrates everything from the sideline. When asked if anyone on the team jumps as much as James, Barnes said no. “Every bench reaction, he’s by far leading those when we look on film on practice,” he said. “His energy, his spirit, I think has become contagious.” The cynical view would be to call James’ celebrations corny. He shouldn’t be so happy not playing, right? Are his antics scripted to earn adulation? Not so. The jumping and celebrating is an extension of James’ outgoing ways. “Nothing but respect for him for showing up before games, after games, being vocal, having energy,” Barnes said. “And a lot of guys can not be present, or try to look at the big picture of, ‘Why am I not playing?’ or, ‘How can I leave my imprint in this league? How am I going to be respected?’ He just knows he belongs, and I think that given the opportunity, given minutes, like you’ve seen (Friday), coming in being aggressive, being assertive and making an impact.” James said how he watches games is part of who he is, too. He simply cannot contain his enthusiasm when a teammate does well. “I’ve always been that player,” James said. “Whether it was my freshman year in college, I was always doing the same thing. I would always do my job and whatever job I had, do it to the best of my ability and whenever my number is called, I try to play my game. I’m just going to keep doing me and hopefully, we’ll keep winning ballgames.” Doing him is why his teammates like him so much. That’s why James will not and cannot stop talking. It’s key to his becoming an NBA player out of a basketball outpost like Wyoming. Also, the more he talks, the more he is picking up the game. It’s a reason that after scoring nine points all season, James was able to score 14 at Brooklyn, giving the Kings something positive to talk about after a 19-point loss. “It’s just about staying locked in, in practice and in the games,” James said, “understanding multiple positions, and when I’m on the side I’m not just on the side, I’m locked into the game plan and I understand where people should be. I was just trying to put our team in the best position to win.” Walk the Walk Cuz
MORE MINUTES FOR JUSTIN JAMES Rookie guard Justin James logged extended minutes for the first time this season during the team’s recent four-game road trip. James flashed his potential in the first game of the trip, posting 14 points, three rebounds and three assists against the Brooklyn Nets on a night when Bogdan Bogdanovic did not play due to hamstring tightness. During the road trip, James made 11 of 23 (.478) field-goal attempts and 3 of 7 (.428) from 3-point range, looking confident and comfortable at both ends of the floor. “His composure for a rookie — for me to throw him out there and (for him to) do the things he’s done — has been quite impressive,” Kings coach Luke Walton said. “… When you’re a rookie and you’re not in the top 10 in the rotation, you’re very limited in your opportunities, but he’s made an impression on his coaches and teammates. Whenever he gets opportunities, he’s been ready and he starts to earn that trust from teammates and coaches, and you get more opportunities in games.” James played 26 minutes against the Nuggets, finishing with six points, seven rebounds and two assists. Read more here: https://www.sacbee.com/sports/nba/sacramento-kings/article237902569.html#storylink=cpy
Justin James earning a longer look Trevor Ariza left the Kings to deal with a personal issue six games ago. During that time, rookie second-round pick Justin James has stepped up his game and earned a spot in the rotation. James brings an energy and athleticism that the Kings’ second unit needs. Against Denver, he did a little of everything, finishing the evening with six points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 26 minutes of action. Ariza was back in the building on Saturday but isn’t ready to play yet. It will be interesting what coach Luke Walton does when the veteran is cleared to play. nbcsports.com
https://music.apple.com/us/album/here-i-go-again/1443312666?i=1443312833 I don’t think I embedded this correctly
Read your thread on KingsFans. Awesome! The kid is making a name for himself very quickly. You have every right to be proud of him. NBC Sports thinks he's earned a spot in the rotation. What a trip! Hope it pans out that way.
