Mike James talks French league progress, reveals thoughts on career-last contract / News - Basketnews.com

Mike James used an example of his early years as a professional to illustrate how American players tend to look at the French league. He also weighed in on the country's basketball system and opened up on the next contract he's going to sign.

Credit: D. Lukšta Credit D. Lukšta

Last year, Mike James and AS Monaco were eliminated by JL Bourg as soon as they entered the Leaders Cup Final 4.

Mike James

MIN:31.71PTS:19.38 (53.93%)REB:4.31As:5.31ST:1.27BL:0TO:1.96GM:26ProfileEuroLeague2023/2024

This year, the talented scorer is in Saint-Chamond, where his team will compete on Friday against Le Mans. James appeared before the media at a press conference before the tournament. And he made his intentions very clear from the get-go.

"One of my new teammates asked me in the locker room: 'What does this competition mean to you? Do you take it seriously?' I answered him something like this: 'You don’t know me that well, I'm a maniac. I want to win everything,'" James told the media.

"And I hate wasting my time. I don't know anyone in Saint-Chamond, I didn't come here to see family or friends, I didn't come here to lose. I'm here to play basketball, and to win," he declared.

James and Monaco have a tough schedule, since they'll be playing their 10th match since January 26. Still, the 33-year-old guard calls this period 'refreshing' as he's had 'more days off than usual.'

"The break will be great if we win the trophy, not bad if we lose. I hope I could have a great holiday," he joked.

In a recent tweet, James claimed that AS Monaco's current performances have benefited French basketball. When asked to expand on his take, he explained that French clubs had had little -if any- success in the EuroLeague before the Roca Team appeared on the big stage.

"There weren't many French teams in the EuroLeague, and the ones that played there weren't that good," he argued.

"It was like, 'We come to France, we win, we leave and that's very good. I think that what we have done over the last three years with Monaco brings more exposure to the French championship as a whole. The more people respect even one or two French teams, the more value it will bring to the league and the more players looking for personal exposure will want to come here. They will tell themselves that they will be able to face ASVEL or Monaco. It's always good to get seen and move to the next level.

Free throws this season

76%13,8Points made:13,8Accuracy:75,7%Place in standings:7Record max:26Record min:3Most made FTs:Mike JamesTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

That's exactly what I was thinking when I went to Greece. I told myself that I was going to play for Olympiakos or Panathinaikos, it's the same thing," James recalled.

On the occasion of the French league imposing a salary cap and luxury tax on all clubs, James was asked whether he thinks there is a form of jealousy within French basketball for what AS Monaco have been accomplishing.

"I'm not an expert so what I'm going to say might be stupid," he conceded.

"But when a system is in place for too long, it can become obsolete. Take the example of an iPhone: you have to do updates from time to time. Perhaps the French basketball system is a little obsolete, which does not mean that it cannot function at a high level. It just needs to be adapted a little bit to the current situation," he pointed out.

The Portland-born player is set to surpass Nando De Colo and Vassilis Spanoulis to become the top scorer in EuroLeague history. However, the current season will most definitely not going to be his last on the courts.

"I've been talking about it to those around me for several years," he said referring to his future.

"As much as I love basketball, I sometimes get tired of being a basketball player, if that makes sense. So to keep it short, my next contract will probably be my last. That will be the end of my basketball chapter," he clarified and added that it will probably be a long-term contract.

Asked about AS Monaco's desire to extend the contract of its star player, who will be free from June 30, 2024, general manager Oleksiy Yefimov expressed his desire to keep the player in the Principality until the end of his career.

"It's the first time in his career that he has stayed in the same place for several years in a row and he will be here forever. At least, that's our goal," the Ukrainian executive said.

"We'll take the time to chat at some point," James reiterated.

"I don't know when it will happen, the season is still long but we live in the same place, they know how to reach me," he uttered with a smile. "We'll have a conversation and see what we can do."

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