In an era of early exits to the NBA, James Mays took a peek at the pros and decided spending his senior year at Clemson would be more profitable than shooting for the big bucks.

And besides, Mays, a former Garner High star, says "I really like college life."

The 6-foot-9, 230-pound forward attended a pre-draft camp in Orlando, Fla., last spring. Though performing admirably, he "didn't pull away from the pack" of prospects, another reason for returning to school.

The desire to help Clemson climb in basketball, to earn a degree in sports management and to complete a scholastic comeback also factored in his decision. Mays was academically ineligible for part of his sophomore year but bounced back with support from family and friends.

Bottom line: The Tigers are a better team with Mays, and Mays undoubtedly will be better prepared for the future after another year of collegiate seasoning.

Top-ranked, 14-0 North Carolina plays at Clemson tonight in what is likely to be the Tar Heels' biggest test so far this season.

For a while in December, Mays looked more like a battered boxer than a basketball player, having suffered a black eye, back spasms and a sprained hip that sidelined him for four games.

Despite that adversity, he has helped Clemson build a 12-1 record. An All-ACC defensive team member last year, Mays is averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds while playing at the top of Clemson's disruptive 1-2-1-1 full-court zone press.

"He is an impactful [player] on our team as anybody is on the other teams," Clemson assistant Shaka Smart said. "He's such a dynamic player with his size, length and athleticism. When he went down with the injury, we were not as good in the press, not as imposing on the backboards."

In Tuesday's rout of Alabama, Mays exhibited his all-around skills. On the way to an 18-point, eight-rebound effort, he scored inside, ran the floor, delivered deft passes, set picks and harried inbounds passes in the press.

What if he had been at full speed?

"I'm about 85 percent," says Mays, who is still trying to regain top conditioning, plus sharpen his free-throw shooting (58.3 percent) and mid-range jumper.

So who is this man with a cornrow coiffure in a Tigers uniform?

Soft spoken, kind of laid back, says his father, Hardrick Mays.

Caring, charismatic with a magnetic personality his teammates want to be around, says Smart.

"I'm really passionate on the court," says Mays, who can defend at multiple positions. "Otherwise, I am laid back. I like to go out, go to movies, joke round with teammates."

For Mays, it all began in the Triangle in a solid home where Hardrick and Sandra Mays set rules and set an example.

Young James was in Sunday school and church on Sundays at Fuquay Faith Missionary Baptist Church. On other days he often was at Biltmore Hills Community Center, playing rec ball.

His dad, a standout player at Shaw in the early 1970s and current girls coach at Garner High, schooled James and his older sister Hardricka in the fundamentals early. Hardricka, who later played junior college ball in Florida, used to win one-on-one duels with her kid brother.

"It got physical; sometimes I would have to split 'em up,'' Hardrick remembers.

James, who grew up a UNC fan watching Antawn Jamison and Rasheed Wallace, flourished at Fuquay Middle School, then at Garner under coach Eddie Gray.

Hardrick refrains from coaching his son now but says he still can't resist giving signals from the stands: pointing to his head to remind James to think; or waving his arms to get him to slow down.

"I always look to see where my family is," James said.

At Garner, Mays developed into a top 100 prospect under Gray.

During his senior season, at the behest of Gray to become a presence in the paint, Mays changed his offensive approach and helped Garner win the league title.

"That's when I saw his maturity," Gray said.

N.C. State recruited Mays, but because he lacked the long-range shooting touch wasn't envisioned as fitting in the Pack's then- Princeton-style offense.

Turns out, he has been a fine fit for Clemson.

"The way we play is predicated on having players like Mays," Smart said. "But we only have one like him."