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What Tulane transfer Sion James brings to Duke basketball

Tulane transfer Sion James has committed to Duke basketball, James announced May 10 on his Instagram account.

“Duke Nation, what’s good???” James said in a social media post.

The 6-foot-6 guard is the third veteran player from the transfer portal to commit to head coach Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils, joining Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown and Purdue transfer Mason Gillis.

Scheyer and the Blue Devils announced the signing Monday.

"We’re thrilled to welcome Sion James to The Brotherhood. He’s a proven leader with a high IQ and great feel for the game. Bringing Sion to Duke is not just about adding talent, it's about adding to a culture of competitiveness and winning attitude that he has," Scheyer said in a school-issued statement.

"His versatility as a defender is a big strength, and his ability to make others better on offense will elevate our team. Sion will have a tremendous impact on and off the court, and I am anxious to get started with him and the rest of our team."

James, who has one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer, averaged 14 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game for the Green Wave.

A versatile defender with catch-and-shoot ability, James shot 51.4% from the floor across 31 games last season. He also knocked down a career-best 38.1% of his 113 attempts from 3-point range and made 68.3% of his free throws, with five or more shots from the free-throw line in 15 games.

Returning guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster will be joined by a six-player recruiting class headlined by Cooper Flagg. It’s a group that will make the Blue Devils among the favorites to win the 2025 national championship.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: What Tulane transfer Sion James brings to Duke basketball