“Expect a guy who can shoot the three, who can attack [the rim], and who can get his teammates involved, and look to wreak havoc when defending the opposing point guards on the other end,” James Batemon of the Brisbane Bullets boldly declared before the NBL25 season started. And he is certainly delivering.
Initially pegged as a defensive-minded floor general, the 27-year-old rising star is showcasing his versatility and making history. Batemon has transformed into one of the NBL’s most prolific scorers, delivering the highest individual score in the league’s 40-minute era, a historic 51-point performance against the Perth Wildcats, in a game that also saw him sink nine 3-pointers.
Read: Bullets vs Wildcats: Brisbane Soars as Batemon Delivers Historic 51-Point Masterclass
Solid All-around Player
While his scoring has grabbed headlines, Batemon’s defensive tenacity remains a cornerstone of his game.
His Brisbane Bullets profile describes him as “…a well-rounded point guard with a defensive mindset who is a more than capable playmaker and distributor, and has a knack of knocking down the big shot.”
His modest statline of 5.6 points per game coupled with feisty defence in Brisbane’s 0-3 start initially reflected this defensive-first assessment. However, his offensive game soon exploded, with his back-to-back 20-point performances propelling the Bullets to their first two victories of the season, signalling his emergence as the team’s offensive catalyst.
Global Journey to Brisbane
Before donning the Bullets jersey and moving to Australia, Batemon crafted his game across two continents. His collegiate career began in the United States at North Dakota State College of Science, where he averaged 20.8 points as a sophomore, before transferring to Loyola Marymount University.
At Loyola as a junior, he ranked fourth in scoring, among the nine schools in the West Coast Conference (WCC), leading all newcomers with an average of 17.8 ppg in his All-WCC Second Team season.
The following year, in his senior collegiate campaign, the budding star started and played all 34 games, making school history with the third-most minutes played in a season at 1201.
He dominated the WCC with 54 steals and started to make a name for himself, making it into the All-WCC First Team and the Lou Henson Award Watch List. He was also the Jamaica Classic Montego Bay Division MVP.
Batemon ended his collegiate career tied for 13th with a 17.0 career ppg, 15th in career free throws made (323), 16th in career assists (261), and third in career minutes averaged (25.2).
Batemon’s professional career had a rocky start, however, with the 2019 NBA Draft season leaving him high and dry. Undrafted in the US, he moved to Europe to start his pro career, playing for the Latvian-Estonian League with BK Ogre. His professional career spans Latvia, France—where he earned LNB Pro B MVP honours—Greece, Germany, and Israel, each stop adding layers to his versatile skill set.
NBL25 Performance Highlights
After moving to Australia for NBL25, the talented point guard’s influence on the Bullets’ fortunes has been undeniable. Averaging 15.9 points on remarkable shooting splits of 51.7% from both the field and three-point range, Batemon’s scoring prowess has become the team’s barometer for success.
In the Bullets’ four victories, his numbers have surged to 28.3 points per game on an even more efficient 59.7% field goal and 62.2% three-point shooting:
12 October: 20 points (7-14 FG, 6-9 3P) in an 87-85 win over Phoenix
17 October: 21 points (8-14 FG, 5-8 3P), 5 rebounds in an 84-73 victory against NZ Breakers
2 November: 21 points (9-16 FG, 3-5 3P), 6 rebounds versus Cairns Taipans in a 92-88 win
17 November: Historic 51 points (19-28 FG, 9-15 3P), 4 rebounds, 2 steals, zero turnovers in a 105-84 triumph over Perth
Role evolution
Despite his scoring capabilities, Batemon’s path in Brisbane hasn’t been linear. After starting the season in the first unit, he transitioned to a sixth-man role for six games, including three of the Brisbane Bullets’ wins. When injury forced him back into the starting lineup against Perth, he rose to the occasion with his unprecedented 51-point masterpiece, showing up masterfully to his appointment with destiny.
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With the Bullets currently at 4-6, Batemon’s emergence as a scoring threat alongside his established playmaking and defensive abilities positions him as a crucial piece in Brisbane’s push toward playoff contention. His remarkable efficiency and ability to take over games suggest that the best may be yet to come for both himself and the Bullets in NBL25.
Originally published 29-September-2024. Updated 19-November-2024..
