Former Nacogdoches Dragon basketball player Damion James will be in the National Basketball Association next season after he was drafted by the Eastern Conference's New Jeresey Nets on Thursday.
The 6'7", 226-pound guard/forward for the University of Texas Longhorns for the last four years, is a 2006 graduate of Nacogdoches High School.
James was actually drafted in the first round by the Atlanta Hawks, getting nabbed as the 24th pick in the draft. Soon after that he was traded to the Atlantic Division member Nets. New Jeresey finished with the NBA's worst record in 2009-10, posting a 12-70 record.
James entered the NBA Draft last season, but he later withdrew his name from consideration to return to the University of Texas after deciding to play his senior season. He was a third-team All-American at UT this season.
As a senior at Texas, James averaged 18 points and 10.3 rebounds per game. He is the all-time leading rebounder in the Big 12.