For most people, making the jump from high school to college is never an easy endeavor, and the transition to a completely new atmosphere is one that sometimes takes time. This is especially true in the realm of athletics, as many are going from a place where they were the No. 1 option, to one where they might not even be a starter right out of the gates.
For Louisville men's basketball signee Mike James, this transitionary period was almost non-existent. He does admit that while it is a "big jump" going from high school to college, it's one that he has seemingly handled well in his first month on campus.
"Workouts, they've been good. I've been getting adjusted to the weight room, getting used to the workouts on the court. So I would say my first month went pretty well," he said in his first press conference as a Cardinal. "I'd say I got (the transition) pretty quick. You got to get it pretty quick if you want to do well."
James says that the biggest difference has been the structure. Down at Oak Ridge HS in Orlando, Fla., the extent of his schedule was wake up, go to school, go to practice, and that would be it. At Louisville, it's radically different.
"At the D1 level, you got to plan your time when you got to be there," he said. "Stretch out before the workout, make sure you get something to eat, after that morning workout, you got another workout at a planned time, and you got to be ready for that. Then we got stuff outside of the gym."
As it pertains to matters on the court, so far, it has been a nearly seamless transition. Head coach Chris Mack has placed a heavy emphasis on playing fast and with a quick tempo during practice this offseason, but that's something James is used to.
"It's kind of what I'm used to in high school, so I'm pretty used to how we get up and down," he said. "It's been different, something to get used to, but it's been very up tempo, very fast, just a lot of playing five-on-five."
During his senior season at Oak Ridge, James averaged 19.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, while also shooting 58% from the field and 44% on three-point attempts. He was named the Orlando Sentinel Player of the year, and helped Oak Ridge reach the Class 7A semifinals.
On both the offensive and defensive end, the 6-foot-6 guard/forward has a versatile skillset. Couple the fact that he now weighs 215 pounds after playing at 195 in high school, and that further adds to his belief that he can hold his own in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
"There's a lot of big athletic guys, guys that can shoot the ball, guys who can drive. I feel like me being 6-6 and 215, if I shoot the ball pretty well, I'm pretty athletic for my size, I feel like I fit well in this conference," he said. "You gotta be able to shoot, dribble, be very skilled and athletic as well."
James joins a Louisville roster where minutes could be hard to come by at his position. On the wing, he will likely play behind starter Samuell Williamson, potential starter Dre Davis, and Miami transfer Matt Cross. The backcourt already has solid pieces in Marshall transfer Jarrod West, Florida transfer Noah Locke and JUCO signee El Ellis, and could potentially get even deeper if the program lands Minnesota transfer Marcus Carr.
Still, despite being one of two freshmen on the 2021-22 roster, James is not one who lacks confidence. If he continues to stay the course in the offseason, get better in both practice and the weight room, he believes he will not only see meaningful time on the court, but been a significant contributor.
"I visualize myself having a big impact, having a significant impact," he said. "But, all that stuff comes with how I do in practice, how I do in the weight room, how I take care of myself. All that stuff will play out. If I continue doing what I'm doing, continue impressing the coaches, continue playing well in practice, taking care of business, I see myself having a good year, having a good fit this year."
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