LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) -
Former Nacogdoches basketball standout Damion James will be playing for a new NBA team. The free-agent forward signed a one-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday, according to various sources.
"I'm excited for the opportunity that Damion has to show people that kind of player he was going to be before the foot injury," Bartelstein said in a Yahoo Sports story. "He's healthy now, and this is an ideal situation for him in Atlanta."
After four years as a starter for the University of Texas at Austin, James, 24, was a first-round pick by the Hawks in the 2010 NBA draft, according to a story that appeared on the CBS Sports Web site. However, on draft day, he was traded to the Nets in exchange for Jordan Crawford and Tibor Pleiss. James wound up being the 24th overall pick.
"In two seasons with the Nets, James averaged 4.5 points and 3.7 rebounds in 17.9 minutes per game," the CBS Sports story stated. "He was a starter for New Jersey last season. The team has since relocated to Brooklyn and revamped its perimeter lineup, adding Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace."
James only played seven games during the 2011-2012 season before he had a season-ending foot surgery, according to various sources. During his high school career, James was named a Second-team High School All-American, and he was named the 2006 Gatorade Player of the Year while he was at the University of Texas.
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