Monday, May 25, 2015

Memorial Day Sports Article: Honoring Tim James

Today, we honor the American Military services for their dedication and hard work. In this article , we will learn about one former athlete that left the NBA in order to serve his country. This former Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornet , and Philadelphia 76er is known as Tim James.

James was born and raised in Miami , FL where he was a basketball star. Graduating from high school football powerhouse Miami Northwestern , James signed to play college basketball with the University of Miami Hurricanes. There, James finished his career fourth all-time in points, fifth in rebounding, and second in blocks.

After his senior year, James entered his name into the NBA Draft. In the first round, James was selected by... you guessed it, the Miami Heat. James played his rookie season with the Heat. From there, James signed a one year contract with the Charlotte Hornets. In his third and final year, he would play for the Philadelphia 76ers.


After a three year stint in the NBA, James' career would take him to play in four different countries, including Turkey and Japan.  After 2007, James decided to switch teams. However this time, he would not only represent him , but he would also represent his country.

Enlisting into the U.S Army, James served much of his time in Iraq where he was aiding others on the Army base. Throughout that time, many of his co-workers were unaware of his past career. James wanted to keep his profile low to show that he was serving in the Army because that is what he wanted to do.  In 2011, Tim James was allowed to be honored during a Miami Heat game. After serving time in Iraq, James was able to  safely return back to the U.S.

It takes an amazing amount of courage for people to  willingly leave their country in order to enlist and serve their country. It also takes alot to leave a lucrative career such as a being professional basketball player to going into the Army. Today we want to thank James, and all of the former and present members of the military for their services.