What Josiah-Jordan James said about his Tennessee career, facing Kentucky on Senior Day

Everything Josiah-Jordan James said on Friday, looking back at his five-year career with Tennessee before the fourth-ranked Vols host No. 15 Kentucky on Senior Day at Thompson-Boling Arena on Saturday (4 p.m. Eastern Time, CBS):

Tennessee winning an SEC regular-season championship in his home state of South Carolina on Wednesday night

“Yeah, it was really sweet. We set out a goal, a couple of goals, and that was the first one. So being able to check that off the list, and especially being able to do it in front of 30, 40 of my friends and family was very sweet. And then getting to hang out with them afterwards. But I’m just so proud of this team and I know that we have a lot more to accomplish.”

What he feels like he’s gotten out of the Tennessee program after five years with the Vols 

“I’ve gotten lifelong relationships. I’ve gotten humbled through this program. And I wouldn’t be the man that I am today without being here and going through the experiences that I’ve had. I’m so grateful and indebted to Coach Barnes and his entire staff just for sticking with me through the ups and downs. And I’m indebted to my teammates as well because they’re the best groups of groups of people that I’ve ever been around. And I can never repay them for all that they’ve given me. But I try to come in with a great attitude and be the best version of myself every day for them.”

What he learned in the first game against Kentucky at Rupp Arena in February

“They’re a really talented team. We pride ourselves on our defense and luckily we were able to hit shots. We scored 100-some points, but they had 90 something. So we know we’re going have to be better on that end of the floor. They’re really dynamic on the offensive end. At all times they’ve got five people who can really score the ball at a high level. So our defense is going to have to be a lot more locked in than it was up there. We’re going to have to take pride in that.”

If it’s challenging for this Tennessee team to turn the page from celebrating the SEC regular-season championship

“It’s definitely not because it’s Kentucky. That rivalry, they don’t like us, we don’t like them. So I’m glad that it’s them coming off of an SEC regular-season championship because I know everybody will be locked in. And I know we’ll be ready to go.” 

How big of a role former Tennessee assistant coach Mike Schwartz played in getting Josiah-Jordan James here

“I wouldn’t be here without him. He did a great job of creating a relationship with me from a very early age. I remember I actually had to call him because at the time I was in seventh or eighth grade and coaches couldn’t reach out to you before high school, I think. And so I started that relationship with him through a recruiter. And ever since that first phone call, he did a great job of staying in touch with me. He did a really good job of creating a relationship with my family and I credit him for getting me up here on that visit. And then once I got here on the visit, that was just the icing on the cake. But Mike Schwartz, I definitely wouldn’t be here without him.”

Josiah-Jordan James embracing position changes and being versatility throughout his career

“Just because I want to win. I’m willing to do whatever it is on the floor to impact winning and if it’s taking less shots, taking more shots, being better defensively, I think think that roles change from game to game, but especially season to season as teams change. But Santi and I, we pride ourselves on being winners and doing whatever it takes to come out with a ‘W’ at the end of the day. And so that’s why I’m so willing to accept whatever role coach wants to give me, whether it’s guarding the best post player, best perimeter player, taking more shots, taking less shots. As long as, whatever the game plan is, to help us get a ‘W’, that’s what I’m willing to do. 

What it means to be a cornerstone of the Tennessee program, as Rick Barnes described him and Santiago Vescovi 

“Man, it is taken a lot to get to this point. I wouldn’t be here without Santi because he, Coach Barnes is the most consistent person, and right under him is Santi. Because you know what you’re going get out of him every single day. He’s such a great person. He’s a hard worker and he is a great leader. And somebody that’s uplifting me through tough times. And like I said, I wouldn’t be here without him. But Coach Barnes saying that about us, it is really gratifying just because Santi and I have been through so much. Five years is a long time. There’s a lot of ups and downs and highs and lows, but I just credit him and I for always having each other’s back and always coming in the next day and trying to get the best out of each other and the best out of this group. And that’s why I think that we are where we are right now. Not just because of him and I, but the standard that Grant Williams and the guys before us set. Because they were a really good basketball team before we got here. They’re going to be a really good basketball team after Santi and I leave, but the culture here is second to none.”

What impression Dalton Knecht has made on him 

“Man, DK is, that’s my guy. I feel like he’s been here just as long as everybody else has. He’s embraced everybody with open arms. I feel like if a lot of people are in DK’s position, they’d be more selfish. But being around him off the court, he’s such a selfless person. He makes the locker room laugh. He keeps us up uplifted and he’s somebody that I know I have a relationship while I’m here. And wherever our paths may cross again, but wherever he ends up, I know that he’s somebody I can always count on. And I’m thankful that he chose to come to the University of Tennessee.”

How much he has changed off the floor since he got to Tennessee

“I was a little kid when I first came here. I thought I had everything figured out, but you know, God showed me quickly that I didn’t, and I’m just happy with where I am right now. I’m happy in my own skin. I’m happy with the man that I’ve become, and I wouldn’t be here without the people here. The experiences that I’ve had, the good, the bad, it’s all got me to this place and I’m so thankful and grateful for the University of Tennessee for accepting me with open arms and I’m happy to be a VFL.”

As of right now, the first moment he’ll talk about 10 years from now when he reflects on his five years at Tennessee

“Man, I don’t know. There’s so many. If you would’ve asked me this question before the South Carolina game, I would’ve said the SEC tournament championship. But now, I mean the regular season championship, I feel like that’s even harder to do. I don’t think I can pick just one memory. I would just say it’s the people, the teammates that I’ve had, the coaches that I’ve had, the people who, you know, outside of the program that y’all don’t even know who are here on a daily basis, like the trainers, the assistant trainers, the student trainers, you know, everybody comes in with a smile on their face and uplifts you. And it’s hard to, you know, (Coach Barnes), y’all are at practice. It’s not the easiest stuff to go through. But you know, at the end of the day, everybody has each other’s backs and everybody wants to see the next person succeed. So I’m so thankful for the people and that’s probably what I’ll remember the most.”

What he would tell freshman Josiah-Jordan James

“Man, I would tell him, he has no idea what’s coming his way, but just to take everything in stride. Never get too high, never get too low, be thankful for it all and just be where your feet are. Don’t look too far ahead into the future because you know the future, you don’t know what’s in the future. And so just being where your feet are, staying humble, staying grounded and relying on the people around you. You can’t get through everything alone. You need people in your corner and you have the best people around you. So don’t take them for granted.”