GW Hoops / James Bishop IV

**Posted by jf** 11/28/2023 4:32 pm

The idea for any hope to win and for the future is a team effort.
We have been overreliant on James, as LSF noted most recently, in the tournament. Which
was generally good, but not for the long term.
It's not a group of individuals, however talented.
And James certainly would want to show he can be on a winning team and be on a
winning team for his final year at GW.

**Posted by Gwmayhem** 11/28/2023 4:58 pm

It didn't bother me very much that GW won a thrilling double overtime game against a very good Ohio team, or that the team fought like hell to overcome a 16 point deficit to knock off Delaware. Both games were certainly uncomfortable at times as neither could be considered anything close to a walk in the park. Let's not kid ourselves though...it was JBIV being JBIV down the stretch of those games that had an awful lot to do with the final scores being what they were. (Obviously the same can't be said for UIC but I will say that coming off a double OT late game, coupled with playing a team who won by 30 the day before and had more rest, represented a terrible spot for GW.)

I have always been about preferring balanced attacks and having 5 guys on the court who can beat you. But, and this is a big but, James and the team moving away from this and his doing whatever needs to be done to win games can not and should not be overlooked. Most players can not begin to accomplish what James seems to be able to do whenever he is needed to help take over a contest. His shot selection, save for the occasional long 3 pointer, is notably better. He draws contact as well as anyone and is near automatic at the line when games are on the line. He is also far more likely today to drive and dish rather than always be the one to take the big shots.

The team has 6 wins and only in 1 was JB a complete nonfactor because he simply did not have to be. Even the UNH game where his shooting was off still resulted in a game when he had 7 rebounds, 8 assists, and shot 7-8 from the line. Probably not a coincidence that he shot just 10 times in 36 minutes given that 6 of his teammates scored at least 7 points apiece.

The reality is that while we would all like to ideally see a balanced effort from start to finish, everyone from CC and his coaches to his players all realize that when a game hangs in the balance, it's far better that JB has the ball as opposed to serve as a decoy. And as long as the wins keep coming, I'm not sure there's much to do but appreciate what we have in JB, an incredibly special talent, who has the ability and knowhow to close out games.

**Posted by Poog** 11/28/2023 5:24 pm

LeBron. Michael. Steph.

**Posted by Tennessee Colonial** 11/28/2023 5:25 pm

28.9 ppg Bob Tallent Long time ago.

**Posted by Free Quebec** 11/28/2023 7:33 pm

One thing interesting, and I know someone else commented on this, but James is not taking the 6-12 foot pull ups that were his bread and butter the last three years. He’s either getting all the way to the rim or passing. I’m sure that is a coaching move, striving to increase our 3&rim %, which was low last year (because we were efficient in the midrange).

James can get that pull up any time, but getting to the rim or passing more will help him play as a pro somewhere.

**Posted by DC Native** 11/28/2023 9:33 pm

Although James is only scoring slightly less (20.9 ppg) than last year (21.6 ppg), the team is scoring almost 10 more ppg than last year (84.7 vs. 76.3 ppg). So his percentage of the team’s points is significantly lower. That’s the difference.

**Posted by The Dude** 12/03/2023 2:54 am

James is averaging 20 points 5 dimes and 40% from 3. and 93% from the line, his shooting marks have rocketed up this year.

40% is a career high as is 93%. If JBIV can sustain this level of shooting, does he have a possible future as a points off the bench NBA piece?

**Posted by H&R..71** 12/03/2023 11:05 am

James and Max are still adjusting to their new teammates and vice versa. Both of them prefer scoring off the dribble which seems to get the ball stuck. Very little catch and shoot and drives to the hoop end in off balance prayers that haven’t even been close. We need to finish stronger and get more physical in all aspects.

Don’t think James has the footspeed or ballhandling abilities for the next level. He can score and get hot, but we’re seeing difficulties with ball movement by him and Max.

They’re both very talented but I think they have some adjustments yet to be made in order to improve this teams chances. Until then we’ll keep seeing bad body language and emotional outbursts when things don’t go their way.

**Posted by Free Quebec** 12/03/2023 8:56 pm

The Dude wrote:
James is averaging 20 points 5 dimes and 40% from 3. and 93% from the line, his shooting marks have rocketed up this year.

40% is a career high as is 93%. If JBIV can sustain this level of shooting, does he have a possible future as a points off the bench NBA piece?

Love James, but I don’t see his defense playing in the NBA, given that he often struggles to keep his man in front of him at college level (though he’s improved a lot).

He will have a nice career and make money playing basketball overseas.

**Posted by The Dude** 12/04/2023 10:03 pm

I think as a candidate for extended minutes you're likely right, but for a potential few minutes of scoring punch off the bench, I think its more important he shows he can shot the ball at a high level.

Will be interesting to see, I'd think at minimum he gets a look in an NBA camp as Brendan Adams did this summer

**Posted by Florida Colonial** 12/08/2023 5:59 pm

**Posted by jmoiii2016** 12/09/2023 4:48 pm

Great interview!

James is a great kid! Happy to have him at GW!

Also happy to hear Keegan is doing the lords work and introducing Pink Floyd to the locker room, haha!

**Posted by The Dude** 1/07/2024 12:53 am

Hopefully, a performance like tonight, will be remembered when the votes for A10 POY come in.

JBIV played a lot of games this year trying to unselfishly get everyone else involved, anytime GW has needed him, he's been delivering these 30ish point gems. His ability to flick the switch and pour in points when needed, is rivaled by few in GW history.

**Posted by The Dude** 1/08/2024 1:36 pm

James was named A10 player of the week again!

on Saturday at VCU via his game-winning dagger with 1.7 seconds remaining. Overall, Bishop averaged an eye-popping 30.0 ppg in the two contests on 52.9% shooting (18/34), 54.5% 3-point accuracy (8/14) and an 81.8% showing at the free-throw line (18/22). He also added 5.0 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.5 bpg and 1.0 spg.

The game-winner Saturday finished off a 28-point showing at VCU, 23 of which came after halftime. On Wednesday, Bishop matched his season high with 32 points vs. Fordham, playing 51 minutes in the contest while adding six assists, five rebounds and a career-high three blocks.

For the fourth-straight year, Bishop is in the top two of the A-10 in scoring at 18.5 ppg. He also ranks third in the league with 4.7 assists per game. He is one of just five players nationally with those averages this year.

Last edited by The Dude (1/08/2024 2:37 pm)

**Posted by The Dude** 1/11/2024 5:47 pm

He would have to pick up the pace considerably to break the all-time scoring record or have a long post seasons both of which are possible

More importantly he and the coach have turned the program around!!
One sason ago, James Bishop IV became the first George Washington University men’s basketball player to lead the Atlantic 10 Conference in scoring since 2000, as the Baltimore native averaged 21.6 points per game while becoming the first, first-team all-conference honoree at GW since 2006.

Odds are, the senior-to-be held several cards deciding the fate of how he would extend his basketball career. Returning to GW was ultimately the deck he chose, in part because he trusted the vision that second-year coach Chris Caputo had for both the short- and long-term of the program.

once again, Bishop IV is lighting up the scoreboard and stuffing the stat sheet for the Revolutionaries, who themselves are off to their best start in nearly a decade.

“I think it was just what we were building at the school,” Bishop IV said of his return. “This program has been really up and coming the last couple of years, and I’ve spent a lot of time here. I’m comfortable here. It’s close to my home. And I just believe in what Coach Caputo has planned for the program, and you’re starting to see it.”

It’s easy to understand why an offensive-minded player such as Bishop IV finds Caputo’s system enticing. The Revolutionaries are averaging more than 80 points per game and have the freedom to push the ball in transition and shoot early in the shot clock.

That offensive output has been a big reason for the team’s 12-3 record.

**Posted by Free Quebec** 1/24/2024 10:36 pm

James is a great kid, but his inconsistency this year and his regression in some categories is holding us back.

Some stats on his inconsistency this year:

Over the last two games he’s a combined 2-17 from 2 pt range, with each game being worse from 2 than any game last year.

He’s had 9 games already this year in which he has made 2 or fewer two point shots; last year he had just 6 all season. In those 9 games, he is 11-49 from 2: last year in those 6 games he was 11-39.

Overall, last year he shot 50.6% from 2, this year he’s at a career low 43.2% from 2.

And while he’s significantly improved his three point shooting (37.4% this year, 30.3% last year), his turnover rate is way higher (14.4 last year, 19.0 this year) and his assist rate is down.

I don’t know why he has regressed this year (we’ve seen other guys better than second to last year than their last, like Kwame Evans IIRC), but if we want to finish in the top half of the A10, Bishop just has to play better than he has.

**Posted by Buff&BlueBandit** 1/24/2024 10:57 pm

What is so interesting to me FQ is that his shot selection hasn’t been terrible the past two games. For someone who came to GW and was very inefficient scoring his first two years here, he has greatly improved his shot selection under Caputo. For the last two games though, he just isn’t hitting his shots. Several of the threes he has taken have been wide open and he just can’t knock them down.

I’m assuming it is something mechanical that he may just be able to fix in practice or just by continuing to shoot, but either way, this slump has not been ideal.

Free Quebec wrote:
James is a great kid, but his inconsistency this year and his regression in some categories is holding us back.

Some stats on his inconsistency this year:

Over the last two games he’s a combined 2-17 from 2 pt range, with each game being worse from 2 than any game last year.

He’s had 9 games already this year in which he has made 2 or fewer two point shots; last year he had just 6 all season. In those 9 games, he is 11-49 from 2: last year in those 6 games he was 11-39.

Overall, last year he shot 50.6% from 2, this year he’s at a career low 43.2% from 2.

And while he’s significantly improved his three point shooting (37.4% this year, 30.3% last year), his turnover rate is way higher (14.4 last year, 19.0 this year) and his assist rate is down.

I don’t know why he has regressed this year (we’ve seen other guys better than second to last year than their last, like Kwame Evans IIRC), but if we want to finish in the top half of the A10, Bishop just has to play better than he has.

**Posted by dmvpiranha** 1/25/2024 12:27 am

I think the stats above truly highlight just how fantastic and important Brendan Adams was for the team last season. He was ridiculously efficient offensively from all over the floor making him tough to stop so teams couldn't hone in on JB. While Max, Jun, and Garrett are all talented players in their own right, they are all still relatively inexperienced and do not command the same amount of attention/respect that BA did last year.

**Posted by GW73** 1/25/2024 6:54 am

dmvpiranha wrote:
I think the stats above truly highlight just how fantastic and important Brendan Adams was for the team last season. He was ridiculously efficient offensively from all over the floor making him tough to stop so teams couldn't hone in on JB. While Max, Jun, and Garrett are all talented players in their own right, they are all still relatively inexperienced and do not command the same amount of attention/respect that BA did last year.

Exactly. Thank you. I also couldn't agree more with comments above about Bishop. Great kid, but the turnovers and missed shots are really hurting us. And his average per game turnovers are 3.9 almost back up to where he was in his first year at GW when he was 4.0. His second season his turnover rate dropped to 2.3 and the 3.1 in his third year. I fear it will only get worse this season because the competition only gets tougher the rest of the season compared to the cupcakes we played earlier in the season.

I have long thought we need a point guard who can run the offense, with a low turnover rate compared to assists, and is looking for assists before scoring, but can score. Anyone remember Alvin Pearsall?

It will be interesting to see next season if Hutchinson can fill that role. Let's hope we don't lose him to the transfer portal.

**Posted by DC Native** 1/25/2024 10:00 am

Bishop is not just a “great kid,” he is also an all time great GW player. He has had a couple bad games, but they have only served to show how important he is to this team. How many GW wins would have been losses over the last four years if not for Bishop? Its just amazing to me the lack of respect this young man still gets on here four years in…