Mike James' record chase: how many games left to overtake Spanoulis? / News - Basketnews.com

If the top EuroLeague scorers maintain their current pace, this season will see the crowning of a new all-time EuroLeague scoring leader.

Credit: Valencia Basket/Miguel Angel Polo Credit Valencia Basket/Miguel Angel Polo

Mike James is not only impressing everyone as an early candidate for the EuroLeague season MVP awardafter another memorable night in Milanbut is also closing in on an incredible achievement.

Points this season

49%78,5Points made:78,5Accuracy:48,9%Place in standings:12Record max:107Record min:59Best scorer:Mike JamesTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

He's well on his way to becoming the highest-scoring player in EuroLeague history, surpassing some of the greatest names in the game.

As it stands, the 33-year-old James is just 417 points away from the current record holder, Vassilis Spanoulis (4455), in the list of all-time top scorers. AS Monaco guard currently holds the fourth position with 4038 points behind Spanoulis, Nando De Colo (4303), and Juan Carlos Navarro (4152).

At his current pace, with an average of 19.2 points per game, he's set to overtake Spanoulis in a mere 22 games.

Even if he maintains at least his career average of 16.2 points per game, James is on track to secure the top spot in 28 games, the last game of the EuroLeague regular season.

What sets Mike James apart is not only his impressive scoring ability but also his remarkable consistency. Since the 2018-19 season, he has never played fewer than 27 games in a single EuroLeague season.

Interestingly, James isn't just competing with the retired Spanoulis for the top position.

He's also in a tight race with another active player, Nando De Colo of LDCL ASVEL Villeurbanne. De Colo is only 152 points away from Spanoulis' record. With an average of 13.0 points per game he posted at the start of the season, a 36-year-old Frenchman could surpass Spanoulis in just 12 games.

"It's been years of consistent excellence, sustaining this level of success for 7-8 years. When you look at a 4,000-point scorer, it's highly likely he'll become the EuroLeague's all-time leading scorer," the URBONUS podcast co-host Errick McCollum said.

Mike James

MIN:30.28PTS:19.17 (53.85%)REB:4.17As:6ST:1.33BL:0TO:1.67GM:6ProfileEuroLeague2023/2024

"I know De Colo is still playing, but at this rate, Mike James is going to catch up," McCollum continued. "It appears he's not slowing down, and I can easily see him having another 2-3 high-level years, perhaps even more."

"Considering the format, we're talking about him possibly playing 35 to 40 games a year and averaging 16-18 points per game. I don't see any reason why he can't become the number-one scorer, which is something truly special, especially for an American," Karsiyaka Izmir scorer added.

"It's tough to stay with one team, it's tough to maintain that level of success as you age, and to see him continue to play, he's certainly a top dog. Respect to Mike," he concluded.

Top 5 EuroLeague all-time scorers

Pos. Player Points Games Minutes 1. Vassilis Spanoulis 4455 358 9379 2. Nando De Colo 4303 280 7102 3. Juan Carlos Navarro 4152 341 8197 4. Mike James 4038 249 6976 5. Sergio Llull 3735 379 8603

Mike James has been nothing short of spectacular this season. He's been averaging 19.2 points per game, with an outstanding shooting accuracy of 58.1% from inside the arc and 43.6% from beyond the three-point line.

He also contributes with 4.2 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.3 steals, and a 23.2 Performance Index Rating (PIR), which marks his career-high.

These stats have positioned him as the second-highest scorer and the third-most efficient player among the EuroLeague's statistical leaders.

He's been instrumental in generating a remarkable 34.0 points for AS Monaco through scoring and assisting, which accounts for an impressive 43.3% of the team's total points per game.

During the most recent four-game stretch, when AS Monaco rebounded from a challenging 0-2 start to secure four consecutive wins, Mike James was on fire. He averaged 20.0 points per game with an impressive field goal percentage of 55.4%, with 4.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and a 24.8 PIR.

"He's always a nightmare to guard. He's explosive, fast, a great shooter, great at the pick-and-roll, isolation play, and even has a solid low-post game," McCollum said. "His finishing in the paint is excellent, and I believe he has taken his efficiency to another level this year. He's sharp, playing fewer minutes while doing more, which is quite surprising. The way he leads the team and guides them to success, he's having an MVP-caliber year."

"What Mike has been able to achieve, not just this season but in past seasons, has been remarkable," Unicaja Malaga point guard Kendrick Perry added on the recent URBONUS podcast episode.

"I'm a huge fan of his game. I love his approach to the game. When you look at Monaco's roster, you might think, 'Well, there's only one basketball between Mike, Jordan Lloyd, Elie Okobo, and now adding Kemba Walker.' But Mike leads those guys in his own way. He's playing high-level basketball, and it's great to see," added Perry.

"As a foreigner coming to Europe, he was someone I always watched and kept in the highlights because of how he approached the game and what he stood for. I appreciate that he's outspoken, just like I am on Twitter and social media.

For me, it's a no-brainer – Mike James is currently the best player in Europe. If he maintains this level, I don't know the MVP voting structure, but it should be unanimous."

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