Prospect Spotlight: James Stimson (2020)
On more than one occasion, Sumner-Fredericksburg guard James Stimson was able to catch our eye this past offseason.
While playing with Iowa Prep 16U, he was one of the better Iowa players we saw at Prep Hoops’ Proving Grounds in Minneapolis last spring. He was a standout at our Top 250 Expo later in the fall.
It’s his play-making ability on the offensive end that is most striking. “I can knock down shots and I also have good court vision,” said Stimson of his game.
The 6-foot guard was able to greatly develop his skill-set over the spring and summer with Iowa Prep.
“My Iowa Prep team had a good summer,” he said. “I played with a good group of guys. We went to a lot of tournaments and we played well. I learned a lot about myself and what I need to work on.”
Now, his junior season has arrived, and the veteran guard will try and better what was a fabulous sophomore season with the Cougars, one in which he averaged 15.5 points, while also leading his team in assists.
“My role won’t change much from last year. This year, I will need to be more vocal and be a big presence when I’m on the court,” said Stimson. “I’m the older kid on the court now, so I need to be able to lead and stay cool under pressure situations.”
With still two years left of high school ball, and a big 17U summer in between, there’s still plenty of time for Stimson’s recruitment to materialize. He says one school has mentioned it would start the recruiting process with me, that’s Briar Cliff.
“Other schools have invited me to their camps but haven’t really said much,” said Stimson, who will have an important year ahead.
“My goals for this year are going to pretty much the same as last year. I want to average 25 points, five assists, five rebounds. I want to have a good season so then the recruitment will hopefully pick up.”
James Stimson is ranked by Prep Hoops as a top 110 prospect in his class. To see the full ranking of Iowa’s 2020 class, click here.