James Mays (basketball)
James Mays | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 8, 1986 United States |
| Occupation(s) | Basketball player, assistant coach |
| Years active | 2008–present |
| Known for | Professional basketball career; assistant coach for Salt Lake City Stars |
James Dixon Mays (born March 8, 1986) is a former professional basketball player, originally from the United States and later naturalized as a Central African citizen. He currently holds the position of assistant coach with the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League. Internationally, Mays competed for the Central African Republic at the 2011 FIBA Africa Championship.
High school
During the 2003–04 season at Garner High, Mays posted impressive averages of 20.1 points, 15 rebounds, two steals, and two assists per game while shooting 54.3% from the field, guiding his team to a conference title. As a senior, he was nominated for the McDonald's All-American team and earned both conference MVP and all-conference distinctions. He was also named MVP of the North Carolina vs. South Carolina High School All-Star game and took part in the East vs. West North Carolina Coaches Association All-Star game. His top scoring output was 30 points in his senior year, with a career-best 36 points recorded as a junior when he averaged 19.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per contest.
Freshman
In his freshman year, Mays started eight out of 32 games, averaging 4.3 points alongside more than one steal per game.
Sophomore
He started all 11 games he played before academic ineligibility sidelined him for the second semester. The team's record was undefeated (11–0) with him on the court but dropped to 8–13 without his presence. That season, he averaged 9.2 points and a personal best of 7.6 rebounds per game, including a notable performance of 19 points and seven rebounds against South Carolina.
Junior
Mays achieved career-highs during his junior year with averages of 12.2 points, 2.7 assists, and 1.9 steals per game, along with pulling down 6.4 rebounds. He set Clemson records for a frontcourt player in single-season assists (95) and steals (69), contributing eight games with double-digit rebounds and seven double-doubles in points and rebounds.
Senior
Despite battling injuries, he ranked second on his team for rebounds and third for steals while consistently scoring in double figures. His efforts earned him a place on the ACC All-Tournament Second Team as Clemson advanced to the championship game. Leading the team in rebounding on ten occasions, he also recorded six steals in the season opener—a career high—and scored a season-best 20 points during a comeback victory at Maryland, even playing through a broken hand against North Carolina.
2008 to 2012 seasons
After going undrafted in the 2008 NBA draft, Mays launched his professional journey with the Colorado 14ers in the NBA D-League. For the 2009–10 season, he signed with the Beijing Ducks competing in the Chinese Basketball Association before moving to Puerto Rico's Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BtN) to play for Caciques de Humacao in 2010. The following season saw him join Turkey's Basketball League (TBL) with Oyak Renault, then transfer to Mersin Büyükşehir Belediyesi S.K. in July 2011 where he averaged 17.2 points, nine rebounds, 2.2 steals, and one block per game. In May of that year, Mays returned to Puerto Rico to play for Capitanes de Arecibo, taking over from forward/center Ike Diogu. Additionally, he represented the Central African Republic at the 2011 FIBA Africa Championship.
2012–13 season
Mays kicked off the 2012–13 campaign with the Springfield Armor in the NBA Development League. On February 4, 2013, he earned selection to the Prospects All-Star roster for that year's NBA D-League All-Star Game. Shortly afterward, on February 10, he was traded to the Maine Red Claws in exchange for Kris Joseph, followed by another trade on February 26 sending him to the Sioux Falls Skyforce for Gabe Pruitt.
2013 to 2016 seasons
Mays was brought on as an import player for the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers during the Commissioners Cup tournament. Although his initial games were modest, he quickly improved and played a crucial role in leading the Coffee Mixers to their third straight championship title. In July 2014, he signed a contract with Enel Brindisi, competing in Italy's top-tier league, Lega Serie A.
In 2015, Mays joined the Shaanxi Wolves, a team in China’s second division National Basketball League (NBL), where he guided the franchise to its inaugural NBL championship victory in September. Shortly thereafter, on October 2, 2015, he signed with Al Shabab, participating in the United Arab Emirates’ Division 1 basketball league.
2017 to 2019 seasons
During the summer of 2017, Mays competed for the Guizhou White Tigers in China’s NBL. By January 2018, he had secured a position with the Qingdao DoubleStar Eagles of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). Later that year, on August 31, Mays inked a deal with Changwon LG Sakers, a professional basketball team in South Korea.
Coaching career
On September 20, 2023, Mays transitioned into coaching by accepting the role of assistant coach for the Salt Lake City Stars, a team within the NBA G League.
External links
- Real GM profile
- NBA Draft profile
- Turkish League profile
- Profile at Eurobasket.com