The Western Illinois men's basketball program announced the addition of Damon James to its coaching staff on September 19, 2013.
The 2015-16 season was his third as an assistant at Western. He joined the Fighting Leatherneck men's basketball staff after assistant positions at Racine Lutheran High School and Wisconsin-Parkside, and most recently a head coaching position at Kenosha Bradford High School.
2015-16 marked James' fourth year at WIU, and second under head coach Billy Wright. The Leathernecks kicked off the season with bang, knocking off No.17 Wisconsin, 69-67, on the road inside the Kohl Center. The victory marked the program's first win over a nationally ranked team in the DI era. The Leathernecks then went on to begin the season 5-0, matching the program's best start in the DI era. No WIU men's basketball team had started better than 5-0 since the 1957-58 season. After upsetting No. 17 Wisconsin to open the season, Western Illinois received votes in the AP ‘Top 25’ poll (four votes) for the first time in the program’s history. The Western Illinois men’s basketball team's hot start also had the Leathernecks either being ranked or receiving votes in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 poll for the first eight weeks of the season (Nov.16 - Jan.10).
Under first-year head coach Billy Wright, Western finished the 2014-15 season, which was plagued by injuries, with a 8-20 overall record and a 3-13 Summit League mark. Midway through the season the Leathernecks sat 7-6 overall and 2-0 in league play. James and the WIU coaching staff helped guide Garret Covington to his second consecutive Second Team All-League performance after the sophomore averaged 15.5 points per game and led the league in three-point field goals (63).
During the 2013-14 season, the Leathernecks continued to be one of the best defenses in The Summit League and the nation, allowing only 62.7 points per game which ranks ninth in the program's NCAA Division I history. James and the WIU coaching staff helped guide freshman Garret Covington to a Summit League All-'Newcomer of the Year' award. Covington was also tabbed All-Summit League Second Team after leading the Leathernecks in points (14.6 per game), three-pointers (70), free throws (92), three-point FG% (38.7), free throw % (80.0), and minutes per game (32.9).
Along with being the head coach at Kenosha Bradford, James, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, was also the Athletics Director during the 2012-13 academic year. In his second year (2009-10) at Kenosha Bradford, James led his squad to an 18-8 overall record and the program's first conference championship in 31 years. A year later, Kenosha Bradford finished with the best record in school history, 20-5. In his second and third seasons as head coach, James led his teams to Regional Championships, back-to-back sectional finals, and conference sportsmanship awards.
James also coached an all-state honorable mention student-athlete and five all-conference players at Kenosha Bradford. He managed all budgetary items, developed an offseason strength and conditioning program, and coordinated youth summer basketball camps. James also incorporated an academic monitoring program for his team which led to higher grade point averages.
Prior to his position at Kenosha Bradford, James was an assistant basketball coach at Wisconsin-Parkside for two seasons from 2006-2008. UW-Parkside finished the 2006-07 season 19-13, recording the program's most wins in 20 years. The Rangers also made the program's first-ever NCAA Division II Tournament appearance that season. James' main responsibilities at UW-Parkside were coordinating individual workouts, assisting preparation of film breakdown, creation of scouting reports, regional scouting in Wisconsin, Illinois and Iowa, oversight of student-athlete academic progress, and management of youth summer camps.
From 2003-2006 James was an assistant basketball coach at Racine Lutheran High School where his team earned the 2003-04 WIAA Division III Regional Championship.
James earned his Bachelor's of Science in Business Administration in 2003 from Mayville State where he was also an all-conference basketball player. He later earned his Master's of Science in Education from Walden in 2008.
James and his wife Charity reside in Macomb with their four children Savannah, DJ, Mya and Madison.
