James Named to Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team
2/12/2025 12:00:00 PM | Women's Basketball
ATLANTA – Another day, another watch list for Aziaha James of the No. 10/11 NC State women's basketball team, as the senior was tabbed to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team. James is one of 30 on the midseason list, which features three other ACC players, as announced by the organization Wednesday.
James leads the Wolfpack with 18.0 points per game with 47 made 3-pointers. She has logged double digits in scoring in all but one game, as well as earned 20-point games in 11 contests and has led the Pack in scoring in 10 different games this season. James is shooting 46.8 percent from the field (159-340), 32.9 percent from beyond the arc (47-143) and 73.8 percent from the free throw line (48-65). She also averages 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game.
The Virginia Beach, Virginia native averaged 29.0 points per game on 64.9 percent shooting, 5.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game in the Pack's two ranked wins over No. 10/10 Duke and at No. 22/22 Florida State. She scored a career-high 36 points on just 19 shots (15-of-19 from the field) against Duke, and logged 27 of those points in the second half. Her 36 points was the most for an NC State player since 1998 (Chasity Melvin vs. Louisiana Tech) and the fifth most scored in a game by an ACC player this season. The senior followed up that performance with 22 points off 9-of-18 shooting from the field with five rebounds, two assists and three steals at Florida State. She was named Player of the Week by multiple organizations, including from USBWA (for the second time this season), the ACC, Naismith Trophy and March Madness.
James surpassed 1,000 career points against Kent State and jumped to No. 20 on the all-time scoring list at NC State with 1,375 career points. She also is No. 12 in career 3-pointers (155) in NC State history.
The semifinalists for the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Year will be announced in March. The finalists will be announced on March 24 and the Player of the Year will be revealed on April 2.
Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team (Alphabetical)
1. Georgia Amoore, Kentucky
2. Sarah Ashlee Barker, Alabama
3. Raegan Beers, Oklahoma
4. Lauren Betts, UCLA
5. Mikayla Blakes, Vanderbilt
6. Madison Booker, Texas
7. Paige Bueckers, UConn
8. Talaysia Cooper, Tennessee
9. Audi Crooks, Iowa State
10. Yvonne Ejim, Gonzaga
11. Rori Harmon, Texas
12. Hannah Hidalgo, Notre Dame
13. Kiki Iriafen, USC
14. Aziaha James, NC State
15. Flau'jae Johnson, LSU
16. Gianna Kneepkens, Utah
17. Ta'Niya Latson, Florida State
18. Ayoka Lee, Kansas State
19. Cotie McMahon, Ohio State
20. Olivia Miles, Notre Dame
21. Aneesah Morrow, LSU
22. Te-Hina Paopao, South Carolina
23. Khamil Pierre, Vanderbilt
24. Sedona Prince, TCU
25. JJ Quinerly, West Virginia
26. Kiki Rice, UCLA
27. Sarah Strong, UConn
28. Harmoni Turner, Harvard
29. Hailey Van Lith, TCU
30. JuJu Watkins, USC
Awards/Watch Lists for Aziaha James this Season:
- Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Midseason Team
- Wooden Award Award Late Midseason Top 20 Watch List (2/11)
- March Madness Player of the Week (2/11)
- AP Player of the Week Runner-Up (2/11)
- USBWA National Player of the Week (2/11)
- Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Week (2/10)
- ACC Player of the Week (2/10)
- Women's College All-Star Game Watch List (2/4)
- USBWA Ann Meyers Drysdale Player of the Year Midseason Top 50 Watch List (2/3)
- USBWA National Player of the Week (1/21)
- Wooden Award Top 25 Midseason Watch List (1/7)
- Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List (11/7)
- Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Women's College Player of the Year Preseason Watch List (10/28)
- ACC Preseason Team (10/15)
