University of Georgia Athletics
Quick Chat: Dylan James
December 19, 2023 | Men's Basketball, The Frierson Files
By John Frierson
Staff Writer
Georgia freshman Dylan James credits his older sister, Charla Nelson-James, for making basketball the family sport. She was the first of the four siblings to get into the game and play at a high level, and she went on to play at Lynn, a Division II school in Boca Raton, Fla. After her, brother Darius also played at Lynn, brother Dorian is a redshirt senior at North Florida, and Dylan is just beginning his Bulldog career.
And who do the Bulldogs host on Dec. 22? North Florida.
A 6-foot-9 forward from Winter Haven, Fla., James recently took a break from a shooting session before practice to sit down for a Quick Chat about his start in the sport, his first dunk, coming from a basketball family, the chance to play against his brother, and more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: When you're in the gym putting up shot after shot, how do you keep it fresh and interesting? Are you playing little games in your head?
James: You play little games, try to make as many as you can in a row, and challenge yourself in any way possible.
Frierson: What's it like coming from a big basketball family?
James: My sister was the first to play. She started in high school, and then we pretty much just followed in her footsteps. She started playing, so we all started playing too.
I probably started around second or third grade. I didn't start playing on a serious team or start taking it really seriously until about fifth or sixth grade.
Frierson: Were there epic family battles in the driveway?
James: Always. We always had a goal in the driveway. If it broke, then we got a new one. We're all really competitive, especially my sister. She's probably the most competitive out of all of us, and her being the oldest, she would always beat up on us. But we learned from it.
Frierson: Given how tall you are, and I'm guessing your brothers are a similar height, is that bad news for the goal in the driveway?
James: [Laughs] Yeah. The goals said no dunking, but we didn't care. My dad would be like, "Don't hang on the rim." But then, when you can dunk, how can you really resist? Especially as a kid, it's so fun.
Frierson: Do you remember your first dunk?
James: I was in seventh grade, and I'm in the high school gym because my brother's on the basketball team. I went in there with some of my family members just to get some shots up one day, and I was just trying stuff. I went up and got the dunk, and I remember feeling so excited.
Frierson: Did your family go crazy?
James: Of course! They were all like, "We didn't know you could do that." And after you get the first one, you can never stop.
Frierson: Were you and Dorian ever teammates?
James: We were never teammates, but he and Darius played on the same team in high school for one year. This is probably the first year that me and my brother (Dorian) are playing on the same level. This is the first time we'll ever be on the same court.
Frierson: Has the trash talk already begun?
James: We don't trash talk with each other, to be honest. I'm sure once we get on the court with each other, there's going to be some talk.
Frierson: Is the whole family going to be here for that one?
James: Yeah, that's going to be can't-miss. That's like the only time any of us will play on the same court in college. That's a huge event.
Frierson: If you could play with or against anybody in history, who would it be?
James: I would probably play with T-Mac, Tracy McGrady. He's one of my favorite players, and he's from Polk County, where I'm from.
Frierson: He's been retired almost your whole life, I think, so I'm guessing you've only seen him play on YouTube and things like that.
James: I've gotten to meet him a few times, and he's a good person, a great person, and his size and play style is something that I looked up to and really wanted to emulate.
Frierson: Who's the funniest guy on the team?
James: There are a lot of them, but I'd probably have to say Justin Hill. I don't know what it is, but sometimes he just cracks you up.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
James: I'd probably say pizza or wings because you can mix it up however you want. I love a pepperoni pizza, and my favorite wings are not too hot, probably medium, with a side of ranch.
I also like jerk chicken. I'm Jamaican, I don't know if you knew that, my family is from Jamaica, so jerk chicken will always be a favorite.
Frierson: When you go home, is there a favorite dish that you're looking forward to having at the house?
James: Being in college and away from home for so long, you're always excited for a home-cooked meal. Usually, mom makes baked jerk chicken, and that's always something that I'm looking forward to. Or she'll do a breakfast that's from Jamaica, like ackee and saltfish. Those are like the things I'm most looking forward to when I get home.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Staff Writer
Georgia freshman Dylan James credits his older sister, Charla Nelson-James, for making basketball the family sport. She was the first of the four siblings to get into the game and play at a high level, and she went on to play at Lynn, a Division II school in Boca Raton, Fla. After her, brother Darius also played at Lynn, brother Dorian is a redshirt senior at North Florida, and Dylan is just beginning his Bulldog career.
And who do the Bulldogs host on Dec. 22? North Florida.
A 6-foot-9 forward from Winter Haven, Fla., James recently took a break from a shooting session before practice to sit down for a Quick Chat about his start in the sport, his first dunk, coming from a basketball family, the chance to play against his brother, and more. Here's some of what he had to say:
Frierson: When you're in the gym putting up shot after shot, how do you keep it fresh and interesting? Are you playing little games in your head?
James: You play little games, try to make as many as you can in a row, and challenge yourself in any way possible.
Frierson: What's it like coming from a big basketball family?
James: My sister was the first to play. She started in high school, and then we pretty much just followed in her footsteps. She started playing, so we all started playing too.
I probably started around second or third grade. I didn't start playing on a serious team or start taking it really seriously until about fifth or sixth grade.
Frierson: Were there epic family battles in the driveway?
James: Always. We always had a goal in the driveway. If it broke, then we got a new one. We're all really competitive, especially my sister. She's probably the most competitive out of all of us, and her being the oldest, she would always beat up on us. But we learned from it.
Frierson: Given how tall you are, and I'm guessing your brothers are a similar height, is that bad news for the goal in the driveway?
James: [Laughs] Yeah. The goals said no dunking, but we didn't care. My dad would be like, "Don't hang on the rim." But then, when you can dunk, how can you really resist? Especially as a kid, it's so fun.
Frierson: Do you remember your first dunk?
James: I was in seventh grade, and I'm in the high school gym because my brother's on the basketball team. I went in there with some of my family members just to get some shots up one day, and I was just trying stuff. I went up and got the dunk, and I remember feeling so excited.
Frierson: Did your family go crazy?
James: Of course! They were all like, "We didn't know you could do that." And after you get the first one, you can never stop.
Frierson: Were you and Dorian ever teammates?
James: We were never teammates, but he and Darius played on the same team in high school for one year. This is probably the first year that me and my brother (Dorian) are playing on the same level. This is the first time we'll ever be on the same court.
Frierson: Has the trash talk already begun?
James: We don't trash talk with each other, to be honest. I'm sure once we get on the court with each other, there's going to be some talk.
Frierson: Is the whole family going to be here for that one?
James: Yeah, that's going to be can't-miss. That's like the only time any of us will play on the same court in college. That's a huge event.
Frierson: If you could play with or against anybody in history, who would it be?
James: I would probably play with T-Mac, Tracy McGrady. He's one of my favorite players, and he's from Polk County, where I'm from.
Frierson: He's been retired almost your whole life, I think, so I'm guessing you've only seen him play on YouTube and things like that.
James: I've gotten to meet him a few times, and he's a good person, a great person, and his size and play style is something that I looked up to and really wanted to emulate.
Frierson: Who's the funniest guy on the team?
James: There are a lot of them, but I'd probably have to say Justin Hill. I don't know what it is, but sometimes he just cracks you up.
Frierson: What's something you could eat every day and never get tired of it?
James: I'd probably say pizza or wings because you can mix it up however you want. I love a pepperoni pizza, and my favorite wings are not too hot, probably medium, with a side of ranch.
I also like jerk chicken. I'm Jamaican, I don't know if you knew that, my family is from Jamaica, so jerk chicken will always be a favorite.
Frierson: When you go home, is there a favorite dish that you're looking forward to having at the house?
James: Being in college and away from home for so long, you're always excited for a home-cooked meal. Usually, mom makes baked jerk chicken, and that's always something that I'm looking forward to. Or she'll do a breakfast that's from Jamaica, like ackee and saltfish. Those are like the things I'm most looking forward to when I get home.
(This Q&A was lightly edited for length and clarity.)
Assistant Sports Communications Director John Frierson is the staff writer for the UGA Athletic Association and curator of the ITA Men's Tennis Hall of Fame. You can find his work at: Frierson Files. He's also on Twitter: @FriersonFiles and @ITAHallofFame.
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