James Madison University | Official Athletics Site
5/8/2025 4:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison Head Coach Preston Spradlin and the men's basketball program announced the signings of transfer players Paul Jones III (Winthrop) and Eli Wilborn (Duquesne) on Thursday afternoon.
Jones III, a native of Suffolk, Va., was named to the Big South All-Freshman team this past season at Winthrop and will have three years of eligibility with JMU. Wilborn joins the Dukes by way of Duquesne (2024-25) and Saint Francis (2023-24) and will have two seasons to play at JMU.
Paul Jones III | 6-4 | 170 | Sophomore | Guard | Suffolk, Va. | Combine Academy (Winthrop)
Winthrop (2024-25):
Eli Wilborn | 6-8 | 215 | Junior | Forward | Middletown, Conn. | Middletown (Saint Francis (PA), Duquesne)
Duquesne (2024-25):
Jones III, a native of Suffolk, Va., was named to the Big South All-Freshman team this past season at Winthrop and will have three years of eligibility with JMU. Wilborn joins the Dukes by way of Duquesne (2024-25) and Saint Francis (2023-24) and will have two seasons to play at JMU.
Paul Jones III | 6-4 | 170 | Sophomore | Guard | Suffolk, Va. | Combine Academy (Winthrop)
Winthrop (2024-25):
- Averaged 7.6 points and 3.0 rebounds per game
- Named to the Big South All-Freshman team
- Played in 32 games, starting 15
- Tallied 11 games with 10-plus points, including two 20-point games
- Made 56 3-pointers at a 32.6 percent (56-of-172) clip
- Scored a career-high 25 points versus Averett (Nov. 27), finishing 6-of-8 from deep
- Also scored 23 against Longwood (Jan. 11), splashing six threes
Eli Wilborn | 6-8 | 215 | Junior | Forward | Middletown, Conn. | Middletown (Saint Francis (PA), Duquesne)
Duquesne (2024-25):
- Played in 28 games, starting 13 while averaging 5.0 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest
- Finished second on the team in blocks (24) while shooting 59.4 percent from the field
- Scored season-high 14 points against VCU (March 4), adding six rebounds
- Tallied double-figure points four times
- Played his freshman season at Saint Francis (PA) before transferring to Duquesne, appearing in 30 games and starting 27
- Named to the 2023-24 Northeast Conference (NEC) All-Rookie Team after leading the team in points (10.8) and rebounds (7.4) per game, along with total blocks (47)
- Four-time NEC Rookie of the Week, leading the league in offensive rebounds per game (2.93)
- Recorded 18 double-figure scoring games, 10 games with double-digit rebounds, and eight double-doubles
- Tallied a career-high 19 points and 16 rebounds against Merrimack on Jan. 27, 2024
- Four-year letterwinner at Middletown High School, earning all-conference and all-state laurels
- Spent a year (2022-23) at South Kent School in South Kent, Conn., leading the prep school to the New England Preparatory School Athletic Council (NEPSAC) AAA Championship
- Ranked as the No. 26 player in Connecticut in the 2023 high school class
Tuesday, November 03
Tuesday, November 03
Saturday, February 28
Thursday, February 26
