For the better part of Georgia’s season, guards Silas Demary Jr. and Blue Cain were the only freshmen getting significant playing time. That has changed in recent weeks with the emergence of forward Dylan James, who repeatedly flashed his potential before having his best game yet on Tuesday night.
James made his presence felt early in Georgia’s game against Ole Miss and quickly proved that he was willing to do what it took to put the Bulldogs in position to win. James just missed out on his first career double-double in his first career start by logging 10 points and 9 rebounds, but those contributions were still incredibly important in the Bulldogs’ 69-66 victory.
“It's been a great freshman season, a great opportunity. That's how I look at it, not like, ‘I'm not playing’ or whatever,” James said after the victory. “To be on a team like the one we have is a great opportunity, and once I got the opportunity to be on the court, I tried to seize it as best as possible.”
James was something of an afterthought once Georgia began SEC play, as the former four-star prospect played all of three minutes in the month of January. James topped that by Georgia’s second game of February at Mississippi State, when James played 10 minutes and had 3 points.
From that point on, James saw his role grow bigger and bigger.
“He came to Georgia as a high-basketball IQ, skilled step-out shooting post player, and he's developed his toughness, his motor. He's playing more athletically,” Georgia coach Mike White said. “He's learned how to play harder, you know? He's adjusted to this level. He's taken a little time as it does for any freshman, especially in this league, and he's playing his best basketball at the end of his freshman year.”
James logged double-digit minutes in Georgia’s previous four games prior to Tuesday’s action. Against the Rebels, James put on a show.
James played a career-high 26 minutes against Ole Miss and set the tone in the early minutes with an offensive rebound that led to two free throws, a steal, and a block by the 16:38 mark in the first half. He kept that play up throughout the action and helped the Bulldogs build a double-digit lead roughly halfway through the second half with three defensive rebounds and a dunk in the span of two minutes and six seconds.
“He was huge. That was that spark that I think we've been lacking a little bit down the stretch,” Georgia shooting guard Noah Thomasson said. “He came in and was challenging shots at the rim, something that makes us even more versatile because he's at the 4 position doing it. We're going to need that again with a huge game Saturday against Auburn, a really good team in a hostile environment. We're going to need him to challenge some shots for us to have a chance to win.”
White and his assistants saw potential in James when they recruited him, but they understood it would take some time to adjust to life in the SEC. James said he has focused on growing more as a wing compared to mostly playing down low in the past, and he bought into White’s message of staying ready whether he was on the floor or not.
White explained James has put in the work necessary to be a factor for Georgia. The Bulldogs coach said he went into the practice gym a couple of hours before Tuesday’s game to get on the treadmill. When he arrived, he saw James getting in some shots before it was time to head over to Stegeman Coliseum.
“He's a guy like Jabri that's just always in the gym. He's a guy too that in time will be able to stretch it with his stroke to complement the other things he did tonight. He's a talented guy,” White said. “Blue and him played really, really hard tonight, and Silas continues to affect the game with winning plays without necessarily needing to take a ton of shots. Silas takes what the defense gives him.”
James didn’t shy away when asked about what the last few weeks have meant to him, saying that being able to perform like he has helps with his confidence and gives him valuable experience. James showed on Tuesday that his future is bright, and his performance made all the difference in a much-needed Georgia victory.
“It feels awesome,” James said about Georgia winning its last home game. “There's nothing that we really wanted more. We take it one game at a time, but that was huge for us.”
