 Ramba uchinyora ndima iyi - Asati atanga gore rake rokutanga, James akabudiswa muSlam, magazini yebasketball yokuAmerica, uye munyori Ryan Jones akamurumbidza sokunge kuti mutambi wenhabvu wechikoro chesekondari akanakisisa muAmerica iye zvino. Munguva yemwaka, James akaonekwawo pabutiro re Sports Illustrated, achiva wekutanga wechikoro chepamusoro basketball underclassman kuita kudaro. Neavhareji yemapoinzi makumi maviri nemapfumbamwe, 29 rebounds, 5.7 inobatsira, uye 3.3 inobira pamutambo, akatumidzwa zvakare zita reOhio Mr. Basketball uye akasarudzwa ku USA Nhasi All-USA First Team, uye akazova wekutanga wechidiki kuti atumidzwe zita remurume basketball Gatorade National Player yeGore. St. Vincent St. Mary vakapedza gore ne 23 4 rekodhi, vachipedzisa mwaka wavo nekurasikirwa mumutambo weDivision II. Mushure mekurasikirwa, James akakundikana kukumbira shanduko kumitemo yeNBA yekunyorwa kwemitemo mukuyedza kupinda mu2002 NBA draft. Munguva iyi, aishandisa mbanje, iyo aiti yaimubatsira kukurira kuora mwoyo kwaikonzerwa nokucherechedzwa kwaaigara achiitwa nevezvenhau. 