His scoring, field goal accuracy and rebounding allowed him to record two triple doubles on the way to America East Rookie and Defensive Player of the Year awards.

At the end of the season he declared himself for early entry in the 2008 NBA draft and later signed with an agent, forfeiting his senior year at a university[2] that he left under acrimonious circumstances after his lawsuit and accusations towards Everhart (see above).

On 17 September 2006, James and four other Duquesne teammates Sam Ashaolu, Stuart Baldonado, Aaron Jackson and Kojo Mensah were the victims of an unprovoked shooting on the university's Pittsburgh campus.

Ashaolu was shot in the head and neck, Mensah in the shoulder and arm, Baldonado through his back into his elbow, James in his left foot whilst Jackson was only grazed on the wrist by a bullet.

James later sued Duquesne University in June 2008, alleging that they failed to provide adequate security on campus and that coach Everhart had made him play injured, all of which restricted his professional career opportunities.

[4][5] After going undrafted in the 2008 NBA draft,[6] on 9 June 2008, he signed his first professional contract, a two-year deal with Israeli League side Bnei Hasharon.

In May 2011, he signed a two-year contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv, moving from the club that never passed the first match up in the playoffs to league champion and European powerhouse.

With the departure of coach David Blatt to the NBA and in all probability because of his injury history, he was released by the club on 28 July 2014, ending a fruitful three-year collaboration.

[14] Throughout the season he struggled to regain his past form, seeing limited playing time and generally coming short of the expectations from team and fans: in August he reached an agreement with EA7 Emporio Armani Milano for the early termination of his contract.

Shawn moved with his parents and most of his siblings to Brooklyn, New York in 1990 from his native Guyana, there he discovered basketball, having mostly dallied with cricket before, he only started seriously playing the game at 17 after a growth spurt.