Marquette University Athletics
2026-27 Men's Basketball Roster
Jersey Number 0
Nigel James Jr.
- Position:
- Guard
- Height:
- 6-0
- Weight:
- 195
- Class:
- Sophomore
- Hometown:
- Huntington, N.Y.
- High School:
- Long island Lutheran School
Honors/Awards
2025-26
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
All-BIG EAST Third Team
BIG EAST All-Freshman Team
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (1/26/25, 2/2/26, 2/16/26, 3/2/26, 3/8/26)
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (12/1/25, 1/12/26, 2/23/26)
2025-26 Season Notes (Fr.): All-BIG EAST Third Team and BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection … Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on five occasions … Named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll three times … Reached double figures in scoring in 19-of-20 league outings and ranked among the conference’s top-10 in five-different categories (season long and BIG EAST only) … Was one of just two freshmen (Darius Acuff Jr. - Arkansas) in the nation to contribute at least 19.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per outing in conference matchups … Collected a personal-best 15 deflections against DePaul (3/1/26), the second-best single-game total by a MU player … First true freshman with three games of 30-or-more points in a season (has 10 games of 20-or-more points) … First true freshman since Dawson Garcia (2020-21) to collect back-to-back 20-point games (10 total in 2025-26) … First true freshman with 30-or-more points since Markus Howard (2016-17), scoring 38 points vs. Providence (1/19/26) and 31 points vs. Villanova (1/10/26) … 38-point effort against Providence (1/19/26) is the highest single-game total by a true freshman in school history.
High School: Rated among the top-100 prospects in the nation according to 247Sports.com … 2024-25 EYBL Scholastic Sixth Man and Defensive Player of the Year at Long Island Lutheran High School … Averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 assists and 2.4 steals per game as a senior, helping team to title at the Throne, a postseason national tournament … As a junior at LuHi, he averaged 11.9 points and 4.3 assists per game in the team’s 12 outings in the EYBL Scholastic League … Began his career at Cushing Academy and advanced to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council title game, falling to current MU guard Tre Norman and Worcester Academy … Played on the EYBL circuit for Expressions Elite.
Personal: Born January 4 in Harlem, N.Y. … Son of Naima and Nigel James … Has one sister, Naya … Majoring in communications.
2025-26
BIG EAST Freshman of the Year
All-BIG EAST Third Team
BIG EAST All-Freshman Team
BIG EAST Freshman of the Week (1/26/25, 2/2/26, 2/16/26, 3/2/26, 3/8/26)
BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll (12/1/25, 1/12/26, 2/23/26)
2025-26 Season Notes (Fr.): All-BIG EAST Third Team and BIG EAST All-Freshman Team selection … Named BIG EAST Freshman of the Week on five occasions … Named to BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll three times … Reached double figures in scoring in 19-of-20 league outings and ranked among the conference’s top-10 in five-different categories (season long and BIG EAST only) … Was one of just two freshmen (Darius Acuff Jr. - Arkansas) in the nation to contribute at least 19.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds per outing in conference matchups … Collected a personal-best 15 deflections against DePaul (3/1/26), the second-best single-game total by a MU player … First true freshman with three games of 30-or-more points in a season (has 10 games of 20-or-more points) … First true freshman since Dawson Garcia (2020-21) to collect back-to-back 20-point games (10 total in 2025-26) … First true freshman with 30-or-more points since Markus Howard (2016-17), scoring 38 points vs. Providence (1/19/26) and 31 points vs. Villanova (1/10/26) … 38-point effort against Providence (1/19/26) is the highest single-game total by a true freshman in school history.
High School: Rated among the top-100 prospects in the nation according to 247Sports.com … 2024-25 EYBL Scholastic Sixth Man and Defensive Player of the Year at Long Island Lutheran High School … Averaged 11.3 points, 4.5 assists and 2.4 steals per game as a senior, helping team to title at the Throne, a postseason national tournament … As a junior at LuHi, he averaged 11.9 points and 4.3 assists per game in the team’s 12 outings in the EYBL Scholastic League … Began his career at Cushing Academy and advanced to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council title game, falling to current MU guard Tre Norman and Worcester Academy … Played on the EYBL circuit for Expressions Elite.
Personal: Born January 4 in Harlem, N.Y. … Son of Naima and Nigel James … Has one sister, Naya … Majoring in communications.
A Conversation With Coach Shaka Smart: Protecting Our Culture. Evolving With Intention.
Wednesday, June 03
Shaka Smart talks retention, the transfer portal and offseason updates as “the real work begins” now
Thursday, May 28
New to the Nest: Jeremy Ballard
Thursday, May 14
RGV Stories: David Joplin
Thursday, May 07
