Mike James compares EuroLeague and NBA, gives advice to young players / News - Basketnews.com

James advised younger players to consider coming to Europe to improve their game and learn more about basketball and life. He said the EuroLeague game is more like chess and the NBA is like checkers, echoing Kyle Hines words.

Credit: Mourad Allili//SIPA - Scanpix Credit Mourad Allili//SIPA - Scanpix

For the first time in his career, Mike James became the EuroLeague MVP. During the same season, he became the league's all-time leading scorer. It all happened because he decided to pursue a career in Europe at one time more than a decade ago.

3-pointers this season

35%7,8Points made:7,8Accuracy:34,9%Place in standings:16Record max:15Record min:3Most made 3FGs:Mike JamesTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

James temporarily left the EuroLeague during the 2020-21 season and came back to the NBA to play for the Brooklyn Nets. However, he quickly returned to Europe and remained here ever since.

Following the end of the international season for his team, AS Monaco's start guard did a quick interview with the EuroLeague, where he was asked to name the differences between the two leagues.

"It's definitely a different style with how the rules are made up and just how things happen - it's just a different style, a different brand of basketball. It's a little bit more technical, I guess that's the word. I think it's a great brand of basketball just to watch during the regular season. It's the most competitive, it's somehow faster even though we play slower," James said.

"I just really enjoy this side of things and how it's basically won like a chess match. In the NBA, I think it's a little more [like] checkers," James said, reminiscent of the words Kyle Hines once said. "It's enjoyable, it's fun. Every summer, I get excited to get ready to work."

As the contracts in the NBA rise every single season, more and more players are choosing to stay in the NBA circles instead of pursuing a career overseas.

"The ability to grow here and expand your basketball game and just learn things in life," James said about the main advantage of playing in the EuroLeague.

"I think the EuroLeague provides an outlet to be yourself and blossom and shine in a way that maybe the NBA won't allow you to do. Maybe you go to the NBA and [can] just be a part-time player, maybe in the EuroLeague, you can carve out an edge to be a star, a superstar, a major part of that team. It's good to just be able to experience cultures and travel all around Europe and have a good time. I think it's just a different experience, and it's an amazing experience," James shared.

Mike James

Team:AS MonacoPosition:PGAge:33Height:185 cmWeight:84 kgBirth place:Oregon, United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

"Even talking with Kemba, who's my teammate this year, who hasn't really been in Europe like that, I think the main thing he enjoyed this year was being able to travel around and just see different things he would've never seen. I know his family enjoyed it as well, being able to come around and see different things," James explained. "I think being able to see more parts of the world gives you an appreciation for what you actually like more and what you appreciate in life more. Being able to see more parts of the world and be in Europe, I have a better understanding of who I am, and I was able to grow from there."

James's career in Europe started in Zadar, Croatia. He played for multiple smaller-caliber teams until he was noticed by Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz in 2014. That's when his career turned around, and he's been one of the most prominent names in European basketball ever since.

"This was never the goal of mine. I was just hoping that I could fit in and make a long career. As your game grows, you have higher ambitions and higher goals that you set for yourself. I feel like in the last six-seven years, it has been one of the goals of mine. I finally got to achieve it. Obviously, we didn't get to achieve everything we wanted to this year. To achieve one thing is always good. I had several things on my list that I wanted to achieve this year, and this is one of them. It's amazing to be part of it," James concluded.

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