James was first introduced to wheelchair basketball by his mother Anne who took James and his sister, Eimear, to their local club NI Knights in Antrim, Northern Ireland.

Despite not liking the sport at first, James stuck at it and The Knights provided the platform for the Belfast-born athlete to develop his wheelchair basketball skills and progress. His progression was rewarded with attendance at his first GB Junior Camp in 2010, and in 2012 he was one of eight flagbearers at the London 2012 Paralympic Games Opening Ceremony.

After graduating from Queen’s University in Belfast in 2017 with a degree in Spanish with Law, James made the move to Yorkshire, spending two seasons playing at the Sheffield Steelers. His Spanish skills came in useful during his spells playing in the Spanish Wheelchair Basketball League, most recently with BSR ACE Gran Canaria where he spent the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons.

James is no stranger to podium finishes at international level having twice been part of historic GB performances including on his GB senior debut at the 2018 World Championships where the GB Men claimed the World title and brought home the gold.

A year earlier, James had been part of more history-making success, winning gold with the GB U23 Men’s team at the U23 World Championships in Toronto, Canada.

James made history at Birmingham 2022 in the first ever appearance of wheelchair basketball in a Commonwealth Games, proudly representing Team Northern Ireland.

In 2023, James was part of the GB Men’s team that achieved silver at the 2022 World Championships.