Ke'Shunan James Inducted Into MSU Hall of Fame
7/15/2023 8:46:00 PM | General, Women's Basketball, Hall of Fame
Ke’Shunan James Inducted Into MSU Hall of Fame A 2000-point scorer, James came out of Jackson, Tenn. to be a star for women’s basketball from 2014-18
With a career that produced more than 2,000 points, Ke'Shunan James was inducted as the seventh women's basketball player to the Murray State Hall of Fame – presented by the Murray Bank - in the Burton Family Hall of Champions in the CFSB Center in Murray, Ky.
The event was held in July because James will be in her sixth professional season with the Piešťanské Čajky Seagulls in Slovakia when the typical hall of fame inductions occur in November.
In a small gathering of some 30-plus family members, friends and Murray State Athletics staff, James' maturation from a raw freshman to Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year as a senior was enjoyed.
"I loved it," James said. "Not because it was everybody speaking so highly of me or anything, but because I had so many people that I love and care about in the same room and I was able to celebrate with them. That was the biggest part for me. It just made me feel really, really good to be around people that love me and care about me as much as they do. If you would have told me this when I was a kid, like you're going to be a hall of famer, it's unreal to be honest."
Coming out of South Side High School in Jackson, Tennessee, James scored 1,421 points for the Hawks for Coach Brent McNeal.
Recruited by Coach Rob Cross to Murray State, James played her final of four seasons in Coach Rechelle Turner's first season with the Racers in 2017-18.
"Coach McNeal was really like a second dad to me," James stated. "I feel like I'm one of his kids all the time and he did it for me. I feel like I owe him so much. Coach Cross gave me a chance, didn't have to, but he did and he helped me to start this legacy for myself. Coach Turner didn't look at me like, okay, she already has what she has. She demanded more from me and I appreciated her for pushing me more and more every day."
Ke'Shunan James began her collegiate career by being named the OVC Freshman of the Year for the 2014-15 season and ended as OVC Player of the Year in 2017-18. In 2023, she ranks second in MSU program history with 2,119 points. In the 2017-18 season, James became just the fourth Racer in program history to be named OVC Player of the Year, when she joined Karen Hubert Price (1983-84), Joi Scott (2006-07) and Ashley N. Hayes (2007-08 and 2008-09). James went out on top by leading the OVC in scoring with 22.8 points per game during league play and her 21.4 per game average overall was 14th nationally in NCAA D-I.
The 41st class of the Murray State Hall of Fame is having another summer induction as Jonathan Stark (2016-18) of men's basketball will be honored at Racer Hoopalooza (July 28). Stark is also playing professional basketball in Europe. The remaining five in the 2023 class will be recognized the weekend of Nov. 17-18. The remaining five from the class include Squeeky Yarbrough (1982-85) and Nathan Williams (2003-08) from football. Soccer legend Harriet Withers (2014-17), Cameron Carrico (2007-11) from men's golf and Robin Courtney (1976-79) from baseball. The honored class spans 47 years of Murray State history from 1976 to 2018.
🤩 A special night celebrating our newest Hall of Famer, Ke'Shunan James!#GoRacers🏇 pic.twitter.com/1kBxCHL9OQ
— Murray State Women's Basketball (@RacersWBB) July 15, 2023
