James Blackmon, Jr.

James Blackmon, Jr.

No. 1 – Indiana Hoosiers
Position Shooting guard
League Big Ten Conference
Personal information
Born April 24, 1995
Chicago, Illinois
Nationality American
Listed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight 195 lb (88 kg)
Career information
High school Bishop Luers (Fort Wayne, Indiana)
Marion (Marion, Indiana)
College Indiana (2014–present)
Career highlights and awards

James Blackmon, Jr. (born April 25, 1995) is an American college basketball player currently entering his freshman season with the Indiana Hoosiers. He is known for his shooting range and accuracy.

High school career

Blackmon played three years at Bishop Luers and his senior year at Marion. In his senior season, he averaged 33.4 points and 4.2 three-pointers (47%),[1] and broke his father's school record by scoring 54 points in a game. He ranks #9 on Indiana's all-time scoring list.[2] He was ranked the 20th best player in the class by ESPN and was recruited heavily by Indiana, Michigan, Kentucky, Kansas, and Michigan State.[3] He originally committed to Indiana before his freshman season, but reopened his recruitment before his senior season.[4] His final oral commitment to Indiana was televised live on ESPNU.[5] He scored 13 points in the McDonald's All-American Game and won the three-point contest.[6] He also scored 23 in the Jordan Brand Classic.[7] He finished third in Indiana Mr. Basketball voting, behind Trey Lyles and Trevon Bluiett.[8]

Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
James Blackmon, Jr.
G		 Marion, IN Marion HS 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 180 lb (82 kg) Oct 31, 2013 
Scout:4/5 stars   Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports:5/5 stars    ESPN:5/5 stars
Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 32   Rivals: 22  247Sports: 12  ESPN: 20
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

College career

During Indiana's five-game preseason Canada trip, Blackmon led the team in scoring with 18.8 points, despite focusing mainly on his defense. He is expected to earn a starting spot in the backcourt alongside Yogi Ferrell.[9]

Family

Blackmon's father, James Blackmon, Sr., was drafted into the NBA after an outstanding career at Kentucky. He now coaches at Marion. His father is of African-American descent, while his mother Sailaja is of Indian descent. The younger Blackmon has two brothers, Vijay and Jalen.

See also

2014–15 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team

References

  1. ↑ http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/james-blackmon/aPVWYkdFEeOZXQAmVebBJg/gendersport/basketball-stats.htm
  2. ↑ http://www.ihsaa.org/sports/boys/basketball/scoringrecords/tabid/133/default.aspx
  3. ↑ http://espn.go.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/117563/james-blackmon-jr
  4. ↑ http://www.insidethehall.com/2014/06/18/freshman-focus-james-blackmon-jr/#more-39598
  5. ↑ "Indiana lands No. 4 SG James Blackmon". ESPN.com. 2013-11-04.
  6. ↑ Helfgot, Mike (2014-03-31). "Alexander on Kansas: 'I wouldn't mind staying two years'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2014-08-13.
  7. ↑ http://jordanbrandclassic.com/images/stories/docs/2014/2014nationalboxscore.pdf
  8. ↑ http://indiana.247sports.com/Article/Release-Indiana-signee-James-Blackmon-Jr-an-Indiana-All-Star-187831
  9. ↑ http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/college/indiana/2014/08/13/indianas-james-blackmon-jr-stakes-claim-starting-spot-alongside-yogi-ferrell/14024229/