Sion James Charlotte Hornets · #4
Sion James is a 6-foot-5 defensive-minded guard/wing for the Charlotte Hornets, drafted 33rd in 2025. A high-IQ, versatile defender who played four seasons at Tulane before a graduate year at Duke — where he earned ACC All-Defensive honors — he projects as a 3-and-D role player, with his jump shot the key to his role.
Sion James — the report card
Read his whole game at a glance, then dive into any skill. Grades from the DNA model + real production.
Where Sion James stands
Live ladders from the Balladex models, and what he's chasing. Rankings recompute nightly from real production, accolades, and search demand.
Sion James — every number, three levels deep
Headline → metric → the raw history behind it. Real career data; tracking-only metrics labeled.
How the model sees Sion James
Projection = per-minute rate × projected minutes. Rates are recency- and health-weighted, aged along a per-stat curve, and adjusted for live usage/role. No black box — every number shows its work.
Sion James career stats, season by season
| Season | GP | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 82 | 22.5 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.0 | .371 | .352 |
| Career | 82 | 22.5 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.0 |
The Lab
Every number, live and interactive. Real career data; models labeled.
Are the Charlotte Hornets built to win?
Team projection rolled up from the roster + last-season baselines — and what it means for his role.
The Ballad of Sion James
Birth to now — the making of a legend, narrated and scored.
The beginning
A high-IQ, versatile defensive guard/wing — 3-and-D tools and physicality for the Hornets.
Turning pro
Drafted 33rd overall, 2025 as a Guard.
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A high-IQ, versatile defensive guard/wing — 3-and-D tools and physicality for the Hornets.
Chapter
After four years at Tulane, James was ACC All-Defensive in a graduate season at Duke before Charlotte drafted him 33rd in 2025.
Chapter
A physical, versatile defender, he guards multiple positions.
Off the court
- Height
- 6' 5"
- Weight
- 220 lbs
- College
- Duke
- Experience
- 2nd Season
- Draft
- 33rd overall, 2025
- Born
- Sugar Hill, Georgia
- Age
- 24
- Jersey
- #4
James is a Georgia native known for character as much as game — he won his conference's sportsmanship award in two straight seasons at Tulane before transferring to Duke as a graduate and starting for a top team. That leadership and reliability define his approach.
His on-court identity is versatile, high-IQ defense and connective play — a strong, 6-foot-5 wing who guards multiple positions, handles and passes as a secondary creator, and improved his shooting late in college. His scoring volume is modest, so his role hinges on his jump shot proving reliable; scouts compare him to two-way connectors like Bruce Brown, giving him a clear 3-and-D path.
A high-IQ, versatile 3-and-D guard/wing — multi-position defense and secondary playmaking.
Sion James — frequently asked
The questions people ask most about Sion James, answered.
