Ian
James
D
#2
Ian James
Sporting Kansas CityHeight : 6' 2" · Weight : 190 lbs · Age : 18
MLS record
| Year | Team | FC | FA | RC | YC | OG | APP | SUB | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current season | Sporting Kansas City | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 4 | 0 |
- 2026 guaranteed comp.
- 118 k$
- Base salary
- 113 k$
- Rank on the club
- #13 of 21
Guaranteed compensation: base salary plus signing bonuses and other guaranteed money, annualized; performance bonuses are not included. Contract length is not made public.
Advanced stats, 2026 Center backs
MLS stats →2026 season, in progress (964 minutes played). The percentile ranks the player among regular center backs (1,000+ minutes over a full season): 90th means better than 90% of them.
Goals
0
26th percentile
Assists
0
37th percentile
Expected goals (xG)
0.2
10th percentile
Expected assists (xA)
0.3
48th percentile
Goals − xG
−0.2
53th percentile
Key passes
4
60th percentile
Pass completion
82.3 %
13th percentile
Passes over expected
−3.3 /100
2th percentile
g+ per 90
−0.11
1th percentile
Minutes
964
Regular season. xG: expected goals from chance quality; xA: expected assists. Passes over expected: completed passes above expectation, per 100 passes, given their difficulty. g+: goals added, above the position average. Data: American Soccer Analysis.
2027 projection
MLS trends →Projected WAR
0.0
Confidence: medium · based on the backtest and minutes played
Projected minutes
926
WAR 2026
-0.2
Minutes played
964
The pace of the last three seasons (WAR per minute, 60/25/15), pulled toward the group average as if 1,000 more minutes, over the minutes expected from the last two seasons, adjusted for age. Method chosen by backtest (2023 to 2026): mean error of 0.24 wins.
Trend
→ Stable (-6)
- 20250.1 WAR · 0.54 per 3,000 min
- 2026-0.2 WAR · -0.62 per 3,000 min
The trend compares this season's WAR per 3,000 minutes with last season's (at least 500 minutes each), weighted by playing time.
Outlook, age included
+19 · 18 y.o. · usually still improving
It is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, transfers or role changes.
Player ratings, 2026
All ratings →Ratings from 0 to 100, computed over four seasons from data, never by hand, against regulars in the same position group. 75 = established regular, 87 = 90th percentile, 95+ = elite. EX counts his MLS seasons since 2021, from our data: his career elsewhere is not included.
OV · Overall
63
Depth player
- DEF
- Defending
- 78
- PAS
- Passing
- 40
- DIS
- Discipline
- 40
- DRI
- Dribbling
- 88
- DUR
- Durability
- 46
- EX
- Experience
- 43
Why these ratings?Hide details
- DEF — Defending : Goals added by interrupting (tackles, interceptions, clearances)
- PAS — Passing : Goals added by passing, passes completed over expected
- DIS — Discipline : Goals added by fouls drawn and avoided
- DRI — Dribbling : Goals added by carrying the ball
- DUR — Durability : Share of his club's minutes played, over several seasons
- EX — Experience : MLS seasons since 2021 (our data)
WAR and PAL Rating, 2026
How we rate →WAR: the goals added (g+) of each of his actions, above replacement level (the per-minute output of his group's fringe players), converted to standings points (0.64 points per goal), then to wins (3 points = one win). PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against regulars in the same group (50 = median).
WAR
-0.2
#93 of 98 regular center backs
−0.9 goals above replacement
PAL Rating
2 / 100
#97 of 98 regular center backs
Value Rating · 2026
Sporting contract value
28 / 100
The surplus: his 2026 WAR (-0.2) × the price of a win ($3.6M), minus his 2026 guaranteed compensation, against other center backs. Commercial value (tickets, sponsors, media rights) is not counted.Salary$118KSurplus−$846KWAR paid0.03PAL: dimensions
Where WAR comes from (in wins)
Carrying the ball and beating defenders, minus the balls lost.
The value of his shots: the quality of the chance and what he makes of it.
Getting open and receiving the ball in dangerous areas.
Breaking up the opponent's play: tackles, interceptions, clearances, blocked shots.
Fouls drawn (free kicks, penalties won) minus fouls committed.
How his passes change his team's chances of scoring and conceding.
The parts above are measured against the position average. This adjustment moves the baseline to a fringe player in his group, prorated by minutes: positive when fringe players do worse than average, negative when they do better.
| Season | Team | Min | WAR | PAL | OV | G | A | xG | xA | g+/90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | SKC | 964 | -0.2 | 2 | 63 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | −0.11 |
| 2025 | SKC | 559 | 0.1 | 82 | 77 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | +0.03 |
Ian James in five questions
How many goals does Ian James have in 2026?
Ian James has 0 goals and 0 assists in 964 minutes in 2026 (expected goals: 0.2).
How old and how tall is Ian James?
Ian James is 18 years old. He is 6'2" (188 cm) and weighs 190 lb (86 kg).
How good is Ian James?
Ian James produced -0.2 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2026, 98th of 98 players at his position in the MLS. His PAL rating is 2 out of 100: very poor for his position.
How much does Ian James make?
Ian James earns $118K for the 2026 season. His Value Rating (on-field contract efficiency) is 28 out of 100 (poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position; the player's commercial value is not part of it.
What number does Ian James wear, and what team does he play for?
Ian James plays for Sporting Kansas City in the MLS, at D, and wears number 2.
