James ready to improve his game, take on new challenge with Cowboys

LARAMIE – Justin James got the feedback he wanted.

Now, the University of Wyoming senior guard is back on campus working on what NBA coaches and staff told him to improve in order to give professional basketball at the highest level a shot next year.

The 6-foot-7, 180-pound James was one of approximately 150 underclassmen who, at the very least, tested the NBA draft waters to see how they stacked up. James didn't hire an agent and recently returned to UW for his senior season.

James worked out for three NBA teams – Boston, Houston and San Antonio.

"It is kind of sudden," James said of his experience. "Teams contact you letting you know they want to work you out. You fly out the next day or two, and you're there for a day or two.

"You work out for about three hours and then are in meetings with the coaches and other staff. Then they give you the feedback of what you need to work on and improve on."

James said all three teams said he was talented, but needed to add 10 to 15 pounds of muscle and be a more consistent 3-point shooter. Even though James was a first team All-Mountain West pick last season and led the Cowboys at 18.9 points per game, he shot just 30.8 percent from 3-point range. The NBA 3-pointer is three feet further out than in college.

Third-year UW coach Allen Edwards also heard the feedback, and said James needs to be a better free-throw shooter. James led the Cowboys with 146 made free throws and 201 attempts. His 72.6 percent mark from the free-throw line was second-best for Cowboys with at least 100 attempts.

Edwards said the NBA wants James to be closer to 85 percent. Edwards wants him to be closer to 90 percent this season.

Edwards also said the NBA wants James to be a more consistent perimeter shooter – not just from 3-point range. James shot 47.2 percent last year, and Edwards said that percentage had more to do with shot selection than consistency.

There's something else Edwards has been emphasizing with James.

Becoming a professional," he said. "Not a basketball player, but becoming a professional in terms of how he carries himself."

James said he wasn't discouraged with the things he was told to work on. He said it is motivation heading into this season.

James is part of a team that returns five other players who saw playing time last season, and only one who logged 20 or minutes per game in sophomore guard Hunter Maldonado. The team signed eight players as part of its 2017-18 recruiting class.

"I know this task is challenging, and I'm willing to take it on to show this team how to win games and championships," James said. "We have a lot of new guys, but there's talent and this is by far the most athletic team we've had since I've been here.

"They are eager to learn, and I'm excited for the season."

Edwards said James has done "a great job" of working hard and developing relationships with his teammates since returning to campus a couple of weeks ago. He also likes how James has been a leader by example.

Edwards said after the end of this past season, where UW went 20-13, James needed to become a better leader and get teammates more involved early in games instead of focusing on scoring.

Those opinions haven't changed, but it will be interesting to see how that goes in less than five months when the games start. And, how James balances that with the areas of his game that NBA people said he needs to improve.

"It is a double-edged sword with him because of what he's trying to do in the sense of the next level," Edwards said. "Sometimes the information coming from there may not be what you need here for him to be successful."