Syracuse Basketball: Where’s former Orange stud James Southerland?
Former Syracuse basketball stars find themselves playing all over the globe. Let’s check in on former Orange forward James Southerland.
Many Syracuse basketball fans will remember James Southerland as a member of the 2013 Final Four run. But after leaving the Orange, where did Southerland end up? We will look back at his time on the Hill and his journey to now playing in Japan.
Southerland played all four seasons with Syracuse and embodied improvement. Every season he gradually got better and eventually became an essential player for the Orange, nearly doubling his statistics from his junior year.
James played nearly 30 minutes per game and was at the top of many stat categories. Let’s take a look at his senior season stats.
James Southerland Syracuse senior stats:
- 13.3 points per game
- 5.2 rebounds per game
- 1.4 steals per game
- 40% from three
- 79% from the free-throw line
Southerland led Syracuse in free-throw percentage and always seemed to be a consistent option. His senior season was his best year for ‘Cuse by a large margin. When his minutes doubled, so did his numbers. He emerged as a favorable option for Syracuse and converted at a high rate. After leaving, he went undrafted in 2013 and bounced around for a while.
In the NBA, he played in four games, but that was all for his career. He later moved overseas and has some success. After getting some recognition, he returned to the U.S. and played two more seasons in the NBA G-League. Southerland’s numbers remained somewhat similar to what they were for Syracuse. Eventually, he left the G-League once again and moved to play in Japan.
Today he still plays in Japan, and now he suits up for Yokohama B-Corsairs. While the competition may not be the same as he has faced in the past, Southerland is making the most of his opportunity. He’s playing better basketball at least number wise in his pro career.
James Southerland, Yokohama B-Corsairs stats per Asia-basket:
- 17.8 points per game
- 7.9 rebounds per game
- 2.3 assists per game
- 37% from three
Next. Syracuse Basketball: Top 30 Players in School History. dark
Southerland leads his squad in points per game, playing an average of 33 minutes a contest. Currently, the league, like many others, appears to have postponed future games due to the novel coronavirus. But before the season was postponed, Southerland found success in Japan and was an even better scorer than he was back on the hill.