It appears now that the eastern hemisphere will now get a piece of one of Chapel Hill’s favorite local treasures.

Joel James, the lovable former UNC men’s basketball big man, announced Thursday via Twitter that he has reached an agreement to sign with the Kumamato Volters in Japan.

A 6-foot-10 teddy bear from West Palm Beach, Florida, James averaged 2.2 points per game in his Tar Heel career.

His most notable statistic, though, is the amount of hearts he touched per game with his bench celebrations and antics. That number–while yet to be calculated–is likely somewhere between 20,000 and 20 million.

After graduating from the school this past May, James received an NBA Summer League tryout with the Indiana Pacers.

James saw the floor in two games with the Pacers, averaging 2.5 points in just over 8.5 minutes per game. He didn’t record a single rebound, assist, block or steal.

This next stop allows him to keep his dream of a pro basketball career alive, however, as he should have ample opportunity to prove his abilities out on the floor with his new team.

The Volters are part of the Japanese National Basketball League’s Western Conference, and have been in existence for only three seasons.

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