General
Imposing physical presence in the middle, proved to be an excellent rim protector and rebounder for the Jackets … Was voted to the ACC’s All-Defensive team in 2019 and again in 2020 … finished his Tech career No. 8 in career blocked shots, swatting 154 over two seasons … Has a wingspan of 7 feet, 5.35 inches and a standing reach of 9 feet, 3.5 inches … Joined the Georgia Tech program in the summer of 2018 after playing two seasons at Texas … Received approval from the NCAA on November 13 granting him immediate eligibility … In 46 total games at Texas, Banks averaged 1.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 10.7 minutes per game, and surpassed all of his statistical totals in just 23 games last season at Georgia Tech … Wore No. 00 as a sophomore for Texas, No. 4 as a freshman … Enrolled in history, technology and society at Tech.
As Georgia Tech career ends, James Banks leaves more than dunks, blocks – Atlanta Journal-Constitution, February 7, 2020
2019-20 (senior at Georgia Tech)
Six double-doubles as a senior, scoring 20 points with 13 rebounds and five blocked shots at NC State, 20 points and 14 boards vs. Arkansas, 12 points with 10 boards and eight blocks vs. Bethune-Cookman, 14 points and a career-high 15 boards with seven blocks vs. Duke, 13 and 10 at Notre Dame (Feb. 1), 13 and 14 vs. Miami … No. 2 in the ACC and No. 22 in the nation in blocked shots (2.45 per game) … Ranked No. 9 in ACC in rebound average (7.58 rpg) in all games and in ACC games only (7.70) … Finished as Tech’s No. 4 scorer at 9.5 ppg, making 52,5 percent of his shots from the floor … In ACC games, averaging 9.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and hit 55.2 percent of his shots from the floor … Shot 63.3 percent from the foul line in team-high 124 attempts; 64.6 percent in ACC games … Knocked down a pair of FT with two seconds remaining in OT for winning points at NC State on Nov. 5 … One of 10 ACC seniors under consideration to represent the conference in the 2020 Dos Equis 3X3U National Championship which will take place at Atlantic Station during the NCAA Final Four weekend … Also received an invitation to the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (NBA tryout event for college seniors).
2018-19 (junior at Georgia Tech)
One of the nation’s top rim protectors on one of the nation’s best defensive teams … Ranked 10th nationally in blocked shots (2.52 per game) and led the ACC in all games in conference games only (2.56) … 31 blocks in his last 10 games, more than a third of his season total … Finished with 78 total blocks, same total as Ben Lammers accumulated as a senior … Enabled Tech to rank No. 15 nationally in effective field goal percentage defense and No. 13 in three-point defense, No. 37 in overall defensive efficiency … Received the most extensive playing time of his career (30.3 minutes per game, 32.8 mpg vs. ACC) … Started Tech’s last 25 games, moving into the lineup Dec. 1 vs. St. John’s (game 6) … Finished regular season strong, averaging 15.0 ppg and 9.0 rebounds in Tech’s final four games (11 and 7 at Virginia, 18 and 9 vs. Boston College, 19 and 9 at NC State, 12/11 vs. Notre Dame), while converting 26-of-35 shots from the floor and 8-of-11 from the free throw line … Tech’s No. 2 scorer in ACC games (11.4 ppg) and overall (10.5 ppg) … Converted 56.4 percent of his field goal tries in all games, 56 percent in ACC games … Converted 71.2 percent of his free throws in ACC games and took 7.1 rebounds per game … Scored 20 points and hit 9-of-11 FG in his ACC debut vs. Wake Forest, 16 points each vs. Syracuse and Clemson (1st meeting), 24 (9-17 FG) vs. Louisville, 16 in first meeting vs. Notre Dame … Posted seven double-doubles – at Northwestern (12 points/12 rebounds), vs. St. John’s (14 pts/12 rebs), Gardner-Webb (22 pts, 12 rebs), at Arkansas (14 pts, career-high 14 rebs), Louisville (career-high 24 pts, 11 rebs), Notre Dame (16 pts, 10 rebs in first meeting, 12 pts, 11 rebs in ACC Tournament).
There’s no debating that @1jamesbanks one of the best shot blockers in the country, but he can score it pretty well too.#MotorAndGrind /// #TogetherWeSwarm 🐝 pic.twitter.com/key50NS4CO
— Georgia Tech Basketball (@GTMBB) April 10, 2019
#MetricMonday@1jamesbanks can touch 12’0.5″ when taking a full approach before jumping.#MotorAndDiscipline /// #TogetherWeSwarm 🐝@P3sportscience pic.twitter.com/42XbgEijbA
— Georgia Tech Basketball (@GTMBB) April 29, 2019
2017-18 (sophomore at Texas)
Played in 14 games, five in Big 12 play, averaging 6.8 minutes per game … Averaged 1.6 points, hitting 8-of-14 shots from the floor, and 1.7 rebounds while blocking 11 shots total.
2016-17 (freshman at Texas)
Played in 32 games … Ranked second on the team in blocks (39) … Averaged 1.7 points and 2.5 rebounds in 12.4 minutes per contest … Recorded at least one blocked shot in 20 of his 32 games played … Set the UT freshman debut record for most blocked shots (5) to go along with 9 rebounds in 24 minutes during the season opener against Incarnate Word (Nov. 11) … Previous mark was 3 (Cameron Ridley vs. Fresno State in 2012; Damion James vs. Alcorn State in 2006) … Posted 3 blocks in 10 minutes against Kent State (Dec. 27) … Registered 5 points (2-3 FG, 1-1 FT), 4 rebounds and 1 block in 23 minutes at Georgia (Jan. 28) … recorded a season-high 6 points (2-3 FG, 2-2 FT) and 5 boards in 16 minutes at Oklahoma State (Feb. 11) … Posted 5 rebounds and 4 blocks in 22 minutes at No. 12/13 West Virginia (Feb. 20) … Had 4 points (2-2 FG), 4 boards and 3 blocks in 15 minutes against No. 11/11 West Virginia (Mar. 9) in the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship quarterfinals … Named to the 2016-17 Academic All-Big 12 Conference Rookie Team … Earned a spot on the Spring 2017 Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll (minimum 3.0 GPA).
International Basketball
In the summer of his freshman season, teamed with former UT teammates Jarrett Allen, Mohamed Bamba and Matt Coleman along with coach Shaka Smart to lead Team USA to a gold medal at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Valdivia, Chile … Played in four of the five games in the tourney and led Team USA in blocks (7) and ranked sixth on the team in rebounding (4.5 rpg) while playing 9.8 minutes per game.
High School
Attended La Lumiere School in La Porte, Ind. (head coach Shane Heirman) … Ranked as the No. 49 overall prospect in the nation by Scout, No. 57 by ESPN and No. 83 by Rivals following his senior year … Led the Lakers to a 27-4 overall mark during his senior season … Helped La Lumiere to the championship game at the 2016 Dick’s Sporting Goods High School Nationals in New York City … Averaged 23 points and 14 rebounds per game in his junior season while playing at Mount Vernon Presbyterian School (Atlanta, Ga.).
