By Matt Winkeljohn | The Good Word
James Banks III was wheeling and dealing the other day, like he rarely has, dropping off bounce passes in the paint to cutting teammates, flicking the ball out to Khalid Moore for a 3-point basket, and, you know, facilitating like Ben Lammers before him.
This was a big deal for the big fella, who entered Georgia Tech’s Sunday game against Florida A&M as the Yellow Jackets’ leading rebounder, leading shot blocker and least likely passer.
In retrospect, it’s interesting to note that head coach Josh Pastner last Friday told reporters that since Banks became the starting center one game earlier, “We’ve got to play through him now, [but] maybe not play through him like we did with Ben at the high post.”
Lammers became a fine passing center in his final two seasons at Tech before his eligibility expired last spring. He finished fourth on the team last season with 54 assists in 32 games.
Banks approached the Florida A&M contest tied for ninth on the team with three assists, although he missed the first game. He had 10 assists in his first 52 college games.
But he heard about what Pastner said, and then banked more assists than rebounds or blocked shots as his game-high five dimes helped the Jackets throttle the Rattlers 73-40.
“I took it personal when [Pastner] said he felt like I wouldn’t be able to run the offense from the high post like Lammers could in the past. I made sure I found open guys,” Banks said after adding six points, four rebounds, a game-high four blocked shots and a steal.
So, Banks has come as a surprise. Again.
He transferred last spring from Texas, where he didn’t play much for two seasons.
Although Tech and Banks appealed to the NCAA to waive his redshirt after his transfer out of hardship to be closer to his elderly mother, Sonja Banks, in Decatur, the Jackets worked out this summer and began practicing in the fall without counting on him being eligible to play.
When the NCAA sent word on Nov. 13 that the appeal was granted, Banks had to get up and go. His teammates were in Knoxville, getting ready to play the No. 5 Vols that night.
“That morning I woke up and got a good lift in, and got a good workout when the calls came through. My phone was blowing up,” Banks said. “Coach Pastner said ‘Do you want to play?’ I got my jersey, shoes and hurried to the airport.”
Yeah, those shoes, the fluorescent footwear … what’s up with that?
“There’s a minor story behind it. We got the adidas deal, but I have a size 18 foot, and had just recently committed to come to the school and a lot of the [custom ordered] shoes were not here,” Banks said. “Being an adidas kid by nature, I had those shoes … ”
What does being an adidas kid mean?
“I played [AAU ball] for the Celtics,” he said. “They’re adidas [sponsored].”
He was sort of rusty in his neon footwear that night, fouling out in 16 minutes with a bucket, seven rebounds, a blocked shot and a turnover. And no assists.
Banks has evolved, however, into a central part of Tech’s action. After scoring 12 points with 12 rebounds and three blocks before he fouled out in a loss at Northwestern, he moved into the starting lineup and put up a career-high 14 points against St. John’s while grabbing 12 more rebounds for his second straight double-double.