Duke basketball transfer says he's 'a lot better' than some might realize

The Blue Devil forward is very confident in his abilities entering the program

Jan 21, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA;  Duke basketball transfer Sion James plays for Tulane
Jan 21, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Duke basketball transfer Sion James plays for Tulane | Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

One of the more popular transfer additions the Duke basketball team made this offseason was the acquisition of Tulane wing Sion James after he spent four years with the program.

James detailed his recruitment experience on an episode of The Brotherhood Podcast where he said Blue Devil head coach Jon Scheyer contacted him immediately upon entering the portal before scheduling a visit to Duke a few days later, which eventually led to his commitment.

Other schools reached out to the 6-foot-6 guard but none were as serious as Duke.

However, there was much more that Sion James revealed during his 16-minute appearance on the podcast, including his brief time testing the waters of the NBA Draft this spring.

"I learned I just have to be a better player," he said of the process.

James averaged a career-high 14.0 points and 5.4 rebounds per game this season on 51.4-percent shooting from the floor and 38.1-percent from 3-point range.

"I'm in a pretty good place," James continued about his NBA future. "I'm a better player than I give myself credit for."

The Georgia native was invited to the Chris Paul Elite Camp earlier in July as scouts raved about his strength and power throughout the event. Caleb Foster, during the podcast, referred to Sion James as "one of the strongest players in college basketball."

James said he and his brother would get into push-up contests during their childhood and that's how he started to get stronger and find his love for the weight room. He also referred to his parents as "pretty jacked."

Sion James is joined by Purdue forward Mason Gillis, Syracuse forward Maliq Brown, and Tulsa guard Cameron Sheffield in Duke's transfer recruiting class this offseason.

The Blue Devils also welcomed a star-studded freshmen recruiting class headlined by Cooper Flagg, the top ranked prospect in the country.

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