Mike James is a former NBA basketball player. Mike James now plays in the LNB Pro A and EuroLeague with AS Monaco Basket. Mike was the first player in NBA history to go from a two-way to a regular contract without having to play in the NBA G League.
Mike has established himself as one of the best point guards in Europe. James’ basketball career has taken him all over the place.
In Croatia, Israel, Italy, Greece, and Spain, he polished his skills and learned the importance of foundations.
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Early Years and Family
Mike James was born on August 18, 1990, in Portland, Oregon.
He appears to be private about his family history and has kept his parents’ names secret from the public eye.
He doesn’t have any siblings, as far as we know.
He had an early interest in basketball and began practicing in order to seek a successful career in the sport.
Growing up in NE Portland, James was a basketball fanatic, but his physique and maturity lagged far behind his drive and desire.
Tony Broadous, Mike’s Grant High School coach, stated he received a lot of backlash from players and parents when Mike made the varsity team as a sophomore.
Weight & Body Measurements
Despite his scoring prowess, Mike James was classified as an undersized two-guard at 6-foot-1.
Talking about his weight, he weighs 89 kg.
It’s been a long and winding road. It’s a feat that only a few men have accomplished.
James, a basketball anomaly, is in a league of his own because of this.
Facts of Mike James
| Full Name | Michael Perry James |
| Known as | Mike James |
| Nickname | The Amityville Scorer |
| Birth Date | August 18, 1990 |
| Birth Place | Portland, Oregon |
| Residence | Not Available |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | White |
| Education | Grant (Portland, Oregon), Eastern Arizona (2008–2010), and Lamar (2010–2012) |
| Zodiac Sign | Leo |
| Father’s Name | Not Available |
| Mother’s Name | Lisa Behrndt |
| Siblings | Not Available |
| Age | 31 years old |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch |
| Weight | 196 lb (89 kg) |
| Eye Color | Brown |
| Hair Color | Black |
| Body type | Athletic |
| Profession | Basketball Player |
| Marital Status | Single |
| Girlfriend | Not Available |
| Children | None |
| Active since | 2012 – present |
| Teams |
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| Endorsements | Not Available |
| Net Worth | $2 million |
| NBA Draft | 2012 / Undrafted |
| Position | Point guard |
| League |
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| Merch | Trading Card |
| Social Media | Instagram, Twitter |
| Last Update | May 2022 |
Net Worth
Mike James’s estimated net worth is around $2 million.
His fortune is primarily derived from the earnings he generates due to his successful basketball career. He also makes money via sponsorships and commercials for numerous brands.
According to reports, the guard reportedly signed a one-year contract earning roughly €900,000.00.
He will also receive a large sum of money from CSKA Moscow due to the contract termination.
Moreover, Monaco busts the budget for James, offering him the most significant pay ever paid to a basketball star in France.
The biggest salaries in the French championship (Guerschon Yabusele, Charles Kahudi, Moustapha Fall at Asvel) signed last season for 300,000 euros per year or 25,000 euros per month net. It’s five times more for James.
He earned annual salaries of $77,250 for the New Orleans Pelicans and $87,552 for the Phoenix Suns.
Career in High School
James attended Grant High School in Portland, Oregon, but he was mostly unranked on national recruiting boards, and his biography on any prospect website is difficult to find.
He was only being recruited by Division III schools at the moment. He was mentored by Tony Broadous.
James averaged 15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals per game. In 2008, the team defeated Oregon City to win the state championship.
James was nothing when he graduated from high school in 2008.
Only MaxPreps has him ranked as Oregon State’s third best player and the 184th best player in his class.
Career in College
James started his college career at Eastern Arizona College, a nationally ranked junior college where he was coached by Maurice Leitzke.
He was named to Rivals.com’s top 40 junior college players, as well as all-conference and all-region teams. Mike was the fourth-best scorer in NCAA Division I as a sophomore, scoring 26 points per game.
James transferred to Lamar University, an NCAA Division I school in Beaumont, Texas, in 2010.
Coach Steve Roccaforte coached him in 2010–11, and coach Pat Knight coached him in 2011–12.
In one of his most memorable games, he scored 29 points against the 2012 NCAA champion University of Kentucky.
His senior season ended with a loss to Vermont in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
Professional Life
In August 2012, James signed a contract with Croatian club Zagreb for the 2012–13 season.
He signed a season-long contract with Hapoel Galil Elyon in Israel’s second-tier division in February 2013.
In August 2014, James joined Paffoni Omegna of Italy in the DNA Silver Basket division before moving to Kolossos Rodou of Greece.
In July 2015, James joined with the Phoenix Suns for the 2015 NBA Summer League.
In the same month, he re-signed with Baskonia for another season before joining Panathinaikos in Greece for the 2016–17 season.
He helped Panathinaikos win the Greek Cup and the Greek Basket League in the 2016–17 season.
That year, he was also named the Greek Basket League’s Most Spectacular Player.
Career in the NBA
The Phoenix Suns approached James in the summer of 2017, and he was able to join them for the NBA Summer League, where he signed the first two-way contract in NBA history.
While James was eligible to split his time between the Phoenix Suns and their G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, during his two-way contract, he never did.
James signed a new two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2018.
During his two-way contract with New Orleans, James was never assigned to the NBA G League as he was with Phoenix.
James obtained a 10-day contract with the Brooklyn Nets on April 23, 2021. James was signed for the remainder of the 2020–21 season on May 13.
Criticized By European Coaches
Mike, in particular, is not like the rest. In the NBA draft, he was passed over by Phoenix, New Orleans, and Brooklyn, and he did not leave an indelible imprint.
However, he is a game-changing player in Europe, particularly in the Euroleague, where he was the top scorer in the 2018-2019 season.
On the other hand, James has a reputation for being a pig and completely uncontrollable.
CSKA Moscow sacked him at the start of the year due to a lack of mood compatibility.
James took advantage of the opportunity to work as a freelancer in New York’s beautiful suburbs.
For his trip to the Rock to be a success, he’ll need to get along with another influential figure: the Roca Team’s coach, Zvezdan Mitrovic. And that is hardly a victory.
Also, read on shooting guard for the NBA club Boston Celtics Derrick White!
The Basketball Tournament
James has competed in The Basketball Competition (TBT), an annual single-elimination winner-take-all tournament broadcast on ESPN, for Team Maryland and Team Hines.
James’ most spectacular performance came in a 104–92 loss against Team Foe when he scored 35 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
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Girlfriend
Mike James is currently single and has never been in a relationship. His secret lover has not been the subject of any rumors.
He may have had a few previous relationships, but he hasn’t publicly stated any specifics because he prefers to keep his personal life private and away from the media.
Social Media Presence
Mike is a social media activist who has been seen posting photos on various social media sites.
Mike has a bottomless passion for soccer, as anyone who follows him on social media can attest. However, if you have not yet followed him, below is the link to his social media accounts;
His Instagram has 158k followers and his Twitter has 37.5k followers.
