Olympia Basketball Player Jizzle James Voted ITG Next Florida Male Athlete of the Month
One of the fastest rising guards in the entire country, you will be hard to find a more talented offensive player in the state of Florida than Olympia’s Jizzle James, also known as E.J.
A player who ranked among the state’s leaders in scoring during the 2021-22 season at 25.4 points per game (PPG), the junior was almost unstoppable at times offensively throughout the year, especially across the month of February during the Titans playoff run. Because of this success, James was voted our ITG Next Florida Male Athlete of the Month for February, receiving 52.63 percent of the votes.
While the month of February was impressive altogether for the junior guard, James also posted some noteworthy individual performances as well, headlined by three consecutive 30-point outings in wins over Windermere, Dr. Phillips and Plant City. In fact, leading up to the Titans 7A regional semifinal showdown with Dr. Phillips, James was averaging a phenomenal 25.4 PPG for the month.
When asked about what makes James such a talented player offensively, as well as the impact the junior had on the Titans success this season, Olympia boys basketball head coach Rob Gordon spoke on James’ work ethic.
“He is by far the hardest worker in our program,” said Gordon. “He is not afraid of the grind, whether it’s a 6 AM workout, or being in the gym at midnight. The guy just does whatever it takes to get better.”
While his work ethic certainly shows up on the court when you watch him play, James’ talent alone is certainly noteworthy, making his combination of pure-talent and work ethic truly special.
When asked about James’ on-court abilities, Gordon replied, “E.J.’s leverage is what makes him special. At 6-foot-1, 190-pounds, he can get anywhere he wants to go on a basketball court. His ability to score on all three levels (at the basket, midrange, and from the perimeter) makes him a threat from anywhere on the court. He is a great finisher around the basket with either hand, and his midrange game has improved tremendously over the past year.”
Only a junior, James is already cemented as one of the top 100 players nationally for the Class of 2023 rated at No. 75 overall according to the 247Sports Composite, as well as the No. 6 overall player in the state of Florida. Returning for Olympia next season, the hype surrounding the four-star guard is certainly already high for one of the state’s top players, and will only continue to rise from here.
When asked about expectations for James entering next season, Gordon stated, “entering his senior year, we would like E.J. to get more consistent with his perimeter shooting and become more of a vocal leader on the court. His ability to manage the game while empowering and elevating his teammates will prepare him to play right away at the next level.”
A special junior season and month of February for one of the state’s most-exciting players, congrats to Olympia’s Jizzle James, our ITG Next Florida February Male Athlete of the Month.
