By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
AS Monaco’s Mike James joined the first Vice President of the EuroLeague Players Association and former teammate Kyle Hines on The Players’ Podcast. During the second episode of the season and 14th overall, the in-depth conversation went from his early years in Portland and college to living in Monaco through the eighth campaign in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, the NBA, and more.
“I was so oblivious to overseas basketball that I didn’t really know enough to know anything,” he said recalling the decision to turn pro in Europe nearly a decade ago, “The agent was calling me and I felt like they would be lucky to have me because I would score 40 every time. I didn’t know anything.”
James, 31, has since evolved into one of the most lethal scorers in EuroLeague history. He has registered 14.5 points and 5.6 assists per game in the 2021-22 season, while carrying an average of 16 points per contest over 184 appearances between Laboral Kutxa, Panathinaikos, AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan, CSKA Moscow, and Monaco.
“People have different situations. Some people want to do this and some people want to do that,” he mentioned during the ELPA Podcast commenting on the players making the NBA, “If the right situation came along and I could get in and be comfortable, I would love to go, but if not and I can find a better situation in Europe to play, then I will rather be in a better situation that will make me happy. The season is long to be somewhere and not be happy.”
James has made his way to 45 NBA games over a couple of stints. The 2017-18 run split between the Phoenix Suns and New Orleans Pelicans was followed by joining the Brooklyn Nets late in the 2020-21 season.