Brian James is stepping away from basketball after half a century.

The special assistant to Northwestern men's basketball head coach Chris Collins announced his retirement Wednesday, June 18, according to the program's official social media accounts. James' tenure at Northwestern ends at the close of June, wrapping up 13 seasons in Evanston and more than 50 years in the sport.

James was part of Collins' original staff when the head coach arrived in 2013. Their relationship goes back further: James coached a young Chris Collins at Glenbrook North High School from 1989 to 1992.

Before joining Northwestern, James spent 18 years at Glenbrook North, compiling a 196-79 record and winning five league titles. He then logged 14 NBA seasons as an assistant with the Detroit Pistons, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks, and Philadelphia 76ers. In Philadelphia, he worked under Doug Collins, Chris' father, for three seasons beginning in 2010.

At Northwestern, James designed the team's out-of-bounds plays. The most famous: "The Play" in 2017, when Nathan Taphorn fired a full-court pass to Dererk Pardon for a game-winner against Michigan that helped propel the Wildcats to their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. He also mentored post players including Alex Olah, Pardon, and Matthew Nicholson across a stretch that produced three Tournament appearances, including the program's first in 2017.

James is retiring to spend more time with family and friends, according to Yahoo Sports.

Jeff Agrest, deputy sports editor at the Chicago Sun-Times, shared a memory on X on Wednesday, June 17:

"Northwestern assistant basketball coach — and my high school driver's ed teacher — BRIAN JAMES retires."

Northwestern Athletics released a tribute video featuring current and former players and coaches. No successor has been announced.