Justin James (basketball)
Justin Taylor James is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Cleveland Charge of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Wyoming Cowboys. He was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2019 NBA draft.
James at the 2019 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament
The 2019 NBA draft was held on June 20, 2019. It took place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. National Basketball Association (NBA) teams took turns selecting amateur United States college basketball players and other eligible players, including international players. It was televised nationally on ESPN. State Farm was the presenting sponsor of the NBA draft for the eighth consecutive year. This draft was the first to feature a new weighted lottery system in which the three worst teams each had a 14 percent chance of winning the lottery; these teams were the New York Knicks, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Phoenix Suns. The lottery took place on May 14, during the NBA playoffs. Three of the four teams who held the top four picks of the draft this year rose up from at least six spots in the lottery, including the New Orleans Pelicans, who won the first pick with 6 percent odds. The Pelicans used that pick on Duke forward Zion Williamson.
This draft included the first Japanese player to be selected in the first round, as well as the first Angolan player to be selected.
Zion Williamson was selected first overall by the New Orleans Pelicans. He is one of three Duke players drafted as lottery picks.
Ja Morant was selected second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies. He went on to win NBA Rookie of the Year honors for the 2019–20 season.
RJ Barrett, another Duke player, was selected third overall by the New York Knicks.
Darius Garland was selected fifth overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers.