Sports
North Carolina State guard Aziaha James is elevating her game with inspiration from her late brother
CLEVELAND — Latoya Jackson-James will immediately recognize a well-recognized difference in the looks of her daughter, NC State guard Aziha James, as she steps as much as the subsequent level on the basketball court.
Jackson-James knows her daughter’s inspiration: the memory of her older brother, Ashley “AJ” James, who died in an accidental shooting 4 years ago.
“I feel my son’s presence when she plays,” Jackson-James said, “and I know he is watching over her from heaven and cheering her on every step of the way. He leads her to the victory she so desperately seeks.”
From the beginning of the NCAA women’s tournament, an inspired James helped the No. 3-seeded Wolfpack prepare for Friday’s Final Four matchup against No. 1 seed South Carolina (7 p.m. ET, ABC).
NC State (31-6) advanced to the Final Four for the primary time in 26 years.
“We are party crashers,” James said. “People didn’t invite us here. At the start of the season we weren’t even classified. We are certainly one of the last 4 teams. That means we have arrived.”
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NC State made an incredible run. The Wolfpack was not included within the preseason rankings and can face a team that is on the verge of becoming a tenth Division I women’s basketball team and can finish an undefeated season because the start of the NCAA era in 1981-82.
South Carolina will play in its fourth straight Final Four and is 108-3 during the last three seasons. Coach Dawn Staley has rebuilt a team that lost all five starters to the WNBA last yr.
James is posting impressive postseason stats. The left-handed shooting average increased to 24.3 points, which is 57% from three-point range.
She is grateful to the little voice in her head.
“I will always talk to myself and my brother,” James said. “I hear him say, ‘Come on, you’ve got got it.’ You’ve got your next play. He tells me to let go of those 3 and I gave up on my last game.
James was 0-for-6 from 3-point range in a loss to Notre Dame within the ACC title game. The Wolfpack defeated Chattanooga in Round 1 and Tennessee in Round 2 of the NCAA Tournament. James scored 29 points within the team’s Sweet 16 victory over Stanford 27 points within the regional final over Texas. She shot 5 of 5 from 3-point range in the primary half and finished 7 of 9 from 3-point range.
James’ mother has seen a turnaround within the last two wins.
“It was Aziah in those first two games, and she was AJ against Stanford and Texas, that was his presence,” Jackson-James said. “During these matches it was like in a movie , when Leroy had that glow around him when he fought Sho’nuff. She was like that, she rejoiced without fear.
Growing up in Virginia Beach, Virginia, James learned the art of basketball from her mother and brother Ashley, who was two years older. Sister and brother became the primary siblings to be named All-Tidewater in Virginia. They repeated as All-Tidewater the next yr. James was also named area player of the yr and her brother was named first team. In his senior season, he was named regional player of the yr.
After graduating from highschool, Ashley James enrolled at Hargrave Military Academy and accepted a scholarship to Missouri State.
He won’t ever have the chance to play college basketball.
In March 2020, Ashley James was died in an accidental shooting just hours after watching his sister play within the regional highschool championship game. He was 19 years old.
James’ coach at Princess Anne High School, Darnell Dozier, who won 13 state titles and has greater than 700 wins in 29 seasons, remembers his player’s pain.
“She just cried and cried,” Dozier said. “I remember her (hugging) the basketball, going to the gym and shooting for hours. He taught her basically everything. They were really close.”
Days after his brother’s death, James scored a career-high 41 points in a playoff game. She finished her highschool profession with 4 state titles and was named Player of the Year in her class.
James signed with NC State. She was a poor performer her freshman yr, averaging 4.2 points in limited minutes. As a sophomore, she averaged 6.8 points in six starts. In the age of the transfer portal, James weighed her options.
Her highschool coach offered his opinion.
“She was confused because young people listen to other people tell them they should start or maybe they should go play somewhere else,” Dozier said. “Sometimes you just have to wait your turn. And when you get to the right place, you’re willing to wait.”
She decided to remain in Raleigh, North Carolina. A change within the lineup, including the lack of 4 starters to the transfer portal, opened the door for James. Her scoring average in the course of the regular season increased to 16.7 points and led the team. She also made the All-ACC first team.
Wolfpack coach Wes Moore said the transition from highschool to school can take a while. James joined the veteran team during her freshman yr of faculty. As a sophomore, NC State advanced to the Elite Eight with players with five years of experience.
“The good thing is that a lot of kids today wouldn’t bide their time, just go into the portal, but she was willing to be patient and work hard,” Moore said. “Now have a look at her. As she said, everyone knows her name.
And only a handful of individuals know what still motivates James. He has a tattoo of his brother near his left shoulder blade. She said this implies he at all times supports her.
“Being in my zone gives me peace of mind whenever I think about my brother and think about good memories, conversations and motivation,” James said. “These are my most important memories that I will never forget.”
Earvin “Magic” basketball legend Johnson obliged in the amount of $ 500,000 at Louisiana Xavier University helped the school to lift over $ 2 million in his own Gala of the century May 9.
Johnson’s donation for the one centesimal anniversary of the university was transferred to the president of the retired President Dr. Norman C. Francis.
Money collected at the event will support student scholarships.
“A sign of a great man and who appears,” said Johnson at the gala. “Because the man you are, all the wonderful things you did in your star career. And all the people you have helped. You were successful thanks to your great leadership in Xavier … in honor of Dam Xavier $ 500,000.”
Bill Bellama (former MTV VJ) was the host of the ceremony. Jeffrey Osborne, The R&B Legend and former vocalist Ltd.
Francis, a graduate of the University of Xavier, was the president of the school for 47 years, almost half of his existence. He was answerable for sending many black students to a medical school. Under his leadership, students’ records were tripled.
“Our gala of the century was a beautiful success,” said Phillip D. Adams, vp of KSVIERA for institutional progress. “Not only did it honor Xavier five times, but we collected over $ 2 million to secure the future of distinguished students who select Xavier education. In just 100 years Xavier collected various recognition, strengthening as a pacesetter. I’m honored that we were in a position to consistently raise the crucial scholarship funds, and I am unable to wait for what years.
The only historically black and Catholic University of the country, Xavier, occupies the highest number of HBCU throughout the country and recognized as a national leader in the field of STEM and health sciences.
(Tagstranslate) Dr. Norman C. Francis (T) Magic Johnson (T) Xavier University
Michael Jordan joins NBC Sports as a special co-creator of the NBA relationship when the 2025-26 season begins.
NBC announced this on Monday morning during the presentation in advance at Radio City Music Hall, the network offers in the upcoming television season.
“I am very excited about seeing the NBA in NBC,” said Jordan during a video. “NBA on the NBC was a significant part of my career and I am excited that I am a special co -author of the project. I can’t wait to see you all when the NBA on NBC starts in October.”
NBC returns to wearing NBA after 23 years of absence. He had NBA rights in 1990–2002 and carried all six Jordan championships as a member of Chicago Bulls.
For the first time Jordan joined the network. His performances and comments during the documentary film “The Last Dance” about his occupation and the end of the Bulls dynasty in 1998 created many headlines.
“Michael’s heritage on the field and outside he speaks for herself,” said Rick Cartella, NBC sports president. “We are incredibly proud that he joined our relationship.”
The 11-year NBC agreement with NBA and WNBA begins in October. Peacock will only broadcast games on Monday evening, while NBC/Peacock could have regional double “on Tuesday. NBC and Peacock will also introduce” Sunday Night Basketball “in January.
(Tagstranslate) @AP
Although there have been many questions on why Shedeur Sanders (at the moment is assumed) fell to the fifth round last month NFL Draft, one one who understands that where you offers you the option to be going, just mustn’t be as mandatory as what you do is Tom Brady. Brady, probably the largest playmaker in the history of NFL, winning the 7 Super Bowl championships and diverse league MVP from New England Patrots and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, was 199. The draft selection in 2000 NFL Draft. It also happens that he’s a friend and mentor of Sanders.
Brady recently visited Logan Paweł’s “Impulsive” and, truly, about Sanders and why he had fallen in the project up to now. Brady said that this is a formidable query, but nobody knows why he fell up to now in the project, ensuring that he was not involved in any evaluation or process (Brady is the owner of the NFL Las Vegas Raiders, who chosen two other playmakers during the 2025 project). Brady made available that he wrote Sanders to give him advice and perspectives when he was waiting for the alternative.
“I actually wrote SMSEUR because I know him very well and I said:” Old, as whatever happens, wherever you go, it’s your first day. Day 2 has greater than a sketch. ” I had 199. Who can discuss it higher?
Brady, clearly, feeling optimistic about the way forward for Sanders, he drew attention to other great players who weren’t a high variety of the draft.
“Wherever you finish … It’s about your performance. What do you do when you get there? Because you will get there. I was near the best players who were unable to free agents. It was Rodney Harrison. Rodney Harrison was not a great choice. Julian Edelman was not a high choice. Wesker was not a high choice. Danny Amendola. All these guys were phenomena.”
Cleveland Browns chosen Sanders with 144. Choosing a draft and enters the playmaker with five other people fighting for the game time: Joe Flacco, Deshaun Watson, Kenny Picket and the second playmaker Browns chosen in Draft 2025, Dillon Gabriel. Given this crowded space, Brady’s message to Shedeur rings loudly.
“So what is the meaning than an excessive day when many people sell stories and says:” All right, it’s an incredible day and this is a project and it is a vital day and it is a funny and I like the proven incontrovertible indisputable incontrovertible proven proven proven undeniable incontrovertible proven undeniable proven proven undeniable proven undeniable incontrovertible indisputable proven incontrovertible indisputable proven undeniable undeniable undeniable undeniable proven undeniable incontrovertible proven undeniable indisputable indisputable undeniable indisputable incontrovertible indisputable incontrovertible incontrovertible proven undeniable indisputable undeniable proven proven proven proven incontrovertible proven undeniable undeniable proven undeniable incontrovertible undeniable undeniable incontrovertible undeniable undeniable indisputable incontrovertible undeniable indisputable indisputable incontrovertible proven undeniable undeniable indisputable indisputable incontrovertible incontrovertible undeniable indisputable incontrovertible proven proven incontrovertible undeniable undeniable incontrovertible proven proven proven incontrovertible proven proven indisputable proven incontrovertible indisputable incontrovertible undeniable proven incontrovertible undeniable incontrovertible undeniable undeniable indisputable proven incontrovertible proven proven proven incontrovertible indisputable proven proven undeniable incontrovertible proven incontrovertible indisputable undeniable indisputable incontrovertible undeniable proven undeniable incontrovertible proven undeniable undeniable undeniable indisputable proven proven undeniable incontrovertible incontrovertible proven proven proven indisputable incontrovertible undeniable indisputable undeniable undeniable undeniable incontrovertible incontrovertible indisputable indisputable proven undeniable undeniable proven undeniable indisputable incontrovertible indisputable indisputable proven undeniable undeniable incontrovertible indisputable undeniable proven indisputable incontrovertible undeniable proven indisputable proven indisputable undeniable proven proven indisputable indisputable incontrovertible incontrovertible incontrovertible undeniable incontrovertible indisputable indisputable proven incontrovertible proven indisputable incontrovertible proven proven undeniable indisputable incontrovertible undeniable undeniable proven undeniable proven proven incontrovertible incontrovertible proven incontrovertible undeniable proven incontrovertible undeniable proven indisputable indisputable undeniable indisputable indisputable indisputable indisputable indisputable incontrovertible indisputable undeniable undeniable undeniable indisputable indisputable undeniable proven proven proven indisputable incontrovertible undeniable proven incontrovertible indisputable indisputable indisputable proven undeniable undeniable proven proven indisputable indisputable incontrovertible proven undeniable incontrovertible proven incontrovertible incontrovertible incontrovertible incontrovertible undeniable undeniable undeniable proven undeniable proven proven incontrovertible proven undeniable proven proven incontrovertible indisputable indisputable indisputable proven indisputable undeniable indisputable undeniable incontrovertible indisputable incontrovertible proven indisputable proven indisputable undeniable incontrovertible incontrovertible proven incontrovertible indisputable proven indisputable proven proven proven indisputable indisputable undeniable proven incontrovertible incontrovertible indisputable undeniable proven indisputable indisputable proven incontrovertible incontrovertible proven incontrovertible undeniable proven undeniable incontrovertible proven undeniable proven incontrovertible undeniable proven indisputable indisputable undeniable incontrovertible indisputable incontrovertible proven proven incontrovertible undeniable undeniable incontrovertible proven indisputable indisputable incontrovertible proven proven undeniable fact that they watch and see it, but I used to be also there on the day of the second day. “
I hope Sanders took Brady’s word to heart – he clearly values the opinion of his mentor. Perhaps due to this relationship Sanders apparently wears Jersey number 12, He wore the same number of brady during his occupation. During highschool and college, Sanders wore Jersey number 2, who was He has recently retired through the University of Colorado, Where Sanders played his last two years of university football.
(Tagstranslate) Tom Brady (T) NFL Draft (T) Shedeur Sanders
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