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By InsideHoops.com

Shawn James is a 6-9 defensive master, holding things down at Notre Dame Prep in Massachusetts. Born in Guiana, West Indies, James came to the United States in 1990, living in the East New York section of Brooklyn. He's a high school senior, ready to take things to the next level in a big way. InsideHoops.com met with James for an exclusive interview.

InsideHoops.com: Talk about what you're best at on the court.

Shawn James: Best? Defense. Defense gives me offense. I mean, I do offense good too, if I get the chance, but I like playing defense.

InsideHoops.com: I heard your wingspan is something crazy.

Shawn James: Yeah, it is. I heard that I have the wingspan of somebody 7-2 or 7-1. So that helps a lot.

InsideHoops.com: One guy I know compared you to a young Bill Russell.

Shawn James: Yeah, oh I'd love to do that, be a young Bill Russell, because that's how it is. He's the greatest, striving at defense, so that's what I want to do also.

InsideHoops.com: Talk about the college recruiting process. For starters, do you know where you're going yet?

Shawn James: No, I really don't. I really don't know where I'm going.

InsideHoops.com: And the recruiting, how's it going?

Shawn James: I get a lot of calls and letters, and stuff like that, but I'm just looking for the best situation for me right now. Once I'm playing, that's what I want.

InsideHoops.com: Do you have any preferences as to the location or size of school or anything like that?

Shawn James: Once I'm playing, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter how far, how close... a good school and I'm playing, nothing else bothers me.

InsideHoops.com: Do you want to only go to a program where you'll get to be an offensive and defensive star right away, or would you be cool going to a school that might want to take a bit of time to fully develop and utilize you offensively?

Shawn James: I was never the go-to guy on a lot of teams that I played, but I always scored and did what I had to do on defense, so it made me look good regardless, because I play defense. So I wouldn't mind going in and accepting a role and then becoming a major go-to guy, but I'm not going in and saying that I'm dropping 25 or 30 points, I'm not doing that, I'm going in to play and whatever happens, happens.

InsideHoops.com: And you may drop 25 or 30, you're just not insisting it in advance.

Shawn James: (Laughs) Maybe, yeah. Maybe it if happens. That would be good.