Advisory Board

---

Mr. Michael Lamont James is a 2004 Detroit Pistons NBA Champion. He was an integral part of the 2003/2004 Detroit Pistons World Championship Team. 

His successful Point Guard basketball career at Duquesne University Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 1995-1998  comprised fifth place in assists (348), 10th place in points (1,411) and the all time leader in steals (201). During his senior year he was named to the All-Atlantic 10 Conference First Team. 

At the retirement of his jersey ceremony, Mr. Dave Harper the Director of Athletics, spoke of Mr. James as thus: "The drive, determination and will to succeed he displayed from the time he stepped on campus paved the way to a distinguished NBA career. To play at the highest level of professional basketball for 12 seasons is proof of Mike's work ethic. It isn't also work ethic that also carried over to the classroom, as Mike made leaving the Bluff with his undergraduate a degree his priority. We are honored to welcome Mike back to the Palumbo Center as one of Duquesne's all-time greats." PittsburghSportsNow.com, February 22nd, 2017. 

Mr. James graduated with a degree in Psychology. 

In 1998 Mr. James played for the Long Island Surfs of New York (United States Basketball League) before proceeding to Europe to play for SKN St. Polten in Austria (1998/99), ESPE Chalons-en-Champagne in France (1999/2000) and SLUC Nancy Basket in France (2000/01). In 2001 he played for Rockford Lightning of Illinois (Continental Basketball Association).  

Mr. James commenced his NBA career in 2001 when he signed with Miami Heat as a free agent for the 2001/02 season. His Point Guard prowess took his career to the Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Milwaukee Bucks, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Hornets, Washington Wizards and Chicago Bulls.  Mr. James also played for China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls and Turkey's Aliaga Petkim. He completed his professional career with the NBA G-League's Texas Legend scoring the team's first ever triple double of the season with 21 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds in the 115-111 win over the Delaware 87ers.  

In January 2006, Mike James was the second leading scorer in the game against Kobe Bryant's 81 points. In April of the same year he became the first Raptor to score 30 or more points in four consecutive games. To date, he is the only non-drafted basketball player to spend a record 12 years in the NBA. He is the only Duquesne University basketball player who has recorded the longest tenure in the NBA.  

Mr. James was inducted to the Merle E. Gilliand Duquesene University Sports Hall of Fame in 2008. In conjunction with the college's 100th season of basketball, Mr. James was named to Duquesne's All-Century Team. In February 2017 his Number 13 Jersey was lifted to the rafters and retired in a special ceremony. 

With his overall excellence on and off court, Mr. Mike James is abundantly exceedingly well-equipped for the purposes of The Educational Basketball Advisory Board. 

The above photo shows Ms. Angela James together with her husband at his Jersey Retirement Ceremony. 

Photo Credit: Andrew Russell for Tribune Review.

archive.triblive.com/sports/college/duquesne

Sandra Oboh is a sports and entertainment executive with 10 years of experience across sports media, television, and athlete-driven platforms, specializing in brand and strategic partnerships. Her career spans leading media companies including WarnerMedia, Bleacher Report, Wave Sports & Entertainment, and Ballislife, where she has worked at the intersection of content, partnerships, and cultural storytelling.

Throughout her career, Sandra has led and executed high-impact brand partnerships, digital content activations, and integrated campaigns with top athletes, artists, and cultural figures such as John Wall, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant, Coldplay, and Lil Uzi Vert, among others. Her work has included partnering with major brands, record labels, and IP holders to develop culturally relevant programming that connects sports, music, and lifestyle in authentic ways.

Sandra is also the founder of Just Media, a partnerships and strategy consultancy that connects athletes, creators, and cultural IP with brands and media platforms. Across all of her work, she brings a strategic, relationship-driven approach to building long-term partnerships and scalable media opportunities. Her experience and perspective sit at the intersection of sports, lifestyle, media, and entertainment, with a global lens spanning the United States, Africa, and the diaspora