Men’s Basketball Adds Jones III, Wilborn to 2025-26 Roster

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):

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

Spradlin on Jones III: "Paul comes back to his home state after a great freshman season on a really good Winthrop team. Playing as a freshman is very difficult in today's climate, and to do it on a team near the top of the league is very impressive and gives great promise for Paul's future here at JMU. He is a bigger guard who plays with a very good feel for the game and a skillset for scoring at all levels."

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

Saint Francis (2023-24):

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

High School / Prep:

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

Spradlin on Wilborn: "We are excited to welcome Elijah to JMU! He has the potential to be a force in the Sun Belt with his versatility and athleticism. He expressed his desire to be an impact player on a championship team as his biggest reasons for coming to JMU, and we are confident he will deliver on both of those goals."