Recruiters are stunned Jerome James of Tampa has never played organized basketball.
By JOEY JOHNSTON
Tribune Staff Writer
(c) Tampa Bay Times. Originally published June 7, 1994.
TAMPA — His late-afternoon snack — five hamburgers, two slices of apple pie and a gallon of orange punch — had been devoured. Still, he was hungry.
Nothing unusual. The private world of Jerome James is very large. While settling his 7-foot-1, 245-pound frame into a mercifully soft sofa, he feigned disgust over life’s little inconveniences.
Ever try to find a 56 extra-long coat? Size 21 sneakers are ordered from the factory. Dress shoes must be specially made and cost hundreds. Navigating through the low doorways of his east Tampa home can be hazardous.
“The worst is when I go out,” said James, 18, during a rare non-smiling moment. “Some people don’t have the courage to even speak to me. To them, I’m big and mean.
“Most people just stare, like I’m some kind of animal. One kid yelled, “Mom, it’s Shaquille O’Neal!’ Mothers come over and push their daughters on me. People I’ve never met. They want me to get interested in their daughters because they assume I’ve got all this money from playing basketball. Or that one day, I’m really gonna be somebody.
“Hey, most people have no idea who I really am.”
For good reason. Last month, this mystery man signed a scholarship with Florida A&M, becoming the Rattlers’ tallest recruit ever.
One more thing. James will graduate this weekend from Winter Haven’s Pentecostal Church of God Christian Academy, which doesn’t have a sports program.
He never has played organized basketball. Not one day.
There were abbreviated public viewings. James became a “Hoop It Up” tournament legend in 1993, when he tore down a backboard. Last March, he played in a charity all-star game. “They had a scoreboard on the wall, all kinds of fans … I was so excited,” he said.
James lives in the King High School district. He said he was approached to play basketball at Tampa Bay Tech, plus several private schools. He wasn’t interested.
“I’ve been in games at the playground, but I know that’s not the same as college basketball,” he said. “I don’t know much about the game. I’ve got to learn all of the rules. I’ve just got to catch up with everybody else.”
FAMU coach Ron Brown said he was delighted to win a low-profile recruiting battle with mostly in-state schools, including the University of South Florida.
USF associate coach Dennis Donaldson said the family was insistent on James attending a smaller school, stifling the Bulls’ chances.
“If you’re a 7-footer, you’re gonna be on somebody’s recruiting hit list,” said Brown, who recently signed five other players, including All-Name guard Scientific Mapp of New York. “Every coach from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean is beating the door down. Jerome’s recruitment was a little different.
“Some coaches heard rumors about this 7-footer in Tampa but didn’t believe them. Information was hard to come by. It’s like when I asked him for some of his stats. He said, “Coach, I don’t have any.’ There are no camps, no game films, no recruiting lists. It’s an extremely unusual situation.
“The thing is, this kid is not 200 pounds of skinny or 500 pounds of fat. He’s a good-looking athlete. We can always redshirt him. There is a lot of work ahead, but he’s not getting any shorter. You can’t coach a guy to be 7-1. We’re elated to have him.”
Brown said James is very coordinated and runs well. His offensive skills and timing are understandably weak. The neighborhood playground types call him “Baby Shaq,” but his sleek body suggests David Robinson.
In today’s basketball-crazy world, where recruiting is a cottage industry, how could this happen? How could Jerome James appear, seemingly out of nowhere? Is it a hoax?
Nope. Just some different priorities. Jessie (6-7) and Rutha (5-11) James, the deeply religious parents, insist on a Christian education for their children.
“We put God first in our lives,” said Rutha, a public-school media specialist who graduated from Florida A&M in 1966. “God, then education. There’s always time for basketball. Sports aren’t something that we emphasize like others do.”
The fifth oldest in a family of 10, James piles four other siblings into a Cadillac Seville each day for the 45-minute drive to classes. The James gang includes 16-year-old Jason, who is 6-8, and 12-year-old Justin, who is 6-1.
“If I was running that private school, I definitely would’ve started a basketball program,” Tampa Bay Tech coach Adrian Johnson said. “With that family alone, you might be able to win it all.
“I really think Jerome could be a big-time player. He’s raw, but he’ll be going places soon. I would’ve loved to coach him, but his family wanted him at a Christian school.”
James, who attends church at least three times per week, said he wants to become a preacher.
“When I have problems I can’t discuss with my mom and dad, my answers come from the pulpit,” he said. “I see a lot of people my age who don’t have that peace of mind.
“I see a lot of guys just hanging out with nothing to really believe in. I don’t think they’re very happy. I have a lot of things in my life. Basketball is just one of them.”
There are remaining obstacles. James must have his course-load accepted by FAMU and pass the Scholastic Assessment Test, but Brown is confident. James recently began weight training for the first time and also keeps in shape by loading trucks for a local dairy.
Then there’s the matter of adjusting to competition, coaching, practice schedules and heftier schoolwork.
James says he’s up to it and will mature as a player. As a potential trash-talker, he’s just fine.
“I’m never gonna smile when I’m on the court,” he said. “The way I see it is you don’t come in my house. I go in your house any time I want to. When I get the ball down low for a dunk, nobody will be able to stop me.”
“By the time I’m finished at Florida A&M, people will know who Jerome James is.”
