GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina women’s basketball has added former Seattle Storm draft pick and experienced collegiate coach Jasmine James as its newest assistant.
James arrives after most recently serving at Tulsa, where she worked as both an assistant coach and general manager for the Golden Hurricane. During the 2025–26 season, she helped lead the team to a 19–12 record, a fourth-place finish in the American Conference, and coached Hannah Riddick and Mady Cartwright to All-Conference honors.
Head coach Kim McNeill expressed excitement about the hire, noting her previous connection with James from their time together at Georgia. McNeill emphasized that James will not only contribute to player development on the court but also help shape student-athletes off it.
A 2013 graduate of the University of Georgia, James made an immediate impact in college as a Freshman All-American in 2009–10 and earned SEC All-Academic recognition three times. She was selected in the third round of the 2013 WNBA Draft by the Seattle Storm and later played professionally with the Phoenix Mercury, along with international stints in Brazil, Luxembourg, Germany, and Israel over a four-year career.
Following her playing days, James transitioned into coaching, beginning as Director of Basketball Operations at Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. She later held assistant coaching roles at Texas Tech (2020–22), Missouri (2022–25), and Tulsa (2025–26).
Throughout her coaching career, she has helped develop 10 All-Conference players across multiple leagues, including the American, OVC, and SEC. While at Missouri, she also mentored four SEC All-Freshman selections, and several of her former players have gone on to play professionally overseas.
James earned her Bachelor of Science in Recreation Management and Leisure Studies from Georgia in 2013.
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