The Charlotte Hornets selected Sion James of Duke University with the 33rd pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but it might not be the greatest choice for the team, and PFSN has given Charlotte a poor grade as a result.
‘Limited’ Ceiling For Blue Devils’ Sion James Due To Lack Of Consistent Offensive Game
As the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft got underway on Thursday night (June 26), the Charlotte Hornets used the first of their back-to-back picks in the round to pick another member of the Duke Blue Devils’ Final Four team in Sion James. James was selected with the 33rd pick, but Charlotte might have chosen someone who is too much of an unfinished product in a reach as a player for the pro level.
The choice earned the Hornets a C+ grade from PFSN’s senior draft experts in their roundup of all the draft picks so far.
Sion’s a Hornet too! 🐝 pic.twitter.com/aJKOWgZFDV
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) June 27, 2025
James, a 6”6 and 220-pound guard from Sugar Hill, Georgia, averaged 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game during the 2024-2025 season, where he started 32 of the team’s 39 games.
He stepped up huge for Duke in their regular-season finale against the North Carolina Tar Heels with 16 points, eight rebounds, and three steals. He had another big game in the NCAA Tournament, getting 16 points to go with four assists and three rebounds in Duke’s Sweet 16 game against the Arizona Wildcats.
But on the pro level, you have to demonstrate a consistent ability to score and create your own shot, which is something that James didn’t show a lot of during his college career. His graduate season at Duke was a drop in his scoring averages; during his four years at Tulane University before transferring, James averaged 14 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
According to the PFSN report, “He won’t light it up offensively, and his ceiling is limited because of that.”
Where James shows some promise is in his defensive ability. “James has the kind of sturdy frame teams covet in a perimeter defender. He’s naturally physical, moves well laterally, and has the athleticism to match up with quicker guards. He checks a lot of the defensive boxes you want in a rotation wing,” PFSN’s report reads. James did make the ACC All-Defensive Team in his lone season with the Blue Devils.
The Charlotte Hornets are certainly hoping James’ defensive tenacity can be an asset to the team, as they ranked 28th in the league overall with a defensive rating of 115.7, with only the Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz faring worse. They also hope that James’ reunion with Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, selected with the fourth pick in the first round, could also contribute to a stronger Hornets team overall.
