Sion James

Sion James is the rare rookie who arrived already grown up. He spent four years at Tulane and a fifth at Duke, leaving as an ACC All-Defensive wing, and Charlotte took him 33rd — early in the second round — in the 2025 draft, reuniting him with fellow Blue Devil Kon Knueppel. At 6-foot-6 he's built to guard multiple spots and move the ball, the connective role every young team needs. His rookie year backed that up: 68 games, 5.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists, with a useful 36% from three that quieted the shooting questions from his scouting reports. He started 11 of Charlotte's first 13 games before settling into a bench rhythm. A defense-first wing who passes and hits open threes is exactly the glue piece that tends to outlast flashier draftmates.