Mike James: “I basically was a Barcelona player, to be honest”

By Semih Tuna/ info@eurohoops.net

Anadolu Efes‘s star signing, Mike James, sat down with Eurohoops during the team’s preseason media day to open up about a whirlwind summer transfer market. Reflecting on how close he came to wearing a different jersey this season, the veteran guard admitted that his path nearly led to FC Barcelona before everything shifted.

“I basically was a Barcelona player, to be honest. And I guess after that situation kind of broke through, or fell through, I guess, or whatever. I don’t even really know the details of it like that, but as soon as that situation changed, I guess I hit the open market and tried to listen to as many teams as I could about what they thought about me, and what they thought about me on their team, and went from there,” he explained.

Despite speculation that Efes moved instantly to secure his signature the moment he became available, the 36-year-old point guard clarified that the negotiations took time. The Istanbul powerhouse had its own internal pieces to sort out before finalizing the blockbuster deal.

“I think they were still trying to figure out what they were going to do with Shane [Larkin]. I think his situation, whatever it was, I’m not too in tune with it honestly. That’s not really any of my business, so I try to mind my business honestly. But the situation with Shane, whether he was staying, whether he was going, where he was going to go,” he pointed out. “I think all that was still going on. And I was listening to some other teams and listening to what they had to say and trying to figure it out.”

Aura of a winning club

Long before signing on the dotted line, James had already held Efes in high regard. When previously asked to name the elite tier of the EuroLeague, he confidently placed the Turkish side among a very select group of just six clubs, a status he believes they earned through their historic back-to-back championship run.

“They’ve won. I mean, winning kind of makes you a big club, I think,” he mentioned. “Being consistent and being at the top for a set number of years kind of puts you in that category. I think obviously they’ve had some struggles in the last couple of years, but, you know, sometimes that happens.”

Now tasked with returning the club to the pinnacle of European basketball, James brings a seasoned perspective on what it takes to win.

The interview also touched on milestones outside of club basketball, among other topics.