Sheffield, UK - 15th August, 2025 - The B. Braun Sheffield Sharks announce the signing of Mervin James for the 2025-26 Super League Basketball season.
The 24-year-old forward, hailing from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, becomes the eighth signing of the summer and joins the Sharks after a strong first season in professional basketball with fellow Super League Basketball competitors, the Surrey 89ers. During the 2024-25 season, James averaged 17.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game as the 89ers made the Cup Final and Play-off quarter-finals in their inaugural franchise year. James was the joint-top average points scorer in the league last season, along with leading the league in field goals made and sat third in free-throw percentage across 2024-25.
Mervin spent 5 years in NCAA Division 1, initially in North Alabama for his freshman and sophomore years, before spending the final 3 years with Rider, graduating in 2023-24. In his senior year, James averaged 18.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists whilst also being named to the NABC All-District First Team.
Mervin is excited to join the Sharks in 2025-26, “I enjoyed my first year in the UK, and I’m glad to be signing in Sheffield for this season. Obviously being a part of the Sharks TBT team in the summer was a great way to work with Atiba and some of the other staff out in Kansas City which I really enjoyed. I’m looking forward to playing in front of the fans at the Canon Medical Arena; we had some great games against the Sharks last season when I was with the Niners, so I know the fans are top drawer.”
Sharks Head Coach Atiba Lyons stated “Mervin had a very good year in Surrey for his first season as a professional and we were impressed by him when he came up against us. Having him join us for TBT showed his strengths and he further impressed, so I’m happy to have signed him for the 2025-26 season.”
